Degtyarev light machine gun. RPD - a new page in the history of small arms

Soviet machine gun DPM

Despite the fact that the MT light machine gun was adopted by the army, by 1925 the problem of equipping the armed forces with domestic light machine guns still could not be solved. As before, the troops used the most various models produced in many countries around the world. True, the number of these weapons quickly decreased over time.
To cope with the problem of equipping the army modern weapons, in 1921 a design bureau of automatic small arms. It was headed by the internationally recognized weapons specialist Vladimir Grigorievich Fedorov, and his deputy was the famous designer Vasily Alekseevich Degtyarev. Every year the team was replenished with capable engineers. Soon the design bureau became a leading center in its field.
Even before the official decision to create the bureau, Fedorov and Degtyarev began working on new machine gun projects in the experimental workshop. Although all of these models, chambered for the 6.5 mm cartridge, had interesting designs, they never went beyond prototypes. The right path was chosen only in 1924, when a solution appeared
on the use of a standard 7.62 mm Mosin rifle cartridge.
At the same time, it was finally possible to solve the problem of creating a light machine gun that meets the needs of the army and is suitable for mass production. Degtyarev developed not just an infantry machine gun, but an entire weapon system. Later modifications could be installed on aircraft and tanks. All of them were light in weight and simple in design, containing few moving parts.
In 1923, a prototype was presented - with belt power and on two small wheels, without a shield. The following year, a modernized model appeared with a flat disk magazine on the bipod. After testing, which took place on June 22, 1924, the command recommended that it be thoroughly tested.
In the summer of 1927, in comparative tests, in which, along with the Degtyarev machine gun, almost all foreign weapons used at that time took part, as well as the German Dreyse 13 machine gun and Tokarev MT, the Degtyarev model demonstrated its obvious superiority. For 20 thousand shots it worked flawlessly, and after 40 thousand shots the failure rate was no more than 0.5. Nevertheless, the sample has undergone further improvement. Degtyarev slightly improved, for example, the bolt, gas piston, firing pin and cartridge ejector. Interesting in this regard is Fedorov’s report dated May 29, 1930 on testing the machine gun for durability. The most important parts were subjected to a load of 25 to 30 thousand rounds, and the rest - from 75 to 100 thousand rounds.
According to Soviet literature, the creator of this machine gun was called the “Russian Maxim” across the border.
Under the name DP1928, the machine gun became the standard weapon of the Soviet infantry. There are different data about the time of its adoption into service. In addition to 1928, which is probably true, 1927 and 1929 are also mentioned. This obviously means the year of testing and the year of the start of mass production.
Light machine gun DP 1928 works on the principle of using powder gas pressure, has a fixed barrel and rigid engagement of the bolt with the barrel. When the bullet passes the hole in the barrel, part of the powder gases enters the gas chamber through the hole and moves the piston connected to the bolt in the rear direction. In this case, the bolt is disconnected from the barrel and the weapon is automatically reloaded. Using a special tool, the gas pressure can be adjusted.

About a third of the barrel protrudes from the casing, which is equipped with cooling holes. There is a cone-shaped flame arrester on the barrel. The first series of machine guns had cooling fins on the barrel, but then they were abandoned. The barrel is replaceable, but this complex operation requiring special tools. Z
Ammunition is supplied from a disk magazine. Under spring pressure, the cartridge is fed down through the disk slot. The capacity of such a disk is 49 rounds, but for correct feeding it is filled with only 47 rounds.
At a time when no army had a light machine gun with such a large ammunition capacity other than the Lewis model, the Soviet armed forces had a weapon with 47 rounds. Subsequently, this turned out to be a decisive factor, although from a tactical point of view such ammunition was still insufficient. In addition, loading the magazine turned out to be a rather difficult process, especially in combat conditions, and the flat magazine body was almost impossible to protect from damage.
The machine gun fires only continuously. The practical rate of fire is from 80 to 100 rounds/min. Maximum range bullet flight is 3000 m. The safety is located near the trigger. Pressing the trigger with the index finger, the shooter simultaneously presses the safety with the middle finger, unlocking the trigger. As soon as he releases the stock neck, the trigger is locked. The sector sight is installed at a distance from 100 to 1500 m in increments of 100 m. The length of the sight line is 616 mm. The machine gun is equipped with a bipod mounted under the gas channel. If necessary, the bipod can be folded along the trunk for transportation.
This machine gun had advantages in the form of maneuverability, light weight, strength and reliability of design. However, there were also disadvantages, for example, rapid wear of some parts of the bolt, heating and low service life of the recoil spring. The bipod did not give the machine gun sufficient stability. The military expressed wishes to increase the magazine capacity.
The biggest shortcomings have been eliminated. After numerous experiments, designer Shilin modernized the machine gun, and in 1944 an improved model of the Degtyarev DPM light machine gun was presented. This model had a safety lever, a pistol grip behind the trigger and a lightweight stock. During the attack, the shooter could hold the machine gun suspended at his hip. The recoil spring was also improved. It became stronger and was housed in a protective tube behind the bolt, meaning it was no longer exposed to extreme heat. The walls of the trunk became thicker and stronger. The bipod was moved back, which gave greater stability.
However, the ammunition supply system could not be improved. At first, a belt with a large supply of cartridges was provided, but this problem could only be solved when creating the RP 46 company machine gun.
Modifications of the Degtyarev light machine gun include those that appeared in 1928 and 1930 aircraft machine guns DA and DA 2 (coaxial), as well as the DT tank machine gun and the modernized DPM 1944 light machine gun, adopted in 1929. Thus, at the end of the twenties, the Soviet armed forces had not only a standard infantry light machine gun, but also an entire weapon system, although in insufficient quantities.

