For those of us that would like a "real" Dragunov but can't get/afford one due to importation bans against this Russian rifle since the 1989 Bush import ban and other sanctions, there is a potential alternative.

Finland has produced and uses their own version, the Tkiv Dragunov made by Sako Ltd.

Finnish Tkiv Dragunov

Not much out there on this variant but it looks identical to the Russian original, and last time I checked the Finns are great folks, have a long history dealing with the Russians, and make good stuff. Some have indicated that their version might be made better than the original.

It would be great if some enterprising org, like Atlantic Firearms (hint, hint) could give the Finns a call.

My .02

if they could have imported it, they would have already done so. that is from 2009

Yeah, would love a cheaper alternative.  Don't see that as being it.   Not sure if we will ever see a better alternative but with Trump in office who knows.

Maybe or maybe no one has tried.

The Finnish variant is service so still available. There was another article from Leroy Thompson from 2013 that touched upon the Finnish rifle and had some pics.

Well I stand corrected.

While the Finns do use the Dragunov as the Tkiv Dragunov they only bought them from Russia/Soviet Union vs. making their own variant.  The sources I reported were incorrect.

According to the old Dragunov site..."Russian SVDs and Tigers, and Chinese NDM-86s are banned under different agreements with Russia and China. .... Pres. Clinton banned Chinese imports of arms and ammunition to the United States in 1994, which was a separate ban from the Russian Voluntary Restriction on Arms and Ammunition. It is Russia, not the US, that is preventing new Dragunov rifles from being imported to the US.".

Contrary to what the last sentence states that its not the US preventing SVD importation actually they are banned as part of this trade agreement agreed to by the US and Russia during the Bush Sr. administration (6/1/1990), and amended during the Clinton administration to allow importation of formerly banned firearms and ammunition.

Russia Agreement on Firearms and Ammunition

Changes can occur as indicated by this May 20, 2004 BATF letter allowing additional import restriction amended. So the Bush Jr. administration loosened things up but did not totally rescind his Dad's original action.

May 20, 2004 BATF letter

With the change in POTUS we can all hope that things could change.

Yeah, this one would be cool.  Did you run your idea by Atlantic Firearms?  They probably don't read every post and might not even know about the Finnish version.

I'll take one!