Dr. Will Dabbs gives us his first-hand view of the LMGs.
Lets dive in and take a look at the guns.
A Kalashnikov Pedigree
The RPK is the light machinegun version of the stamped receiver AKM assault rifle.
Although larger than the more well-known AKM, the Soviet Union’s RPK light machine gun shared many of that rifle’s features.
Original RPKs fire the same 7.62x39mm rounds as the classic Kalashnikov assault rifle.
Though the RPK looks like an AK, there are a number of important differences.
The receiver is formed from 1.5mm-thick sheet steel, whereas that of the AKM is 1mm thick stamped steel.
The RPK is a light machine gun, but may share more in common with the BAR or IAR than with a typical belt-fed machine gun.
The RPK has a roughly 20mm longer receiver and cannot be replaced with an AKM receiver.
This extension increases bolt travel and slightly decreases the cyclic rate of fire.
The RPK chugs along at about 600 rounds per minute.
A Ukrainian Soldier shoots an RPK during machine gun training with the U.S. Army’s 3rd Infantry Division on August 8, 2016. Photo: Spc. John Onuoha/U.S. Army
The distinctive wooden clubfoot stock enhances control when the gun is fired from the prone.
The forearm and handguard are slightly beefier to help manage heat during sustained firing.
The RPK accepts any standard AK magazine.
The clubfoot stock is an easy-to-spot distinguishing characteristic of the RPK.
There are 40-round extended box magazines as well as two different sorts of 75-round drums available for the gun.
The Asian sort opens from the back and loads like the drum from aPPSh SMGor Thompson.
The Asian drums have to be wound up with a key once loaded to ensure proper lift capability.
The RPK machine gun feeds from magazines compatible with the AK-47 and AKM rifles.
Extended RPK magazines are often prized for use in standard infantry rifles for initiating ambushes and such.
The RPK bipod pivots freely around the barrel.
Its legs are extendable for command height.
This folding-stocked Soviet RPK was acquired by the West in 1972. You can see the rear sling loop has been moved to the right side of the gun to accommodate the rifle’s side-folding stock. Image: IWM
There is a spring steel clip that holds the legs together when the bipod is folded.
When stowed, the feet of the bipod pinch the cleaning rod to keep it out of the way.
Variants
The Soviets developed a number of RPK variations.
While prone with a bipod might be better for control during full-auto fire, the RPK could be fired from the shoulder like a normal rifle.
Because of the folding stock, the rear sling loop is located on the right side of the gun.
With fixed-stock guns, the loop is on the left side of the LMG.
A modernization of the RPK platform took place with the introduction of theRPK-74in 1974.
U.S. soldiers from 1st Cavalry Division fire RPK machine guns during the live fire portion of a weapon familiarization class. Photo: Sgt. John Couffer/U.S. Army
Chambered for the 5.45x39mm cartridges used by the AK-74, the guns were introduced together.
The newer RPK-74 is about an inch longer than the original LMG.
The Red Army also introduced a paratrooper version of the RPK called the RPKS-74.
The RPK is a solid system that proved to be more useful over the decades than some initially believed it could be.
Like the original, it features a side-folding stock.
The most recent modernization of the weapon platform resulted in the RPK-74M.
This updated rifle kills the wood furniture and replaces it with polymer.
The new parts include the pistol grip, stock and handguard.
It also adds an optics rail on the left side of the receiver.
The magazines are interchangeable with the AK-74 series of rifles.
RPK-74M rifles come with a cleaning kit.
One of the more unusual variants from a Western perspective is the RPK-201.
This light machine gun is chambered for the 5.56x45mm round.
See this article on thedifferences and similarities of the .223 and 5.56.
Variants with the letter N are designed for night vision compatibility.
These include models like the RPKN and RPKS-74N2.
Kalashnikovs are not designed to be precision rifles, but semi-auto groups are still not bad.
On rock and roll, the RPK produces a nice, predictable beaten zone.
The gun does get really hot after about three magazines on full-auto.
The lack of a quick-change barrel limits the RPK to true squad auto applications.
For sustained fire operations you need a PKM.
However, the gun is easily portable and fast in action.
Some very nice guns werent, while a few that seemed unremarkable were.
The RPK is a surprisingly effective light machine gun.
Portable, powerful, reliable, and cool, the RPK is indeed a truly superlative automatic weapon.
