RPD: The LMG Adapts to Modern Combat
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 7 ส.ค. 2024
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Today we are looking at a Chinese Type 56 RPD, but we will be focusing on the basic design and why it was adopted in the Soviet Union rather than the details of its use in China. The RPD was the result of research into reduced-power cartridges to replace the 7.62x54R for infantry use. While that round was good for heavy machine guns on mounts, it was found to be excessively powerful for infantry rifle and squad machine guns. The problem is that a more powerful cartridge requires heavier and stronger guns, generates more recoil, and allows fewer cartridges to be carried for any given weight. The Soviet leadership found that the M43 cartridge (7.62x39mm) was sufficiently effective out to 800m, and that covered virtually all squad weapon use in the real world. And so, as the Great Patriotic War came to an end, the Red Army was working on a whole new family of infantry arms in 7.62x39mm.
The rifle adopted was the SKS, the AK served as a submachine gun (originally intended for specialty troops like paratroops and mechanized infantry), and the RPD was the squad support weapon. With its lighter action and cartridge, the standard load out of gun and 300 rounds of ammunition weighed almost half as much as the equivalent load out with the previous DP-27/RP-46 machine gun.
Mechanically, the RPD is a flapper-locked, gas-operated system, very similar to Degtyarev's prior guns (the DP-27 and DS-39). It is belt-fed, with a drum-like carrier holding a 2-part, 100-round belt. It has a fixed barrel, on the principle that it is to be used for short, controlled bursts and not sustained or continuous fire. In theory, the barrel will overheat at about the same time as the standard 300-round load out is used up, so the added complexity and weight of a changeable barrel is not needed. This compromise was continued in the RPK, which replaced the RPD as a better logistical solution, once the AKM became the standard infantry rifle.
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M60: disintegrating belt.
Mg3: 25 round drum mag.
RPD: cake tin.
You mean 50 round drum mag? 25 rounds wouldn't last very long in an MG3.
Well thats russian for you. Use the simplest and closest thing you have to hand... if it happens to be your grandmothers cake tin, so what :P
The mg3 had desintegrating links aswell the solid belts were only for training (atleast thats the intend). The drum was more a first contact thing so you have 50 rounds on hand when running into the enemy while on patrol but it didnt take long for them to make a mounting bracket for a 100 round polymer box under the gun
Nyet, I prefer Dinner Plate.
@@hailexiao2770 50-round non-disintegrating DM1 belt (can be combined in a drum); 100-round disintegrating DM6/M13 belt
I'm glad someone finally pointed out that the Kalashnikov was employed in the role of "submachine gun" and not considered a rifle in Soviet doctrine.
That's a really interesting fact I've never heard of before.
At least, not originally considered as one.
I believe Kalashnikovs first design was actually a submachine gun. It didn't go anywhere but it got the attention of the higher ups, and he went on to design the AK. Essentially what they wanted was a better, more powerful submachine gun sort of thing that was cheap and easy to use
@@booqueefious2230 even after adoption of the AK47 it first fell into the SMG role while the SKS remained in the rifle role. eventually the Russians switched the AK to the rifle role. the Chinese stuck with the old system with the Type 56 family until later
doesnt it come from the german STG being called a machine pistol before hitler found out when some officer asked for more of these new rifles? im sure the reds copied the stg so it would make sense
Shout out to the door knob... the quiet hero of this video.
Silent. But deadly.
That door knob is calm and distinguished, a true gentleman.
The door knob has ways of making you talk..
That comment made my day HAHA
Huh...? 🤔
I'm sorry Ian, but I have to inform you that they did infact have belt loading machines during that time. It was called ELRM, Enlisted Lowest Rank Machine.
Can confirm, currently lower enlisted.
AKA boots
Joe
How is your comment 2 days old on a 1 day old video
@@UCt7z4WN-yMyGqDvczlTFXiQ He was up late loading belts, obviously. (Also I think there's some Patreon early-access action?)
