CYMA CM.057T Dragunov SVD-M Airsoft DMR

The Dragunov SVD was the first true DMR rifle issued at squad level, conceived for the Soviet armed forces to go toe-to-toe with mass-issued Western battle rifles which outranged the Soviet-issued AK rifles by a considerable margin. The DMR concept was one of the few areas that the Soviet military was ahead of NATO, and a decade or so later, DMRs came about in Western service to supplement rifles firing intermediate cartridges such as the NATO standard cartridge, 5.56x45mm.

The SVD is the granddaddy of DMR rifles, but the SVD-M is an old dog taught new tricks. This rifle still has the iconic SVD silhouette and distinctly Russian looks but has new reinforced polymer furniture with gripping texture and an updated thumbhole stock with a built-in adjustable cheek rest to provide the perfect height for either the iron sights or an optical sight if you choose to add one.

CYMA's SVD-M is based on the Real Sword SVD internal design which means a custom 4-gear gearbox and a unique TDC gear adjustable HOP-up, though the CYMA gears are hardened steel which means if you plan to upgrade the CM.057T it can handle a 400FPS DMR spring for some true DMR performance.

Starting at the tip of the lengthy 22-inch outer barrel we can find an authentically designed SVD front sight/flash hider combination. Unfortunately, this flash hider is fixed in place and the barrel is not threaded, though we think the SVD is long enough without adding a suppressor! The front sight of the SVD is adjustable for elevation using a front sight adjustment tool and is protected inside an alloy ring, effectively preventing an accidental bump or scrape from messing with the rifle's zero.

The barrel has an authentic looking finish applied that simulates the anti-corrosion finish applied to real SVD barrels, with a slight texture to the surface which also adds some nice contrast and visual interest to the design. The gas block can be found just in front of the handguards and has all the details SVD fans would expect, and is also where the handguard disassembly catch is located. This catch is on the right side and allows the handguards to be separated to access the battery compartment. The front sling point is also located on the left side of the gas block, and is ideal for an SVD replica sling or two-point sling when paired with the rear sling bar on the stock.

Rotating the disassembly catch by 90 degrees to align with the barrel will allow the handguard cap at the front to be pushed forwards, after which the handguard halves can be separated. Inside you will find a mini-Tamiya battery connector to which you mount your battery. For the CM.057T, we recommend an AK stick-type battery or a slim LiPo nunchuck which fits nicely in the top of the handguard, and you can choose between 9.6V 1600mAh NiMH or 7.4V 1450mAh LiPo. Bigger batteries may fit but remounting the handguards is a task as it is and would be even more fiddly with a bigger battery.

The rear iron sight is a tangent design, similar to an AK but with a far wider range of adjustment. The sight mounts to the receiver via a steel extension and protrudes at the top of the handguard, providing a nice long sight base which makes these iron sights very effective. To adjust the sight, simply squeeze the drum-shaped adjuster and slide it to your position of choice. The tangent is marked for different ranges, from the n symbol which is the close-quarters battle sight with 100m increments out to 1200m. You won't be hitting anything at that range with an Airsoft gun, but these markings can still be used as a roundabout way to engage the enemy at longer ranges. The markings perfectly match the real SVD-M and make for an authentic look with their red coloured finish.

Next up, we reach the receiver which is constructed from steel and follows a roughly AK-like layout. The fire selector is on the right side and offers safe and semi-auto fire modes, just like the real SVD. The selector is constructed from steel and has a textured extension which makes it easy to actuate in poor weather and also functions as a dust cover, as it does in the AK design. The receiver top cover is also constructed from steel and has reinforcing ribs stamped into its upper surface to allow for thinner steel to be used, as is the case with the real thing. The catch at the rear of the right side of the receiver is the top cover disassembly latch and this is fully functional, and rotating the catch by 180 degrees will allow the top cover to be removed.