Dp-27

Aviation machine guns with a pistol grip, a modified butt and a 63-round magazine were installed mainly on bombers and reconnaissance aircraft. Tank machine guns were equipped with a retractable butt, a more massive barrel, a diopter sight and the same magazine as aviation weapons. Being equipped with bipods, they were also used in infantry and partisan formations.
The international specialized literature contains unanimous positive assessments regarding the DP 1928 and DPM 1944 machine guns. They are considered reliable and effective weapons with simple design. The same applies to their production. Although they were made primarily on metal-cutting machines, the cost of their production was low. Some authors consider these machine guns to be the simplest and cheapest in the world at that time.
The first version of the DP 1928 was used during the Spanish Civil War from 1936 to 1939 by government forces and the International Brigades. They proved themselves well in 1938-1939 in battles with Japanese aggressors on Lake Khasan and Khalkhin Gol, as well as during Soviet-Finnish war 1939-1940.

Degtyarev machine gun - DP 28

During the Second World War, Degtyarev machine guns proved their reliability on all fronts. In the most difficult situations, in heat and cold, in a dirty state, they shot accurately and accurately. German troops at the first opportunity they used weapons captured as trophies. According to the classification of the Wehrmacht weapons department, they were listed as light machine guns model 120 (g) and 120/2 (g).
It is not known exactly how many machine guns of this type were manufactured. Soviet sources report that by January 1928 they produced a trial series of 100 units, and in 1928 the industry received an order to produce 2,500 units. The following year, this order grew to 6,500 units, of which 4,000 were infantry. 2000 aviation and 500 tank machine guns.
There is information about measures taken by the military command to establish mass production. It was, first of all, about technological aspects, about the supply of the necessary grades of steel, about the interchangeability of parts of weapons of different models, and in general about the constant improvement of production quality. For this purpose, extensive tests were carried out at that time. They were followed by design changes aimed at improving weapons. Several experimental models of 1931, 1934 and 1938 are known. During World War II, attempts were made to equip these machine guns with cartridge belts. However, the tests carried out by Degtyarev in 1943 ended in failure. Direct rod magazines also turned out to be unsuitable.

As for testing light machine guns, additional clarification is required here. The specialists were not entirely satisfied with the standard machine gun, either technologically or tactical points vision. Technical shortcomings were characteristic, first of all, of the bolt and the recoil spring. They were eliminated in the modernized version of the DPM 1944. Tactical shortcomings were expressed, first of all, in small ammunition.
The troops needed a maneuverable company machine gun with great firepower. Therefore, its ammunition should have been comparable to heavy machine guns. These weapons of the first line of fire were to be complemented by heavy machine guns operating on the second line and on the flanks. Despite the rather large magazine capacity, Degtyarev’s machine gun could not cope with this tactical task.
Therefore, in 1943, the command announced a competition, which was intended to supplement the standard machine gun new model. IN Soviet literature contains information about several experimental models, which, in addition to the Degtyarev machine gun, included samples from S. G. Simonov and the then little-known designer M. T. Kalashnikov. At first all these prototypes were designed for a cartridge from a Mosin rifle of 7.62 mm caliber. However, since at this time a new
shortened cartridge M 43, the designers' efforts soon concentrated on it. The most active designers, in addition to those already mentioned, included A. A. Dubinin, P. P. Polyakov, A. I. Shilin and A. I. Sudaev.
Their numerous experimental models, created either independently or as part of teams, were refined and improved after careful testing. As a result, samples of weapons of the required quality appeared. One of them was the RP 46 company machine gun, chambered for the standard M 1908/30 rifle cartridge, and the other was the Degtyarev RPD light machine gun chambered for the shortened M 43 cartridge.
Although this machine gun was ready for mass production even before the start of the war, it was put into service only after 1945. Later it was added the whole system the most modern machine guns, the first of which was the Kalashnikov RPK light machine gun.
Thus, the Degtyarev machine gun remained a standard weapon from the late twenties until the end of the Second World War. This was partly due to the lack of capacity to produce the models mentioned above that were ready for mass production.
Since the appearance of the DP 1928 machine gun, the army's need for this type of weapon has been constantly growing. Despite the constant increase in production rates, there were not enough machine guns until 1942-1943. Even taking into account the fact that the total number of machine guns from 1929 to 1933 increased by more than 7.5 times, and among the 105 thousand machine guns produced from 1933 to 1941, a significant part were DP 1928, the shortage was very noticeable. On the Western Front alone, by the end of September there was a shortage of approximately 3,800 units. A sharp increase in production helped cope with the shortage. In 1944, more than 120 thousand Degtyarev infantry machine guns and about 40 thousand tank machine guns were manufactured. Since these data were not taken from Soviet sources, there is no way to double-check them or compare them with materials from Soviet authors. It is alleged that the annual production of light, mounted and heavy machine guns since 1942 has averaged 450 thousand units. It is emphasized that from July 1941 until the end of the war, USSR industry supplied 78 times more machine guns to the front than royal Russia during the years of the First World War.
The DP machine gun and its modernized version DPM were in service with the GDR army. Later they were supplemented with Degtyarev RPD and then RPK machine guns. In addition to the USSR, DP machine guns were produced in Poland (DP, DPM) and in China under the designation Model 53.

