9 July 2016
Dallas shooter used a Russian designed military rifle
In case you’re wondering, Dallas police shooter Micah Xavier Johnson used a carbine designed by Russia for military use, reports CBS News:
A law enforcement source told CBS News the suspect was armed with a SKS semi-automatic assault rifle and a handgun, CBS News senior investigative producer Pat Milton reports.
According to the Wikipedia, the SKS fires a 7.62x39 mm round and has a 10-round magazine that’s reloaded by a stripper clip. The Soviets introduced it in the early 1940s as a lighter alternative to their standard military rifle. In the early 1950s, it was supplanted by the AK-47.
Millions of the SKS were manufactured, by Russia and other nations, such as China, and the weapon is used by civilians as a hunting and target shooting firearm. A cursory Google search yielded prices in the $300–600 range for the SKS. By comparison, a high quality model of the AR-15 design can sell for $1,500–2,000.
Johnson used his SKS as a sniper rifle. Although not designed for that purpose, it got the job done.