Artist's commentary
Finland’s 7.62 Tkiv 85 Sniper Rifle
The 7.62 Tarkkuuskivääri 85 (7.62 Sniper Rifle 85) entered service with the Finnish Defence Forces in the mid-1980s. Developed by Valmet it took the standard Mosin-Nagant action and placed it in an improved stock. The second photograph above features three Finnish snipers armed with the new Tkiv 85 in 1989. Today, it holds the distinction of probably being the last Mosin-Nagant actioned rifle in service with a European military.
The Tkiv 85 replaced the also Mosin-Nagant-based Kiikarikivääri M76. The Tkiv 85 uses the Finnish 7.62×53mmR rifle cartridge and feeds from a standard 5-round internal magazine. Interestingly, the 7.62 Tkiv 85 is the only rifle in the Finnish Army’s inventory which is still chambered in 7.62×53mmR. A venerable derivative of the Russian cartridge with similar dimensions.

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