American Rifleman — It was about two years ago when I wrote the heartbreaking story of how the rugged, reliable Molot Vepr 7.62x54R semi-automatic rifle I had been eagerly awaiting a chance to test fire suddenly turned into a collector’s item.
With an overnight change in import regulations (which are still in place) the uncommon Vepr configuration I had on hand went from being a gun to be enjoyed at the range to a factory fresh, unfired piece of gun safe tinsel that should be tucked away for a financial rainy day.
My Vepr adventure began years before with a smitten-at-first-sight glimpse of a Norinco NDM-86 7.62 mm x 51 mm NATO rifle in a TV show. At the time, I mistakenly believed it to be a Cold War-era Russian SVD NDM-86 Dragunov chambered in 7.62x54r. It instantly joined my gotta-shoot-it bucket list.
Nearly 17 years in the making, my goal of firing a long-barreled semi-automatic rifle chambered in 7.62x54R can finally be scratched off my bucket list. And I’m happy to report that it was worth the wait. While the accuracy is not quite as tight as I hoped it would be, the potential for the enjoyable long-range lobbing of lead is still there. The ammunition for this gun is not as inexpensive as it used to be but it’s still more affordable than many center-fire rifle cartridges.
I was lucky to snap up what would be among the last of the Vepr rifles just weeks before the surprise change in import regulations that has caused them to disappear from dealers’ shelves. Even though the physical appearance of the Closeunov 4ME configuration may not be an exact replica of the original SVD Dragunov, the high quality of the rifle, accessories and services have all come together to form a reliable and appealing platform that I intend to enjoy for a long time to come.
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