Military history, weapons, old and military maps. Degtyarev light machine gun

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 a completely new class of weapon, which 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 light machine gun was held in 1944, with legendary Soviet gunsmiths- 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.

RPD - 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. Lethal force The 7.62x39 cartridge was enough for the entire 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 special forces units of the USA, South Africa, Israel and Rhodesia. Elite secret squad American special forces MACV-SOG used the RPD and its upgraded versions of its own production. 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 number 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". Last time The RPD was noted in IDF photographs as early as 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

0,777777777778 1 -1 9

The appearance on the Russian market of hunting rifled weapons of “fenced” machine guns “Maxim” and DP-27 caused a whole wave of emotions in the RuNet. Probably, only the lazy did not speak out about hunting with a DP machine gun and, especially, with a Maxim.

Although, according to Federal law“On Weapons”, Russian citizens have the right to own only rifled hunting weapons. The phrases "historical" rifle", "conversion rifled weapons", "Victory rifled weapons" and so on are simply not in the law. Therefore, if a gun lover or collector wants to own a machine gun that fires only single shots, he can only purchase it as a “hunting weapon with a rifled barrel.” Unlike mass-dimensional mock-ups (MMG), a machine gun “fenced” into a hunting weapon is absolutely legal, can shoot and delight the owner with all intact parts without traces of milling and welding. The only drawback may be the need to store it in a safe and re-register it every five years.

However, even in the form hunting weapons, the legendary DP-27 light machine gun (Degtyarev Infantry model 1927) is the dream of many enthusiasts and collectors.

The sample that came to our store was released in the distant war year of 1943 in Kovrov. In 2014, at Vyatsko-Polyansky, the “Molot-Arms” was converted into DP-O (hunting).

By the standards of the late 1920s - early 1930s, for a light machine gun chambered for a powerful cartridge for the Mosin rifle (modern designation of the cartridge 7.62 * 54R), the DP-27 was very light and maneuverable. Its weight with a disk magazine loaded with 47 rounds was 11 kg 820 grams. Later, due to the abolition of a number of technological operations, the weight of the machine gun began to be almost 12 kg.

The automation works on the principle of removing part of the powder gases from the barrel bore; locking is carried out by two lugs, which were moved to the sides when the massive striker moved forward. Due to the long stroke of the moving parts and their weight, the DP-27 had a fairly low rate of fire (500-600 rounds/min). This made it possible to better control the machine gun during firing, significantly reduce the overuse of ammunition and, as a result, avoid overheating of the weapon.

DP-27 allowed only automatic fire. Shooting was carried out from the so-called “rear sear”. That is, before firing the machine gun bolt is in the rearmost position. When you press the trigger, the bolt frame and bolt move intensively forward under the action of the recoil spring, the bolt captures a cartridge from the disk magazine, sends it into the chamber, and immediately a massive firing pin pierces the primer. A shot occurs. The powder gases removed from the bore act on the bolt frame, throwing it to the rearmost position, simultaneously extracting the spent cartridge down. Having reached the rearmost position, the moving parts move forward again to fire the next shot. This will happen until there are cartridges left in the magazine or until the trigger is released. In the latter case, the moving parts will be fixed in the rearmost position by the protrusion of the sear.

In the civilian version of the DP-O, a disconnector is installed between the trigger and the sear. Therefore, after pressing the trigger and firing, the bolt carrier and bolt will roll back to the rearmost position and remain secured by the sear. To fire the next shot, you will need to release and press the trigger again.

Fully satisfying the pre-war requirements of the Red Army, the DP-27 became the most popular machine gun of the Great Patriotic War. Patriotic War. However, the operation on the Karelo-Finnish Isthmus and the Mannerheim Line revealed some shortcomings of the machine gun. The main one was overheating from intense firing of the recoil spring, located directly under the barrel casing. When heated, the spring lost its elastic properties, which led to rapid wear of the weapon.

The machine gun has a replaceable barrel, but it is almost impossible to quickly change it. Heat-resistant gloves and a key from the DP-27 accessory kit were required, since the hot barrel was held very tightly in the seat. There were also no spare barrels for the DP-27. However, at the time of development of the machine gun in the late 1920s, replacement of the barrel of the light machine gun was not required according to the technical specifications.

DP-27 and DP-O do not have manual safety devices. Initially, the DP-27 was equipped with an automatic safety, the button of which was located immediately behind the trigger guard. When the machine gun handle is grasped, the safety is automatically turned off.

In any case, even with intensive shooting of the DP-O, there is no threat of overheating of the spring, since the kit includes only one disk magazine with a limiter for 10 rounds. Before being stored by the RF Ministry of Defense, the machine gun springs were proactively replaced with new ones, the mirror gap was checked and, if necessary, a repair mark was placed.