The substantial mock bolt carrier and charging handle of the SVD-M is located on the right side, just like the AK (fancy that!?). The bolt carrier can be pulled back and released and makes a very satisfying metal-on-metal "clank", and when pulled and held back provides access to the CM.057T's gear TDC adjustable HOP-up unit. Forget what you know about "gear" HOP-up units, this one is a unique design conceived by Real Sword and applies pressure directly to the top of the HOP-up nub and bucking to near eliminate side-to-side shot deviation. The unit itself and the adjuster are constructed from alloy, and the adjuster provides an audible and tactile click with each increment of adjustment. The HOP-up rubber, nub and 6.05mm tightbore inner barrel are all AEG compatible which is great news for those who want to put a Maple Leaf, Prometheus or other aftermarket HOP-up setup inside. What better HOP-up unit could we ask for in a DMR-style rifle?

On the left side of the receiver, the SVD-M is equipped with a Russian SVD style dovetail scope rail which allows you to mount an authentic Russian-style PSO scope or a 20mm rail adapter if you want to mount a western optical sight. This mount type is different to the AK style dovetail so when you are scope shopping make sure you get the SVD style mount. If you want to know the difference between the two mount types, check out our blog on the subject.

The magazine release is located on the bottom of the receiver and follows an AK-like format, much like the SVD overall. The release is accessible from either side making it great for left or right-handed shooters, and the magazine indexes through a rock and lock motion just like the AK. If you are already familiar with the AK platform the SVD-M will feel very familiar to you, and you will be able to transition to using this rifle with very little extra practice.

The trigger guard is constructed from steel, giving it a slim form but with the added strength of steel to give peace of mind that this part will never break. The trigger itself is a curved trigger which matches the profile of the real SVD perfectly, as does the modernised SVD-M style stock. The stock is constructed from high density polymer and follows the standard SVD thumbhole shape but with a rotating adjustable cheek piece at the top which is set to provide perfect height for an optic when deployed in its highest position, and perfect height for the iron sights when rotated into its lowest position. Adjusting the cheekpiece only requires pulling it backwards and rotating it into the desired position which is a massive step up from the legacy SVD stock and its separate leather-coated cheekpiece.

The butt plate of the SVD-M is constructed from steel to effectively protect the stock from being cracked when dropped and is curved to comfortably index with your shoulder. The stock is far more comfortable than one would expect from a Russian rifle and we are happy to report that like other recent Russian designs, the SVD-M steps away from the rugged utilitarian features of rifles of the Soviet era which didn't exactly prioritise ergonomics and user comfort. The rear sling point is located at the rear of the stock, taking the form of a steel sling bar which works with both replica SVD slings and standard two-point rifle slings with "hook" style attachment.

So, if you have your eye on a DMR-style rifle the SVD cannot have escaped your scrutiny. This variant adds a touch of modernity to the classic SVD Dragunov design and is based internally on the superb Real Sword SVD design which was regarded as one of the most accurate out-of-the-box AEG setups available at its time. CYMA has revamped the internals with hardened steel gears and a ball-bearing-equipped spring guide to improve its ability to handle the stress of using stronger springs but keep the best bits, such as the gear TDC adjustable HOP-up unit. If you want a modern "bad guy" DMR, this is the perfect rifle for the job!

Features

• Full metal construction
• Steel receiver, top cover and controls
• Real Sword SVD pattern gearbox - Reinforced steel gears
• Gear TDC adjustable HOP-up unit - Unique design, very effective & AEG compatible
• 6.05mm Tightbore inner barrel - 690mm long, impressive length!
• Tangent open iron sights - Fully adjustable, long sight base, wide field of view
• Ambidextrous magazine release - Accessible for both left and right-handed shooters
• Modern SVD-M high density polymer furniture - Perfectly replicates the modernised SVD
• Sling points front and rear - Loop on the gas block, bar on the stock
• SVD Style dovetail side rail for optics and 20mm rail adapters
• AK Style fire selector switch - Safe & Semi-automatic only
• Compatible with Real Sword & CYMA SVD magazines - Not compatible with A&K

Package Includes

• CYMA CM.057T Dragunov SVD-M Airsoft DMR Rifle
• 120rnd Medium capacity magazine
• Speed Loader
• User manual