The Dyagterev machine gun was supplied with a box or pouch for carrying additional magazines and a box or bag for accessories. Accessories included a screwdriver key for disassembling and assembling the machine gun, a device for clearing gas passages, a composite cleaning rod, a rod with a bristle brush, a cartridge case extractor and two drifts for pushing out the pin axes.

The iron magazine box had a lid that opened 180 degrees and a canvas handle for carrying. A canvas pouch with a flap that closed with a wooden button was also used for stores. Inside the pouch there were metal mounts for discs. Three magazines for a Degtyarev machine gun were placed in a box or pouch. Accessories for servicing the machine gun were placed in a metal box or canvas bag.

Characteristics: DP 1928 light machine gun
Caliber, mm........................................................ .....................................7.62
Initial bullet speed (Vq), m/s............................................ .840*
Weapon length, mm................................................... ...........................1266
Rate of fire, rds/min.................................................... ...............600
Ammunition supply........................................disc magazine
for (49) 47 rounds
Weight in charged state, kg...................................8.40
Weight of a full magazine, kg................................................... .........2.82
Weight of empty magazine, kg................................................... ..........1.64
Cartridge................................................. ...................................7.62x54 R
Barrel length, mm................................................... ...........................605**
Rifling/direction................................................... .....................4/p
Sighting firing range, m....................................1500
Effective firing range, m...................................800
* Cartridge with a light bullet.
** Free part - 532 mm.

In 1943, the Red Army's arsenal was replenished with the first domestic 7.62x39 mm intermediate cartridge. Soon after this, the development of new types designed to use similar ammunition began. The result of several programs to create new small arms was the emergence of a number of samples of different classes: the SKS self-loading carbine, the RPD light machine gun and other weapons. Thus, the “Degtyarev Light Machine Gun” became the first domestic model of its class to use the new intermediate cartridge.

Even at the design stage of a new cartridge designed by N.M. Elizarova and B.V. Semin found that weapons for such ammunition would have noticeable advantages over existing systems, although in a number of cases lags in performance were expected. The cartridge was lighter, which affected the volume of carryable ammunition, but had a shorter firing range. Tests of the 7.62x39 mm cartridge showed its sufficient effectiveness when firing at distances up to 800 m. Analysis of battles, in turn, showed that such a firing range is quite sufficient for new weapons that will be used in future conflicts.

At the beginning of 1944, a competition began to create a light machine gun chambered for an intermediate cartridge. The military wanted a relatively light weapon with the maximum possible firepower. In addition, the new model should not have the disadvantages inherent in the existing DP/DPM machine guns. Several leading gunsmith designers were involved in the development of competitive projects. S.G. presented his versions of the light machine gun. Simonov, F.V. Tokarev, A.I. Sudaev and other honored masters of their craft. In addition, V.A. took part in the competition. Degtyarev, several of whose machine guns have been in service with the Red Army since the late twenties.

Using his experience in creating light machine guns, Degtyarev proposed several options for new weapons. Having similar gas automatics, the proposed projects differed in the design of the shutter and the ammunition supply system. Initially, Degtyarev proposed using a disk magazine similar to that used on the DP machine gun, and also considered the possibility of creating a detachable box magazine. However, an analysis of various proposals showed that the best option will use tape power.