We also note the presence of a complete set of accessories for the machine gun. In addition to a special key for servicing the machine gun, the kit includes a massive three-arm cleaning rod with a handle, a spare brush for the oil can, and a torn cartridge case extractor. In the butt there is a stationary oiler with another brush.

If you do not take into account the stamps and markings civilian weapons, as well as one “extra” screw in the disk magazine cover, the DP-O is no different in appearance from the legendary DP-27!

Just like a number of other “fenced” models from the warehouses of the Russian Ministry of Defense, DP-27 in the form of DP-O can be an excellent and fully functional addition to any collection.

The 7.62-mm tank machine gun of the Degtyarev system was adopted by the Red Army in 1929. It was a modification of another weapon created by Degtyarev - (model 1927). The work on the tank variation was carried out by engineer Georgy Semenovich Shpagin.

Tactical and technical characteristics of DT-29

• Caliber - 7.62 mm, cartridge 7.62x54mm.
• The initial bullet speed is 840 m/s.
• Length - 1250 mm.
• Barrel length - 605 mm.
• Weight in firing position: 10.5 kg.
• Technical rate of fire: 600 rounds/min.
• Combat rate of fire -120 rounds/min.
• The disk magazine capacity is 63 rounds.
• Target firing range - 1000 m.

The need for mobile weapons

In the 20s of the last century, an urgent need arose in the Red Army for a full-fledged tank machine gun. Work on this project was entrusted to the then unknown gunsmith Georgy Semenovich Shpagin.

Shpagin took the well-proven DP-27 light machine gun as a basis. Considering that the designer did not start the work from scratch, the development process did not take much time. After all, Georgy Semenovich carried out a targeted modernization of the proven design. But still, he did a colossal job. And in 1929, the new machine gun underwent a grueling testing procedure and was adopted by the Red Army. Thanks to the interchangeability and unification of all parts and assemblies of the DP-27 and DT-29, the military industry in short time was able to establish full-fledged production of the new machine gun. And soon they entered service with almost all tanks and armored vehicles. What's interesting is this: heavy tank The T-35 and medium T-28 each had 5 DT-29s, which was a record.

The DT-29 machine gun was intended for firing at enemy firing points and infantry. Moreover, both ordinary bullets and armor-piercing bullets could be used against the latter (in case the enemy soldiers were in a protected shelter). Typically, shooting was carried out in short bursts (2-7 rounds each) and at a distance not exceeding 600 meters. If it was intended to stop or inflict maximum damage on some target unprotected by armor (for example, a convoy or foot group), the burst increased by 10-15 rounds. At the same time, the fire was fired at a distance exceeding 600 meters.

Technical part

The automation of the tank machine gun was based on the use of the energy of powder gases, which were diverted from the gun barrel. As for locking, it was carried out by spreading the combat larvae to the sides. The gas regulator played a special role. It added the required performance when shooting in extreme conditions. For example, with increased pollution, dust, excessively high or low temperatures.

Firing in bursts was possible thanks to the firing mechanism. At the same time, as mentioned above, the length of the queue was different. Here, by the way, one of the main advantages of the DT-29 is hidden. Even a poorly trained soldier could handle a machine gun without any problems and fire (if necessary) in bursts of 3-5 rounds. A flag-type fuse was responsible for blocking the parts of the trigger mechanism. A special cone-shaped flame arrester was responsible for masking the flame during shots.

The “Donor” DT-29 was equipped with a bulky and inconvenient magazine with a single-row arrangement of cartridges. The tank machine gun itself received a new disc magazine. In it, the cartridges were folded in 3 rows. And thus it could hold 63 rounds, while remaining more compact than its predecessor. For example, the same DP-27 could accommodate 16 less.

As for the cartridges. For the DT-29, standard rifle cartridges with a light 7.62x54 mm bullet of the 1908 model were used. But if the situation required, the shooter could fill the disc with armor-piercing incendiary, armor-piercing, and tracer bullets.

So that the DT-29 could be placed on a tank, Shpagin created a special ball mount. With its help, it was possible to achieve quick and unhindered aiming of the weapon at the target, both in the horizontal and vertical planes. In addition, the installation provided reliable fixation machine gun in any position. The shooter was reliably protected from enemy bullets and shell fragments by large components of the installation itself. In general, Shpagin managed to bring to life a very successful project.