The feed system on the RPD has one significant advantage over the MG/M60 one - thanks to the way the track for the roller is built and to the fact that the whole system has a biasing spring, one can close the top cover with the bolt in any position without any risk of destrouing the feed system. It's basically much more idiot-resistant than any of the other guns that use a system like that (except for the designs with a telescoping roller).
as russian guns should be
I love that the soviets design everything to be used by drunk 17 year olds
@@KinoTechUSA69 that's because for many years the vast majority of their army was made up entirely of drunk 19 year olds.
@@cgi2002 Like every other country have PhD's that fill their infantry battalions. Please. Besides, the Soviets always had a conscription-based army in mind while designing their weapons. If literally every male is expected to carry a weapon *in any country*, you're bound to end up with a lot of idiots in the ranks.
@@Rasbiff most western countries have basic levels of educational requirement (some higher than ohers), and don't use conscription, and those that do tend to link it to some form of education, rather than just for the numbers to make their force look bigger. Also few western forces have soldiers as just "rifleman man", they tend to prefer most soldiers to multitask. Every soldier may be a rifleman, but they also tend to be something else too. For example my cousin is trained as a mechanic, EOD and a cook, but he is still a rifleman when needed.
Also Russia is damned cold, and has historically had issues with alcoholism, or as some deem it "anti-freeze".
The first actual Squad Automatic Weapon, sure we had the B.A.R. before that, but the RPD was really the true predecessor to modern SAWs used today with the intermediate cartridge.
The French Chauchat predates the M-1918.
Yeah, Soviets were the first to utilize it, and first the figure how stupid it is.
Chauchat and BAR were designed in WW1 for different purpose. Walking fire rifle or something like that
After Ww1, US decided to assign new role for it and put a worse sight on it also.
@@WALTERBROADDUS technically you are right, the Chauchat was definitely the first saw, being belt fed in an intermediate caliber designed to be capable of usable fire from the shoulder and to be operated by a single individual as part of a squad... On no wait it wasn't...
@@Dominik189 A SAW doesn't have to be in an intermediate cartridge or belt fed. It is more of a role than a firearm. For example, the BAR may not have been designed as a SAW, but it was used as one.
Ian makes a new word. "Russinal" Russian original. I like it.
No it means "racional from the Russian point of view"
The orussianal original
The Russinal thing to do is get Russinal whenever you could
5:25 for those who missed it
@Vulgar Mofo. oppressed yes, but Russian people was still the only creative and productive force of Soviet Union and things like Kalashnikovs, Shpagin or Degtyarov weapons are still Russian and would be there if our history took different path
Idk why, but i always had a special thing for the RPD. It just looks so cool and aesthetically pleasing imo
Your not wrong nor alone.
my fave weapon to use in Rising Storm 2
the USSR got one thing right. All of their guns look awsome
@@theartistformallyknownas2677 I personally think they got a lot right, but yes I agree the Soviets sure knew how to make cool ass guns
Every cod game have it. Russian doesnt use it at all, fun.
Nice looking gun
The chinese equivalent of the US saying "name everything M1" was "name everything Type 56"
"Please check this awesome type 56 toothbrush we produced in 1956."
Actually there are more Type 59s: We have a tank, a 130mm cannon, a 57mm AA gun, a 100mm AA gun and a licensed Makarov.
@@qingyunwang3802 but there are more type 56s for one role which makes it worse in terms of confusion
I would say Type 59, but that's for tanks.
Chinese tanks: everything type59
Back in Afghan humping the mountains with M249 SAW some of the Afghan Army had the RPD. I wished we could have had something so light and so simple. Those things were beautiful...
The unloaded weights of the rpd and 249 are the same lol
Oh indeed but the RPD was decades ahead of the M249, it was 3/4 the weight of the M60 or FN MAG and its ammunition would be significantly lighter too@@Woistdeingott
@@hewdavies7733 What's your point? Dude was claiming he wished to carry an rpd instead of a 249
Because of the downward ejection and the “drum” ammo container, the RPD also inspired the Balanced Ammunition Delivery System or B.A.D.S. for the FN MAG.
The Volvo of guns. Doesn’t break. Wouldn’t be surprised if it was made of tungsten
Stalinium exists, and all of it was used up in the construction of RPDs.