According to the results of tests carried out in mid-1944, the leader of the competition was the Degtyarev machine gun under symbol RP-44. This weapon was even produced in a small batch and sent to the troops for testing at the front. Military tests ended with the development of proposals for fine-tuning and new requirements for weapons. The developer was required to correct the identified deficiencies and complete the development of the machine gun.

Based on the results of tests by the troops, some changes were made to the design of the RP-44 machine gun. In this form, the weapon was again sent for testing and received a recommendation for adoption. A new model entered mass production under the name “Degtyarev light machine gun mod. 1944" or RPD. The designation RPD-44 is also sometimes found. Thanks to its adoption and the start of production, the RPD machine gun became one of the first production types of weapons designed to use the 7.62x39 mm cartridge.

RPD machine gun disassembled. Photo Opoccuu.com

The RPD machine gun was built on the basis of gas automatics with a long piston stroke. General scheme automation was partially borrowed from later modifications of the DP machine gun. In particular, to improve some characteristics, a gas regulator was introduced into the automation, which made it possible to change the amount of powder gases supplied to the piston. The design of the regulator included three so-called grooves for gas removal, numbered from “1” to “3”. Under normal conditions, the regulator should have been set to position “2”, which ensured normal operation of the automation. Groove No. 3 had a larger cross-section and was intended for firing when the weapon was dirty. Groove No. 1, in turn, had a minimum diameter and made it possible to reduce the rate of fire.

Despite similar solutions and some borrowings, the RPD machine gun was seriously different from the DP and DPM. Thus, the receiver of the new weapon was developed from scratch. It consisted of a main lower part and a hinged upper cover. Besides, rear end The receiver was made in the form of a so-called trigger frame, on which parts of the trigger mechanism, fire control handle and butt were attached. Inside the receiver there was a bolt group. In the front wall of the box, fastenings were provided for installing the barrel and gas piston tube.

A curious feature of the RPD machine gun was its non-replaceable barrel. Operating experience with existing light machine guns showed that firing in short bursts allows the machine gunner to shoot all the ammunition he carries without overheating the barrel. Thus, the detachable barrel did not provide any noticeable advantages, but made the weapon more complicated and heavier. The need to carry a spare barrel also did not add convenience in battle.

The barrel locking system using diverging lugs was similar to a similar unit on the DP machine gun, but had some differences. The bolt frame connected to the gas piston was in contact with a massive metal bolt. The latter had a central square-section channel for the striker and two deep grooves on the side surfaces. The latter contained combat stops mounted on axles. The return spring was located in the rear of the receiver and inside the metal part of the butt.

Machine gun with open receiver cover. Photo En.wikipedia.org

When the bolt frame moved forward under the action of a spring, the bolt had to send the cartridge into the chamber. After stopping the bolt in the extreme forward position, the frame continued to move the firing pin. Moving forward, he pushed the lugs apart and they entered the grooves of the receiver, blocking the movement of the bolt. Further movement of the striker led to a shot. The pressure of the powder gases leaving the barrel through the gas outlet moved the piston and bolt frame. This caused the firing pin to move back and allow the stops to move out of place. Using shaped cutouts on the receiver, the stops returned to the neutral position and allowed the bolt to move back.

The moving bolt captured the spent cartridge case, pulled it out of the chamber and brought it to the ejection window. The cartridge case was ejected through the windows in the receiver and bolt frame, downwards. When moving forward, the bolt frame, using a system of two levers, set the feeder in motion, which shifted the belt with the cartridge by one link, thereby bringing new ammunition onto the feed line.

The receiver of the RPD machine gun had a slot in the lower part of the right side, designed to remove the bolt handle. The handle was rigidly connected to the bolt frame and moved during shooting.

Shock- trigger The RPD machine gun had a simple design and allowed firing only in bursts. When the trigger was pressed, the trigger lever and the sear moved, after which the bolt frame was unblocked, followed by a shot. The fire was fired from an open bolt. The design of the trigger included a non-automatic fuse. On the right surface of the receiver, above the trigger, there was a safety box. When the flag was in the forward position, the safety lock blocked the trigger lever; in the rear position, it allowed firing.

For comfortable use, the Degtyarev machine gun was equipped with a wooden butt, pistol grip and forend. The butt was mounted on a metal base at the rear of the trigger frame. Also on the frame were mounts for a pistol grip fire control. The forend consisted of two wooden parts and metal spacers. It was fixed in front of the receiver. Unusual shape a forend with two notches on top and bottom was associated with recommended shooting methods. When firing from the shoulder, the machine gunner had to support the weapon by the forend from below. Shooting “from the hip” was carried out using a belt. In this case, the belt redistributed the load on the shoulder, which made it possible to hold the fire control handle with one hand, and with the other to compensate for the recoil, holding the machine gun by the fore-end from above.

