CYMA CM.057S Dragunov SVD-S 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, and the SVD-S is a slightly more compact variant designed for mechanised infantry and paratroopers. The SVD-S still has most of the iconic SVD silhouette and distinctly Russian looks but has new reinforced polymer furniture with gripping texture with a side folding stock which has 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. The SVD-S keeps the majority of the original SVD functionality but now fits nicely into smaller gun bags, unlike the seriously lengthy original Dragunov.

CYMA's SVD-S 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.057S it can handle a 400FPS DMR spring for some true DMR performance.

Starting at the tip of the lengthy 22.2-inch outer barrel we can find an authentically designed SVD-S trumpet front sight/flash hider combination. Unfortunately, this flash hider is fixed in place and the barrel is not threaded. The front sight of the CM.057S SVD-S 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 ideally positioned for an SVD replica sling or two-point sling when paired with the rear sling swivel on the base of 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.057S, 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 SVD-S, 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-S and make for an authentic look with their red coloured finish.

Next up, we reach the receiver which is constructed from alloy with a steel lower section where the trigger guard mounts. Like the original Dragunov SVD, the SVD-S follows a roughly AK-like layout to keep the rifle familiar to soldiers who learned to shoot with an AK in their hands. The fire selector is on the right side and offers safe and semi-auto fire modes, just like the real SVD-S. 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 combination mock bolt carrier and charging handle of the SVD-S is located on the right side, just like the AK platform. 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. 057S' 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-S 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-S 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, as is the lower section of the receiver to which it mounts. This gives 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. The stock is constructed from steel with an alloy hinge mechanism and retains the same rotating adjustable cheekpiece at the top as the SVD-M, the modernised full-size SVD. The cheek rest is designed 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.

Folding the stock is as simple as it is on an AK, simply requiring a press of the button on the right side of the stock, just in front of the hinge. Pressing the button will disengage the lock mechanism and allow the stock to fold to the right side of the gun, allowing you to keep your optic mounted when the stock is folded, unlike AKS-74 variants which require the optic to be removed to allow the stock to fold to the right. To lock the stock onto the steel lug just below the fire selector switch all you need to do is pull the cheek rest back and the steel locking piece on the stock will index with the lug on the receiver. This means you can carry the SVD-S with the stock folded in confidence it won't swing open and slow you down, unlike other folding stocks which can unfold at an inopportune moment.

The stock itself is skeletonised folding stock and the cheek rest and butt plate are made from high density polymer, making it a significant step up ergonomically from other folding stocks, especially those found on AKs. 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-S originates in the post-Soviet era when the concept of ergonomics crossed the Berlin Wall! The rear sling point is located on the left side of the base of the stock, taking the form of a steel sling swivel 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 Dragunov SVD cannot have escaped your scrutiny. The SVD-S variant modernised the classic SVD Dragunov design and made it far easier to move with, store and carry in the field. Internally, the CM.057S is based 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. Whether you are skirmishing with a VDV loadout or you want a slick, modern DMR for a generic OPFOR loadout, the CM.057S would be a fantastic primary!

Features

• Full metal construction
• Steel top cover, trigger guard, stock frame 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 - 590mm 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 style polymer handguard - Ribbed for added grip
• SVD-S Steel side folding stock - Perfect for smaller gun bags and portability
• Sling points front and rear - Loop on the gas block and 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.057S Dragunov SVD-S Airsoft DMR Rifle
• 200rnd High capacity magazine
• User manual