armoury
RAPTOR SV-98 DELUXE
SOVIET
SNAIPERSKAYA:
DA ИЛИ NYET?
STEVE T PUTS A NEW AIRSOFT REPLICA OF THE MOTHERLAND’S SV-98 SNIPER
RIFLE FROM TAIWAN THROUGH ITS PACES.
A
h, there’s nothing quite like the
smell of a wooden-bodied rifle -
even before it’s seen action and
absorbed the blood, sweat and tears from
crushing defeats or hard-won victories.
Thinking about it, maybe especially
before…
In a sector dominated by Tokyo Marui’s
plastic, hollow-bodied VSR-10, it’s so
refreshing to feel a natural material in
hand, thanks to the SV-98 Deluxe
Edition Airsoft Sniper Rifle by a
new manufacturer from Taiwan;
RAPTOR.
SNAIPERSKAYA
SPEAKING
Russia fans, get your geek on,
because this is a rare example
of a recent RIF drawn from the
motherland - and it isn’t an AK!
It may look more like a relic
from the cold war to some, but the
Snaiperskaya Vintovka Model 1998
- SV-98 to its friends - was designed
by Vladimir Stronskiy right at the
end of the 20th Century. It was
issued to Spec Ops forces in 2003
and saw combat in Chechnya.
38
APRIL 2020
Created to engage targets at a range
of up to 1KM, the SV was based on the
Record Shooting rifle by Izhmash - better
known as JSC Kalashnikov Concern - with
a cold-hammer forged receiver and free-
floating barrel. The laminated plywood
stock can be adjusted for height and pitch,
with an adjustable cheek riser.
The SV is arguably most recognisable
for the old skool detachable carrying
handle to the right side, but the glass
fiber reinforced nylon 10-round magazine
speaks to its modernity.
Izhmash developed an upgraded variant
in 2013 with an aluminum alloy receiver
and skeleton stock.
The SV-98 has seen service with armed
forces in and Armenia, and you’ll find it in
videogames such as Warface and Escape
From Tarkov.
“RUSSIA FANS, GET YOUR GEEK
ON, BECAUSE THIS IS A RARE
EXAMPLE OF A RECENT RIF DRAWN
FROM THE MOTHERLAND - AND IT
ISN’T AN AK! IT MAY LOOK MORE
LIKE A RELIC FROM THE COLD WAR
TO SOME, BUT THE SNAIPERSKAYA
VINTOVKA MODEL 1998 - SV-98 TO
ITS FRIENDS - WAS DESIGNED BY
VLADIMIR STRONSKIY RIGHT AT
THE END OF THE 20TH CENTURY.”
SOME ASSEMBLY
REQUIRED
You might not have heard of
RAPTOR as an airsoft brand before,
because the Taiwanese company
was only established in early 2017.
But the Kaohsiung company was
borne from accessory manufacturer,
Tactical Weapon Industries (TWI),
so they have prior form in the
industry. The SV-98 on test here
was just released in September and
is now available in the UK from
Airsoftworld.net.
When you open the box, you
won’t find an assembled RIF, but
poly-coddled parts to assemble.
Which is fine - if there were