The RPD machine gun was supposed to use cartridge belts, placed in metal boxes for convenience. In early versions of the project it was proposed to use belts for 100 and 200 rounds, equipped with round and square boxes, respectively. Later it was decided to abandon the 200-cartridge belt and the rather heavy square box. Serial machine guns RPDs were equipped with collapsible cylindrical boxes for tapes. Ammunition was supplied using a non-loose metal belt for 100 rounds, assembled from two parts.

At the top of the box there was a hinged lid and fastenings for installation on a machine gun. When preparing the weapon for firing, the box should have been mounted on a mount under the receiver. The top cover of the box was placed to the left of the machine gun. Then the receiver cover was opened, the tape was refilled and the cover was returned to its place. After this, it was possible to cock the weapon using the side handle. The cartridge belt entered the receiver through a special window in its left surface. The spent section of the tape was output through a similar window on the other side of the machine gun. To avoid contamination of the mechanisms, both windows were equipped with spring-loaded covers.

Blank tape with box and pouch. Photo World.guns.ru

Metal boxes for tapes had a handle for carrying, but it was recommended to transport them in special fabric pouches. If necessary, the box was removed from the pouch and installed on the machine gun. The use of special pouches to a certain extent simplified the operation of weapons, especially in combat conditions.

The sights of the RPD machine gun were similar to those used on weapons of that time. In the front part of the receiver cover, directly above the tape receiving unit, there was an open sight, designed for firing at a range of up to 1000 m. There was a front sight with protection on the muzzle of the barrel.

To improve shooting accuracy, the machine gun was equipped with a bipod. The fastenings for these parts were located immediately behind the front sight assembly. The design of the bipod made it possible to fold them and fix them in this position. When folded, they were secured under the barrel. When the latch was removed, the bipod was moved apart and held in this position by a spring.

“Degtyarev light machine gun mod. 1944" had a total length of 1037 mm with a barrel length of 520 mm. The weight of the weapon without ammunition was 7.4 kg. The machine gun and ammunition of 300 rounds (three belts in boxes) weighed 11.4 kg. For comparison, the DP/DPM light machine gun with one disc magazine for 47 rounds weighed 11.3 kg. Such weight savings were achieved primarily through the use of lighter ammunition and a different design of ammunition systems. Thus, a box with a belt for 100 cartridges of 7.62x39 mm weighed 400 g less than a magazine with 47 cartridges of 7.62x54 mm R.

The normal rate of fire (regulator position “2”) was 650 rounds per minute. When the regulator was set to one, the rate of fire decreased noticeably. The practical rate of fire reached 100-150 rounds per minute. By eliminating magazine feed and using tape, it was possible to ensure a fairly high rate of fire in combat conditions, since the machine gunner could fire up to 100 shots in a row without the need to replace the belt.

Reducing the weight of the weapon with ammunition compared to existing machine guns made it possible to increase the shooter's mobility on the battlefield. In addition, the suggestion about using mounts for a box with cartridge strip was useful. In 1946, the RP-46 belt-fed light machine gun, which did not have such parts, was adopted for service. Because of this, machine gunners often had to unload their weapons before changing positions. A tape box installed under the receiver eliminated such problems.

The sights of the RPD machine gun were designed for firing at a range of up to 1000 m. It was recommended to shoot at air targets from a distance of no more than 500 m. Lethal action bullets remained at long distances, but in this case there were serious problems with target detection and aiming. At ranges up to 1000 m, the machine gun had a fairly high firing efficiency. The requirements for normal combat when firing in bursts from a distance of 100 m looked like this: at least 75% of the bullets had to land in a circle with a diameter of 20 cm, and the average point of impact should not deviate from the aiming point by more than 5 cm.

In practice, this meant that on average no more than two shots were required to hit a “chest figure” target at a distance of 100 m. To hit a similar target at the maximum aiming distance, it took about 27 shots. Thus, the RPD machine gun could effectively hit various purposes at ranges of up to 800 m or more, as required by the original technical specifications.

By the end of the forties, the Soviet defense industry mastered full-scale serial production of new machine guns, which made it possible to provide the troops with the required quantity of weapons. RPD machine guns were adopted as a means of strengthening infantry squads and platoons. Since 1946, this weapon was used in parallel with RP-46 machine guns, intended for use at the company level. Thus, due to two new models of small arms, it was possible not only to update the material part of the infantry, but also to significantly increase it firepower.

RPD machine gun, which was in service with Finland. Photo En.wikipedia.org

Over time, a modernized version of the machine gun called RPDM appeared. Upgraded machine gun almost no different from the base one. When updating the weapon, the shape of the gas piston and its support was changed. In addition, the bolt handle was not connected to the bolt frame, which is why it remained motionless when firing. Due to the absence of major changes in automation, the characteristics of the RPDM remained at the level of the basic RPD.