You ever shoot one?? The couple we captured in Iraq were POSs....
@@johnstacy7902 Iraqi guns are not Soviet quality..... They are locally produced
@@johnstacy7902 well, yeah, shot to shit and never maintained.
@Jimmy Two Times the video it self clearly contradicts your statement... Also the fact the gun in the video is Chinese manufactured also blows your statement out of water. It was made by quite a few nations and I've personally seen and handled a few, including a Russian one. Outside of Russian and Chinese, they were all shitty, Chinese ones were okay but Russian one was freakin amazing.
ahh the good old Rapid People Destroyer.
Nick Brokhausen ftw
Served for a short while, replaced by the Rapid People Killer
And subsequently the People Killing Machine
Revelistic punishment device ;)
And now they have a Da Slaughter House Killah, and also Never Say Vorgife
I got to shoot a full-auto RPD recently, it was a very pleasant experience.
Mustv been amazing.
@@johnybloom5575 Yeah, it was quite soft shooting and very easy to keep on target. Even though it was the first automatic weapon I shot, I had no difficulty with controlling the length of my bursts and could pull off single shots. I suppose such ease of handling was important for a gun intended for a conscript army.
@@janwacawik7432 sounds frikkin amazing.
My local range has one, I've really been considering it. Their 7.62 Krink clone, PPSh, MP5, and P90 have all been fun so far lmao
imagine being the guy who was expecting some info on the racoon city police department....
and not being entirely disapointed
Lol
FN Minimi: I am the first LMG that uses an intermediate cartridge for squad use.
RPD: *laughs in 7.62x39mm M43
Finnish kvkk62 hold my 7.62x39 too
hold my drum
Laughs in Stoner 63 belt fed configuration.
@@thepoliticalgunnut8018 i think that was a decade or so after the rpd
I have heard the minimi is _not_ a brilliant gun.
I remember seeing a photo of one of these cut down at the barrel carried by a guy in Vietnam I think. Super cool gun
Africa as well, cut down RPDs were a favoured pointman weapon in the Saharan brush
Ian already made a video on a semi auto conversion of the RPD (it's 5 years old now).
Both Seal teams and SOG operators used RPD due Stoner 63 shortages . Another plus since it 7.62x39 it would cause great confusion when they ran ambushes and was well liked by the Seals and SOG teams and sometimes was used with a sawed off barrel
Why not. It's only chambered for the 7.62x39.
One dude said it gave off a cool big green flame that freaked the NVA out I think.
Modernized RPD's are the contractors lmg of choice in country for a reason 😉 it's a 7.62x39 SAW that weighs pounds lighter than an M249 👍
Rails, plastic, and what else?
@@typehere6689 ...and cream.
what about the barrel change issue? Or is it not an issue as long as you have decent logistics (armorers) nearby?
The amount of carbon/soot and how worn out this gun is tells me that this gun has slayed a MF or 2 in its day.
I took one look at it and thought, wow this thing had the piss shot out of it several times
Degterev was the king of keep it simple and i dont think i've ever heard of one of his designs not being reliable. he found something that worked and stuck with it
The only downside of the tilting bolt is the hazard with the user in the event that the lug breaks off with wear and tears more than rotating bolts might shorten its lifespan.
RPD work, but not work well enough, hence, it got faded quickly.
I have some of the rarer 25rd belt segments that were given to me. They are great as you can link up 125, 150, or more rounds in a belt. I wish I had a lot more of them.
Make a. 1k rd belt!
Comrade Wu Li, how many of our firearms shell we designate Type 56?
Yes.
Thankfully the Tokarav got labeled as Type 54.
They used that unique style of handguard for the Chinese assault rifle in Fallout
Ah... so that's another "assault rifle" from Fallout that's actually an LMG.
@@PrototypeSpaceMonkey it's not a lmg tho?
@@PrototypeSpaceMonkey it's just the handguard, not the rest of the gun... Not a lmg
@@tysopiccaso8711 Well, part of one anyway. Like the watercooled barrel on the Fallout 4 "assault rifle". Or how the HK G11 was classified as a one-handed SMG in Fallout 2. I just meant they should get their weapon types straight, that's all.
