The Dragunov sniper rifle (formal Russian: Сна́йперская Винто́вка систе́мы Драгуно́ва образца́ 1963 года, Snáyperskaya Vintóvka sistém'y Dragunóva obraz'tsá 1963 goda (SVD-63), officially "Sniper Rifle, System of Dragunov, Model of the Year 1963") (GRAU index 6V1 (ГРАУ Индекс 6В1)) is a semi-automatic designated marksman rifle chambered in 7.62×54mmR and developed in the Soviet Union.
The Dragunov was designed as a squad support weapon since, according to Soviet and Soviet-derived military doctrines, long-range engagement ability was lost to ordinary troops when submachine guns and assault rifles (which are optimized for close-range and medium-range, rapid-fire combat) were adopted.