“Degtyarev light machine guns mod. 1944" were actively used until the early sixties. With the advent of the newer and more advanced RPK light machine gun designed by M.T. Kalashnikov began sending these weapons to warehouses. New machine gun had some advantages, primarily related to unification and other aspects of production.

Having provided its army with new weapons, the Soviet defense industry began producing RPD machine guns for export. Besides, foreign countries machine guns were supplied, removed from service or from storage. RPD and RPDM machine guns were supplied to more than three dozen countries of Eastern Europe, Asia and Africa. In the mid-fifties, as a form of friendly assistance, the USSR transferred to China a license for the production of Degtyarev machine guns and all the necessary documentation. The Chinese-made machine guns were designated "Type 56" and "Type 56-I". Over time, China also began to sell weapons of its production to third countries.

On this moment there are more than 40 states around the world that have used or are using RPD machine guns and their foreign-made modifications. The widespread distribution of such weapons has affected their use in various armed conflicts.

A number of experimental RP-44 and serial RPDs managed to fight on the fronts of the Great Patriotic War. However, the first conflict with mass application These machine guns began the Korean War. In the future, “Degtyarev light machine guns mod. 1944" were actively used in almost all wars in Asia and Africa. The start of deliveries of Chinese Type 56 machine guns has led to an increase in countries using the weapon Soviet design, and also contributed to its use in more conflicts.

In many countries, RPD machine guns have long been removed from service. However, some armies still use these weapons. Other states, including Russia, have long replaced the RPD with more modern systems, but keep them in warehouses. Thus, we can assume that RPD machine guns are still modern weapons that meet the requirements of the military of some countries.

Self-loading version of the RPD v2.0 machine gun from the American company DS Arms

Over time, Degtyarev machine guns became widespread not only in armies, but also in the civilian sphere. In some countries where legislation allows this, RPD machine guns in modified and original versions are sold to amateur shooters. For example, on the US market there are several variants of RPD machine guns with a converted trigger, allowing only single shots, and a set of new components. In accordance with latest trends the weapon receives a new “body kit” in the form of parts with numerous Picatinny rails, modern sighting devices, telescopic butts, etc. Due to the lack of mass production of machine guns, weapons produced several decades ago are being reworked.

Perhaps the service life of the RPD machine gun is different countries world is the main positive review. This weapon was the first domestic serial light machine gun chambered for an intermediate cartridge, but it was able to clearly refute the well-known proverb about pancakes and show its capabilities. Over time, the Degtyarev light machine gun gave way to newer weapons, although it is still used in some armies. It is likely that the operation of these weapons will continue over the next few decades, providing the required firepower to rifle units.

Based on materials from sites:
http://world.guns.ru/
http://opoccuu.com/
http://kollektsiya.ru/
http://legendary-arms.ru/
http://dsarms.com/

The DP is the most common magazine-fed machine gun. It uses a long stroke gas piston located under the barrel that operates two side locking valves. The DP fires from an open bolt. The barrel is quick-detachable and can be replaced during prolonged shooting. The return spring was located under the barrel, around the gas piston, and this was one of the few design flaws of the DP. Due to the available ammunition, which was in a belt and less suitable for automatic weapons, Degtyarev decided to use a flat magazine, which could feed those cartridges reliably, but was too heavy and inconvenient to carry. The question still remains open to Degtyarev, why overhead box magazines, the same as on the British Bren (which also used the old one in belt ammunition), were not adopted.

The following cartridges are used to fire the RP light machine gun:

• cartridge with bullet mod. 1908 (light), intended to destroy enemy personnel at a range of up to 800 m; the bullet retains its destructive power at a distance of up to 2500 m;
• cartridge with bullet mod. 1930 (heavy), intended to destroy enemy personnel; lethal force is maintained at a distance of up to 3500 m; for shooting it is used only in the absence of cartridges with a light bullet mod. 1908;
• cartridge with armor-piercing bullet mod. 1930 (B-30), intended to destroy light armored targets (armored vehicles, tankettes) at a distance of up to 300 m;
• cartridge with armor-piercing incendiary bullet mod. 1932 (B-32), intended to destroy armored targets (tanks, armored vehicles, wedges, firing points, aircraft) and to ignite fuel (gasoline);
• a cartridge with a tracer bullet, intended for target designation, sighting and fire adjustment.

Based on his light machine gun, Degtyarev created a whole family of special automatic weapons. He successfully solved the problem of creating an aircraft turret machine gun, which in 1928. the machine gun under the designation DA entered service with the Red Army Air Force (removed from service in the mid-1930s due to the adoption of the ShKAS machine gun). DP is also the basis for Degtyarev’s creation of a tank machine gun with the adoption of which in 1929. For the arsenal of the Red Army, Degtyarev completed the creation of a complex of unified weapons: infantry, aviation and tank machine guns.

