RPD Russian 7.62mm Light Machine Gun
Degtyarev
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Basic Information
Name
RPD Russian 7.62mm Light Machine Gun
Designation
Degtyarev
Alternate Designation
Degtyarev
Equipment Type
—
Manufacturer
—
Date of Introduction
1944
Description
The RPD is a 7.62mm light machine gun developed in the Soviet Union by Vasily Degtyaryov for the 7.62×39mm M43 intermediate cartridge. It was created as a replacement for the DP machine gun chambered for the 7.62×54mmR round. It is a precursor of most squad automatic weapons. It was succeeded in Soviet service by the RPK. The RPD is an automatic weapon using a gas-operated long-stroke piston system and a locking system recycled from previous Degtyaryov small arms, consisting of a pair of hinged flaps set in recesses on each side of the receiver. The movement of these flaps and the resulting locking and unlocking action is controlled by carefully angled surfaces on the bolt carrier assembly. The weapon fires from an open bolt.
Variants
Type 56 & 56-1
Chinese version.
Type 62 Light MG
North Korean version.
M52
Czech version.
System
Alternative Designation
Degtyarev
Operation
Gas
Fire Mode
Automatic
Mount
Bipod
Feed System
Metallic-link belt, 100-rd drum (containing belt). The Chinese copies may use 200-rd drums.
Quick Change Barrel
No
Rate of Fire (Cyclic)
600 rd/min
Rate of Fire (Practical)
150 rd/min
Dimensions
Overall Length
1,037 mm
Barrel Length
520 mm
Empty Weight (w/o magazine)
7 kg
Loaded (with magazine)
13 kg
Ammunition
M1943 (57N231S)
Caliber/length
7.62x39-mm
Type
Ball, steel core
Effective Range
800 m
Maximum Range
800 m
Armor Penetration
6 mm mild steel plate at 300 m
Steel helmet at 1,000 m
Flak vest at 60 m
Muzzle Velocity
718 m/s
M1943 (T-45 or 57N231P)
Caliber/length
7.62x39-mm
Type
Ball-Tracer
Effective Range
800 m
Maximum Range
800 m
Trace
800 m
Muzzle Velocity
718 m/s
M1943
Caliber/length
7.62x39-mm
Type
API
Armor Penetration
8 mm
Muzzle Velocity (m/s)
N/A
Sights
Sights
Type
Leaf sights
Sight Range (m)
900 in 100 meter increments.
Magnification
None
Night Sights Available
Yes
Note
The RPD is equipped with a set of open-type iron sights. These consist of a front post and a notched rear sight mounted on a tangent. Both the front and rear sights on the RPD are adjustable for windage and elevation. The front sight is adjusted up or down for elevation using a tool included in the issued cleaning kit. To adjust the front sight for windage, the smaller of the two wrenches on the multi-tool included in the issued cleaning kit is used to loosen the retaining bolt on the front sight clamp. The front sight can then be adjusted left or right for the correct windage, after which the retaining bolt is reinstalled to lock the sight into place. The rear sight is adjusted for elevation using a slider. The rear sight is marked in 100 meter increments from 100 to 1,000 meters. The rear sight is adjusted for windage using a knob on the left side of the rear sight. Because the front sight of the RPD must be partially disassembled in order to adjust windage, in practice the front sight would have been zeroed for windage and then locked in place. Adjustment for windage in the field would have been accomplished using the knob on the rear sight.
A number of RPDs were fitted with a side rail (attached to the left side of the receiver) to accept an NSP-2 night vision sight.
Accessories
Note
Standard accessories issued with the weapon include and sling, extra ammunition drums and belts (with either belt or shoulder pouches for same), oil bottle, cleaning rod (carried in a slot on the left side of the receiver), (stowed in a compartment inside the stock), and drop case.
The cleaning kit consists of a rectangular metal clam-shell case that typically contains the following tools and spare parts: pin punch (used for disassembling the bolt), cleaning jag, multi-tool (includes screwdriver, small and large wrenches used for adjusting the front sight and gas system, respectively, and a notch for installing and removing the cleaning jag on the cleaning rod), broken case extractor, front sight adjustment tool, gas tube scraping tool, gas port reamer, spare extractor, spare extractor spring, spare firing pin. There are a number of spring steel "fingers" on the lid of the clam-shell case which press on the contents of the cleaning kit when closed to prevent rattling. One end of the clam-shell case has a notch from which the screwdriver end of the multi-tool can protrude.
Details
Country of Origin
Russia
Category
Machine Guns
Land > Infantry Weapons > Machine Guns
Filter Label
R
Classification
Domain
Ground
Equipment Status
Active
Dimensions
Length
1.04 m
Width
—
Height
—
Weight
—
Documents & Files (1)
Operators (51)
Israel
North Korea
Pakistan
Afghanistan
Albania
Algeria
Angola
Azerbaijan
Bangladesh
Benin
Bolivia
Burundi
Cambodia
Central African Republic
Chad
Congo, Republic of the
Côte d'Ivoire
Djibouti
Egypt
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Ethiopia
Ghana
Guinea
Hungary
Indonesia
Iraq
Laos
Lesotho
Libya
Mali
Malta
Mongolia
Morocco
Nicaragua
Niger
Nigeria
Peru
Romania
Rwanda
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Somalia
Sudan
Syria
Tanzania
Togo
Uganda
Vietnam
Yemen
Zimbabwe
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