@@PrototypeSpaceMonkey the fallout 4 assault rifle wasn't made for infantry but rather power armor which makes sense when you consider they're basically giants with no fine motor skills
I remember hearing an employee of one of the local firearm shops say in conversation that "the rpd is just an AK set up to feed from a belt"... I had to fake some coughing (this was years back pre-covid) to cover up my laughter.
MACV-SOG operators used chopped RPD’s in Laos and Cambodia as their preferred “saw” over M60’s or Stoner’s. I’ve seen pictures of some of them chopped all the way down to right above the gas block. They carried ammo belts rolled up in canteen pouches. 2 belts per canteen pouch if I’m not mistaken. Spider Parks talked about their usage and tactics in a podcast. The gunner carried 1,000 rounds belted and ready to go. Others on the team would carry a belt as well. They were lighter with a full load of ammo than most MGs, compact and handy with the barrel chopped, sounded like the enemy when you’re in contact, using enemy ammo on the battlefield. The teams usually carried the RPD when they were going in “heavy” on bright light missions, etc. Lots of firepower in a relatively compact package. There are a lot of bad ass stories and pics online and in SOG books about the RPD. Pretty cool what those guys did with a field expedient machine gun.
Saw and recovered many RPDs in Afghanistan. RPD belts on the other hand were hard to find.
Very cool.
Manage to smuggle one back? I won't tell
I imagine they ran out of ammo before you captured them, maybe should've looked around on the ground 😂
There were lots of cool "finds" over there. We had a ppsh-41.
I've always wanted an RPD too. Of course that was when ammo was dirt cheap. Cheap ammo + full auto = big fun.
Ian should invite Max Popenker again
i like max... the russian jokes are bad ass
Doesn't he still have a book in the works?
@@ASS_ault Could you elaborate?
@@fab006 afaik he cant take criticism well, doesn't like to quote reputable sources in his articles and has a reputation of being a toxic a-hole in online discussions. I may be wrong tho
@@olegdemianenko3054 can't say anything about him but I'm toxic sometimes too in online discussions.
Only on the other subjects not the guns, because you need to deal, with a bunch of idiots on the net who think, that they know something but they had no clue about the matter.
Even though I know the RPK is better, I've always preferred the RPD on account of looks. It is peak Russian aesthetic.
Peak 40s Soviet aesthetic.
Huh? The RPK is the worse mg in every dimension except the logistical, come on.
i mean the RPK is litteraly an AK
can't get more russian aesthetic than that tho
@@LolTollhurst Logistics > every other parameter, because without it you have a broken gun with nothing to shoot. There's a reason the RPD didn't last very long, and the RPK is still used.
@@happytoastfudge russians couldnt handle the drip
"Long been hypothesised...."
Never thought would hear such words being said outside of some groundbreaking discovery of a subatomic particle or something...
Surprisingly refined and well thought out design. It really shows some elegant implementations of keeping things simple but effective with smart design. Shame about the gas system though, that could have been done better.
I agree, though it needs a quick change barrel.
Yep it a beautiful door knob.
Dekterev had a looooooooooot of practice with this style of design.
@@Royalmerc When this thing was getting used in Vietnam soldiers would probably prefer to carry more ammo over a spare barrel anyway.
@@Royalmerc the design concept for early squad based automatic weapons didn't call for a quick change barrel as they were not supposed to be used for fully automatic sustained suppression like an actual LMG. And since LMG's were in theory common enough that you had an LMG team nearby for that, your automatic rifleman (that's what this was designed as), existed to be somewhat mobile and lightweight.
Named by MACV-SOG veteran Nick Brockhausen as the "Rapid People Destroyer"
MACV-SOG guys used cut down versions of these in the last few years of Vietnam, especially on Bright Light CSAR missions. Beyond badass.
The hungarian FÉG did made some RPDs, and there was a factory-machine that loaded the belts, also I saw one crank-rod version too.