In 1932 Based on the experience of military operation, an improved trigger mechanism and a conventional non-automatic fuse were introduced into the design of the DP; in order to improve the stability of the weapon during firing, a pistol grip was introduced, the bipod was strengthened and made permanent.

The DP machine gun was one of the first types of small arms developed after 1917 in the USSR. The DP was adopted as the Red Army standard in 1927 and served with distinction until the end of World War 2. It was a strong and reliable weapon, but had certain shortcomings, so, based on the experience gained in battles during the Second World War, it was slightly modernized in 1943-44 and became the DPM.

In 1944, under the leadership of Degtyarev, work was carried out at plant No. 2 to improve the DP machine gun, namely to increase the reliability and controllability of the machine gun. The new modification received the designation DPM(“Degtyarev infantry modernized”). The problem with overheating of the recoil spring was eliminated (it was installed in a special tube in the trigger frame above the butt), the trigger mechanism was improved, and it became possible to change the barrel in the firing position. The transfer of the recoil spring to the trigger frame caused design changes in individual parts and mechanisms of the machine gun. A new pistol grip, a reshaped buttstock and a more stable integral bipod of a new design provided greater comfort. In general, all combat, tactical and technical characteristics remained the same. The PDM was used by Soviet troops until the end of the Second World War.

One of the proposed changes was to replace the heavy and awkward flat magazine with a belt-fed one. This definite improvement was not made until 1946, when an improved version was put into service Soviet Army like RP-46 (Company Machine Gun). The RP-46 filled the gap between the RPD and heavy machine guns.

This machine gun has been redesigned to have a pistol grip instead of the previous semi-pistol grip. Some other improvements were also made, most notably a stronger bipod and manual safety, the RP-46 was used as a front line weapon until the 1960s, when it was gradually replaced by the first Soviet Kalashnikov general purpose machine gun, the PK. All these weapons (DP, DPM and RP-46) were widely exported to the countries of the Warsaw Union. The RP-46 was also manufactured in other countries, primarily in China - under the name Type 58 machine gun.

The RP-46 is similar to the DPM in many ways and differs mainly in that it had a heavy barrel (also quick-release), a carrying handle, and a module for belt feeding. To minimize changes and maintain the ability to use old flat-magazine DP/PDM, the feed belt has been designed as additional module. The feed is controlled via a large bracket on right side, which was connected to the charging handle, since the charging handle was rigidly mounted on the bolt carrier. Similar method was used on heavy machine gun, which was also changed from the original flat-plate magazine to a belt-fed one. The RP-46 used non-disintegrating metal belts designed for the Goryunov SG-43/SGM medium machine gun. The belts were available in 200 or 250 different cartridges and were carried in metal boxes.

Few people remember today, but the first Soviet weapons for intermediate cartridge 7.62mm arr. 1943 was the Degtyarev Light Machine Gun of the 1944 model.

The RPD went into mass production after the war and at that time it was a breakthrough. The fact is that the RPD is an almost full-fledged representative of the class of light machine guns or automatic squad weapons (Squad Automatic Weapon in the Western classification).

To fully comply with modern requirements, the only thing it lacked was a replaceable barrel, the ability to feed from standard magazines and conduct single fire.

However, only the latter is relevant. Regular stores were impossible, since they simply did not exist at that time.

Sudaev assault rifle arr. 1944 (AS-44) although it passed the competition, it never went into production. And overheating is not so critical, since the RPD has a fairly massive barrel, allowing intense fire of up to 300 rounds without cooling. As of 1944 this was absolutely new class weapons that Western armies came to much later.

The first light machine guns were born at the beginning of the twentieth century. But it was a completely different weapon, different from modern standards. The light machine gun of the beginning of the century was an automatic weapon chambered for a rifle cartridge with a magazine feed, or less often with a belt feed.

Such samples weighed more than 10 kg. Coupled with the strong recoil of rifle cartridges, hand-held shooting was very difficult and maneuverability was limited.

And only with the advent of the intermediate cartridge did the transformation of this class into the framework of modern standards begin. The beginning of the rearmament of the Red Army with new types of small arms was laid by the development of an intermediate cartridge 7.62x39mm designed by N. M. Elizarov and B. V. Semin.

The beginning of the world history of the intermediate cartridge is considered to be the American cartridge .30 Carbine, and then the German cartridge 7.92x33. There is a lot more that can be said on this topic, but this is material for a separate article.

Although work on creating a full-fledged intermediate cartridge in the USSR was carried out back in 1939, with the outbreak of the war they were curtailed.

A new intensive round of development was achieved with the capture of captured German cartridges and new enemy weapons.

Samples of the German Mkb.42(N) automatic carbine, as well as the study of the American M1 carbine, aroused keen interest in the USSR People's Commissariat of Defense.

