Iran purchased sniper rifles from Russia

20 February, 2025 Orsis T-5000M rifles in service with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, February 2025. Photo credits: Masoud Shahrestan The Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has received Russian-made Orsis T-5000M high-precision rifles.

Photos of the new weapons were released during the second stage of the IRGC's "Great Prophet-19" military exercises. As part of the military exercises, the rifles were not only demonstrated to journalists at stands but were also actively used by IRGC sniper groups for long-range shooting in mountainous terrain. Depending on the caliber, Orsis T-5000M long-range rifles can be used for accurate shooting up to 1500 meters.

The manufacturer declares that the accuracy reaches 0.5 angular minutes, which is equivalent to a group of 11 cm hits at a distance of 800 meters. Iran's ground forces use 7.62x51 sniper rifles, followed by less accurate anti-material systems. However, the Russian rifles in the photo are made in a non-standard and more powerful caliber with a longer cartridge.

Orsis T-5000M in service with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, February 2025.

Photo credits: Mohammad Mehdi Dara

Orsis T-5000M in service with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, February 2025. Photo credits: Mohammad Mehdi Dara

The T-5000M is a magazine-fed, precision sniper rifle with a longitudinal slide weighing 5.8 and 6.2 kilograms, depending on the modification. In addition to the common .308 caliber, Moscow-based Orsis also produces versions of the rifle in .260 Rem, 6.5x47 Lapua, .308 Win, .300 Win Magnum, .338 LM, .375 H&H, and 6.5 Creedmoor calibers.

In 2022, it was announced that a model chambered for the .300 Norma Magnum cartridge would be introduced. It was adopted by the Russian special services and was actively used by the invaders during the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. In addition, it was exported and supplied under defense contracts to China, Iraq, Syria, Belarus, and a number of other Arab and Asian countries.

In 2020, Orsis T-5000 rifles were spotted in the hands of ISIS and Hezbollah militants. They most likely got them as trophies from Iraqi troops.

Orsis T-5000M, equipped with an Iranian RU60G thermal imaging sight, in the hands of a Hezbollah fighter (second from right), May 2020. Photo credits: Calibre Obscura

Earlier, Militarnyi reported that Russia is increasing the production of Dragunov sniper rifles for its own army, having paused the scale-up of production of advanced microwave rifles.

The Russian concern Kalashnikov announced the signing of the first contracts for 2025 and an increase in production of SVDs several times, which may indicate a growing demand from the warring Russian army.

The SVD is a 7.62x54R sniper rifle developed by Soviet designer Yevgeny Dragunov in 1958-1963.

Despite its inherent potential, it is considered obsolete, so in 2017, the Russian concern Kalashnikov introduced its successor, the Chukavin sniper rifle (SVCh).