Something tells me I could bake nice cake in the magazine
"Keep it clean and well serviced, so you can use it in the number 1 position all the time", is a good advice for life.
It's too late, Ian. We heard the word you created: "orussianally" - originally Russian.
5:25 for those who missed it
Seconded and so moved.
Actually motivation for adoption of M43 cartridge was the desire to increase effective range of submachine guns. PPSh was good up to 150 metres, military wanted to double it, as distance of 98% of gun fights was less than 350 metres.
Love this guy in Rising Storm: Vietnam
Go home GI
RESORT
We’ll never make it up Hill 937
@@denisonsmock5456 yahhhh
Haha M16 goes *helmet headshot noise* from 300m
We also have at least three M1911s. In addition to the pistol, there was also the M1911 campaign hat and M1911 sweater.
I have a decommissioned Soviet RPD sitting here in my office in England, almost mint and still strips cocks and dry fires...I have a nice collection including a Martini Henry MK IV, a Marlin Safety rifle 1892 model which dates from 1896 in .32 rimfire, and a flintlock pistol by Henry Nock of London which dates to around 1798...now there is a forgotten weapon!
Hi Ian! A long awaited video for me. However I think you made a mistake. The Hungarian company FÉG did in fact produce the RPD as far as I know. There is an original example in a Slovakian shooting range, which has "TŰZ" and "0" on the safety. Tűz is the Hungarian word for fire. A Hungarian firearms magazine reported on this a couple of years ago during a visit to the machinegun shooting event held at this particular range.
Yes, he probably had a brain fizz at the end, given that he actually pointed out earlier in the video that the Hungarians made a special belt when they produced the guns and that the Chinese borrowed several design elements from the Hungarians.
1:22 One should mention, that the M43 cartridge started in the dimensions 7,62x41mm with a bit more of a punch.
This was one of my all time favorites from the original Cod4 Modern Warfare. This gun was an absolute tank in game and was extremely underrated
True
It would be really cool if Ian could do an overview series of the numerous different Soviet machine guns and what roles they were designed and used for. There seems to be a bewildering variety and my eyes glaze over a bit whenever I see one of those acronyms.
I really like that Chinese innovation of the folding dust cover/box mount.
Great episode. Looking forward to the range tomorrow!
Nice one Ian. I've been waiting for this particular gun.
I always liked the cut-down versions that SEALS and SOG used in Vietnam. I've even seen photos where they brazed a front sight back onto the barrel or onto the gas block.
...For when you need a Stoner, but can't get a Stoner, and they haven't invented a SAW yet.
"Nice gun, Mr. Charlie....I think I'll just take that with me...I've got some ideas"
The best one was the version that had the stock removed and the whole recoil system was redesigned to go over the gas piston. It also have a second pistol grip added to the front handguard.
Captured VC and NVA RPDs (and their PRC copies) were occasionally used by various US SF and LRRP teams with sawn off barrels in Vietnam.
Nice shout out for Mile's and Silah; the work they do is great.
And, as usual, brilliant video! Look forward to the shooting tomorrow.
You have made some brilliant videos yourself Mr. Nash. Thanks for your service and your videos.
Ian- have you ever disassembled a gun and found broken parts inside?
Thank you for your love of the older small arms, as I have read a lot on both WW1 and 2 it's amazing to actually see what I read the biligarnts were useing and I love that you don't only do allied forces you do the axis arms as well. It's great for history buffs like myself and it's very impressive to watch yr knowledge of all these various types of weopons. IV never even held a gun and I'm 45 years old. Thanks for yr great work. ✌️✌️✌️✌️
Always loved the looks of the RPD.
Awesome! I've always liked the looks of the RPD.
Good video. Would love to see one on different types and evolution of belts for beltfed.
So basically noone has ever improved on the MG42 feed system ?
If it ain't broke don't fix it, the MG42 when is was first mass produced and used in action was basically a space gun, so so so far ahead of it's time
My all-time favorite gun from the OG Call of Duty Modern Warfare video game! So many good times spent with the RPD/Red Dot at my side!
The door knob looks like it doesn’t even open the door.