It was necessary to create a new cartridge and a family of weapons for it.

The task was completed in a short time - the Soviet intermediate cartridge of the 1943 model was ready.

An early version of the cartridge had a 41mm long sleeve and had a number of “childhood diseases”.

By 1949, all of them had been successfully eliminated, and the family of cartridges was replenished with armor-piercing, tracer and incendiary bullets.

However, the designers did not expect the final development of the new cartridge; development proceeded in parallel. A competition for a new lightweight machine gun was held in 1944, and legendary Soviet gunsmiths took part in it: S. G. Simonov, G. S. Shpagin, A. I. Sudaev, F. V. Tokarev, A. I. Shilin. And also the creator of the DP machine gun, which was then in service, Vasily Alekseevich Degtyarev.

Degtyarev presented several versions of machine guns for the competition, they differed in the locking system and power supply. The most successful model was considered to be one with belt feeding made from non-loose link tape. It was this that was adopted for service under the designation “7.62-mm Degtyarev light machine gun mod. 1944 (RPD)."

The first experimental batch of 1000 pieces was ready by the end of 1944 and went for testing. This was the last model of Degtryaev put into service; the legendary designer died in 1949. But based on his developments they continued to create weapons.

V. A. Degtyarev was one of the brightest representatives weapon culture of Russia. He was born in the city of gunsmiths - Tula in 1880. Began working with weapons in 1901 while serving in Tsarist Army. Later he worked on the creation of automatic weapons under the supervision of the legendary Russian gunsmith Vladimir Grigorievich Fedorov.

Degtyarev invented the first automatic carbine back in 1916. The first model adopted for service was the DP-27 machine gun (Degtyarev Infantry). On its basis, a family of tank, aviation, company and heavy machine guns was created.

RPD is a simple and reliable military weapon. Gas-operated automatics with a long stroke of the gas piston. The gas outlet is equipped with a three-position gas regulator. Locking the barrel with two sliding combat cylinders using shaped cutouts in the receiver. Belt feed from non-loose tape for 100 rounds.

The tape is placed in a round metal box that is fixed to the receiver. Shooting is carried out from an open bolt; the trigger allows only automatic fire.

The machine gun is equipped with a non-removable bipod and a carrying strap. Using a belt, the machine gun is designed to fire from the hip. At the same time, the forend of the machine gun has a characteristic shape that allows you to comfortably press the machine gun from above with your palm, compensating for the toss.

As a result of military tests, the machine gun showed good results. Intermediate cartridge and new technology production made it possible to significantly reduce weight and increase maneuverability. The weight of the machine gun with 300 rounds of ammunition was only 11.3 kg. At the same time, the RPD gave significantly better combat accuracy than the DP.

Thus, the average deviation from the STP was 5 cm, and the spread was up to 15 cm per 100 m when firing single shots. The destructive power of the 7.62x39 cartridge was sufficient throughout the entire operating range of the machine gun. So the bullet maintained supersonic speed at a distance of 600m and had high penetration ability due to the steel core.

The RPD was in service with the Red Army until 1961. He was gradually forced out of the troops by the Kalashnikov Light Machine Gun. The RPK was unified with the AK and fed from compatible magazines. However, in the light of modern trends, such a decision is more than controversial. The RPD was produced under license in the Warsaw Pact countries, as well as in countries friendly to the USSR regime. It is still widely used in the most different corners planets.

It is noteworthy that the RPD earned very flattering reviews not only from the allies of the USSR. This machine gun was readily used by individual units special purpose USA, South Africa, Israel and Rhodesia. The elite classified American special forces unit MACV-SOG used the RPD and its modernized versions of its own manufacture. A shortened version of the RPD made it possible to obtain much-needed firepower at short distances.

At the same time, the low weight allowed the fighter to take a large amount of ammunition, as well as use captured ones. There were no similar weapons in service with the US Army at that time. FN Mini Mi (M249 SAW) appeared much later. Thus, in his memoirs, American special forces veteran Ed Wolcoff called the RPD his favorite weapon for its simplicity and high reliability, compared to the standard CAR-15.

In Africa, RAPs have been widely used by all parties to conflicts. It was appreciated by the South African special forces and the legendary Rhodesian special forces. In Israel, the RPD was in service with the counter-guerrilla special forces unit "Egoz". The last time RPD was noted in photographs of the Israel Defense Forces was already in the 2000s. However, in some units of the Israeli army they also use AKs and PCs.

The RPD became another example of Russian weapons that was underestimated at the time of its appearance. Another example that was conceptually ahead of its time. Maybe that’s why the machine gun is still more alive than all the living. It is still produced to this day in both civilian and military versions. By the way, the price of such a modern tactical RPD exceeds 2000 US dollars.

DS Arms RPD Machine Gun