I like how Ian themes his videos. Yesterday and today were “my dirty old gun” episodes.
Mw2 memories, good times
Mw1 memories.
Easily the best gun in the game. Lots of rounds and easy 2 body hit kills with stopping power. Loved that gun
The great equalizer at any range.... unless it faced the 1887 😅
@@charlesfollette9692 weren't shotguns basically useless past 10 meters? I'll never forget a friend of mine unloading a full mag of the aa12 on me and none of the rounds making it to me lol
The 1887 was op as hell, especially dual wielding. That “shotgun” was the most broken weapon in the game, it could destroy anything from pretty far distance
I have always loved the grudeness of this thing, its like a Man from Stone age would become a gunsmith and make an LMG
I don’t know if you meant to say grudeness but it suits it perfectly
That was the Russians for you though, and they got really very good at it, take the Mosin Nagant, it only has 19 parts!!! cheap and easy to produce, needs no training to use it, easy to maintain and clean, and stayed in continuous service for over 100 years, making it the longest serving rifle in the world. Russian weapons may look crude and unrefined, but they work, and keep on working whatever you throw at them.
@@roadsweeper1 The Lee Enfield is the longest serving rifle in the world
@@NoFunNoMoshNoCoreNoTrends The Lee Enfield entered service in 1895 and is still in service today, in some countries. The Mosin-Nagant entered service in 1891 and is still in service today, in some countries. So no, the Lee Enfield is not the longest serving rifle, but it is a close second. All according to Wikipedia. Still think the Lee Enfield is a really cool gun, though, just as the Mosin. Respect to both of them.
This is one of the best FW videos in a long time. Good lord are Degtaryev's designs clever
Always love the 20+ minute videos!
17:27 "This is flapper locked"... 1920's woman with short hair in a sequin dress holding onto the bolt when firing? (I shouldn't watch these when I'm this tired.) Thank again Ian for a great video. I've always been fascinated by the RPD and the RPK.
Hey, it's a jazzy gun ;)
Brings a whole new meaning to the phrase "doing the Charleston".
"I SAID DANCE!!"
Man, like the AK, there's simply not enough parts to break. Such a piece of work, so rough that I can imagine a broke one might actually look like a refined version.
I love AKs but that is simply not fucking true.
That feed drum is interesting for a 'belt carrier'; makes me wonder why a similar carrier wasn't made for, say the M60, or why no enterprising chap with a welding torch didn't add a couple of 'prongs/snaps/protrusions' where such a belt carrier could be hung. I remember 'hearing' that some experienced Aussie troops (with time in combat in Malaya and Borneo) jury rigged something like a canvas canteen holder to hold the belt (size unknown) and a couple of commo wire loops to just put it into place, though I might have been for the Aussie version of the FN MAG. I mean the alternative is wearing your ammo like you were Pancho Villa.
That being said, I wonder what a quick use carry/feed drum would weigh with 50 to 100 rounds of .308 in it, not to mention how noisy such a beast would be, being carried in the bush.
Reciprocating charging handles are a bloody nightmare.
The SLR had an easy to use gas regulator, it was useful, it allowed you to run at a low gas setting helping you to mitigate recoil, usually you wouldn't need to gas it up under normal use because by the time the vun got dirty enough for you to have to crank the gas up you were usually in a situation where you could at least field strip and clean it.
I kind of like flapper-locked guns. Just the mechanics are cool. I wish the concept of flapper-locked pistols had become more popular. There were probably very good reasons for that, but still... one can dream.
Have you seen the Maxim-9? It seems like a flapper to me, but SilencerCo didnt explicitly name the operating mechanism.
@@thesmallestminorityisthein4045 th-cam.com/video/j2Fbaz3T7Rc/w-d-xo.html I found a comment under this video claiming the maxim 9 is an asymmetric roller-delayed blowback. It's interesting how the seller really doesn't want to name the system.
"Orushional", I'm keeping that
Fascinating viewing, as always!
Iv been waiting for this for so long.
I saw similar rifles used by the chinese in Anchorage back in 2076
OG's will remember this firearm as the best LMG in Call of Duty 4.
The RPD in the older cods were amazing. the RPD in newer cods just suck.
that thing was a fkn laser beam
Real OGs used this gun for the first time in Battlefield Vietnam.
Yes!!
What about Resident Evil? Racoon Police Department always had an RPD somewhere for ya.....
One day all videos will be watched! Hehe love them all. Great content
Also - once you dump a belt through it, it really shows that it was not meant for large volumes of fire. Most commonly they just cease up and you have to let them cool a bit.
On the other hand - I've never managed to overheat a barrel in one I run - it always stops working before one can do that.
One of these put bamboo splinters in my brothers face during the Rhodesian bush war. Lucky for my brother the gunner was traversing in the same direction he was running in and started ahead of him... They didn't get him either! Afterwards they took the splinters out! Ouch.
B.S.
I now have a great appreciation for modern links with how they individually eject after being fired. Although I also hate them when I kneel or lay down on them.
had the opportunity to shoot a belt through the RPD last year, great fun, really simple to strip down. 10/10!
Makes great work on skidrow, down the hallway with fmj and stopping power.
What ever happened to the Tech-9? I would be interested in seeing an episode on that.
Thank you
I enjoy this show.
Columbine happened
I'm still surprised that they ended up replacing this with the RPK instead of designing a PKP in x39
there was prototypes in 5.45x39 with combined feeding (from mags or belt) in 70’s. army tried them and decided that price/performance/effectiveness not worth it and development was shut down.
Sawed off "El Cid" RPD used by MACV-SOG and LRRP in vietnam
Those were very popular with the VC and North Vietnamese in 1968 and 1969 while I was there. It seemed to work well.
I feel like the RPD was the leader in a C clamp if you look at the RPD long enough.
Definitely my favorite LMG of the era, maybe of all time. Love the rugged 40s/50s soviet design
We were firing this yesterday and it was just as filthy as this...OK Ian.
I swear to God Sarge. It was dirty like this when I got it! LOL
Thanks for another interesting video Ian. I fired a pile of rounds through an RPD at a local range when I was working over in Asia. A very easy LMG to handle and quite accurate at range.
There are photos of special operators carrying these with cut down barrels.
I do love this gun probably one of my favorite machine guns
this really was a brilliant design that still somewhat holds up now ngl
The timing of this episode seems to coincide with the release of a certain series featuring said weapon.
Combine that with Ian's comments on Hecate II,
it's almost as if...
Ian is also a man of exquisite taste👌
...Or it's all just a coincidence.
it would have been nice if you covered the use of this weapon by MACV-SOG and particularly Franklin D Miller, MOH winner who used this weapon with the modification that SOG chopped the barrel down in length. one problem that SOG faced was getting replacement belts for the weapon, so they were required to hang on to them and not drop them and leave them behind in a firefight.
The Chinese Assault Rifle in Fallout 3 was inspired by this.
The handguard says it all.
@@caldesigner8679 I love the hand guard. It’s so chunky and distinctive
Just the handguard lol. It's an AK. Love it.
The rpd in call of duty is also based on this gun
@@LifeisGood762 the gas system (albeit upside down), grip, and top cover were also inspired by the RPD
He blinked three times!
honestly cant think of a firearm Ian hasn't done a video on. TOP NOTCH!
I used to have a couple of those RPD drums. Used them for storing trinkets.
Ian what happened to your shortened version like that awesome photo from spec ops in Vietnam?
R.P.D
RAPID
PAIN
DISTRIBUTOR
Just a few days ago I was thinking to myself "why hasn't Ian done a video on the RPD?" and here it is.
11:24 - belatedly noticed, reviewing. There were no early release shields on Soviet machine guns. But in the future, the shields began to be present both to the left and to the right of the machine gun's tape receiver. Machine guns of early production passing through the army arsenals had to be equipped with shields made by arsenals, as well as gas chambers of a new type of closed type. All instructions were contained in the RPD Repair Manual published in 1958.
On my demilitarized Soviet RPD (named RPD-O in the documents, where O means hunting), issued probably in 1950, the shield on the right is present.