The DT-29 was aimed at the target with a diopter sight. It was also easily adjustable in any plane. There was, of course, the traditional front sight. It was fixed in a special window of the ball installation. The sight was set at a distance from 400 to 1000 meters (steps of 200 meters). Shpagin provided for everything: for spent cartridges, so that they did not fall inside the tank, a special cartridge catcher made of canvas was attached.

Georgy Semenovich did not ignore the butt. On DP-27 it was made of wood and was immovable. But on the DT-29 the stock has already been made metal and retractable. In the position pushed all the way, the machine gun was mounted on a ball mount. And if the need arose, it could easily be disconnected from it.

As for the cost of one machine gun along with a set of spare parts, in 1939 it cost the state 1,400 rubles. Another 23 rubles were spent on the store.

***

If the tank failed during the battle, the crew could fight off the enemy with the help of the DT-29, using it as a light machine gun. Colonel P.N. Tishchenko, who headed the headquarters of the 29th Rifle Corps, recalled: “In June 1941, on the southern outskirts of Vilnius, I added a tankman to our headquarters - a turret gunner from the 5th tank division, who was barely dragging his feet, but stubbornly continued to walk, carrying a tank machine gun on his shoulder. He said that the soldiers of the 5th Panzer Division offered stubborn resistance to the enemy as long as they had ammunition and fuel. However, then its crew was forced to blow up the tank, having first removed the machine gun from it.”

The modernization of both machine guns (DP-27 and DT-29) took place in 1944. Restyling affected the design of many parts and components. Therefore, it became possible to produce them using the stamping method. And the return mainspring was relocated to the trigger frame.

After the modernization procedure, the DT-29 received a new name - DTM. And the new product went into production in 1945.

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 for automatic small arms was created in Kovrov. 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 these models, designed for a 6.5 mm cartridge, had interesting design, 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. On next 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 is a 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 flat body It was almost impossible to protect the store 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 the DA and DA 2 (coaxial) aviation machine guns that appeared in 1928 and 1930, as well as the DT tank machine gun and the modernized DPM 1944 light machine gun adopted for service in 1929. Thus, at the end of the twenties, the Soviet armed forces They 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 stock, a more massive barrel, a diopter sight and the same magazine as aircraft weapons. Being equipped with bipods, they were also used in infantry and partisan formations.
The international specialized literature contains unanimous positive assessments of the DP 1928 and DPM 1944 machine guns. They are considered reliable and effective weapons with a 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 performed well in 1938-1939 in battles with Japanese aggressors on Lake Khasan and Khalkhin Gol, as well as during the Soviet-Finnish war of 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 used weapons captured as trophies at the first opportunity. 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 from a technological or tactical point of view. 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. 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 7.62 mm Mosin rifle cartridge. 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, a whole system of 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 disks. 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........................................disk 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 terms of mass production and use during the Second World War, the Degtyarev light machine gun firmly holds third place, behind only the PPSh-41 and the Mosin rifle. This is explained not only by its widespread use, but also by its excellent tactical and technical characteristics.

History of the creation of RPD

Soviet state after Civil War under the conditions of the technological blockade, much had to be created from scratch. This was especially true for small arms.

Soviet designers managed to overcome these difficulties and create many successful shooting systems. One of them was a machine gun designed by Vasily Degtyarev.

Degtyarev began drawing the first drawings of a new type of machine gun on his own initiative back in 1923. Army leaders were not at all supportive of his pioneering work. In addition, many at that time believed that light machine guns were a temporary phenomenon, and the future lay with large-caliber and easel systems. The situation changed when the designers Fedorov and Degtyarev personally managed to get an appointment with M. Frunze. They showed him the machine gun and the drawings, after which the commissioner gave the project the green light. The Degtyarev light machine gun was subsequently modified in 1926.

The first ten production samples were produced on November 12, 1927 at the Kovrov plant. And after military tests on December 21, 1927, it was adopted by the Red Army. Degtyarev's light machine gun became one of the first small arms created in the USSR. It was widely used as a means of fire support for infantry until the end of World War II.

The DP machine gun, as well as its modernized version DPM, were withdrawn from service at the end of the war; they were widely supplied to countries friendly to the USSR. These machine guns were in service until the 1960s. They were used in Vietnam, Korea and other countries.

Design Features

The Degtyarev light machine gun is a magazine-fed device andwith automation basedbased on the removal of powder gases. Gas engine includes a piston with a fairly long stroke, as well as a gas regulator, which is located under the barrel.

The barrel was quick-change, partially concealed by a protective casing, and was equipped with a removable conical flash suppressor. However, the barrel could not withstand prolonged shooting: it quickly heated up, as it was thin-walled. Therefore, it was necessary to shoot in short bursts (combat rate of fire - up to 80 rounds per minute). At the same time, it was difficult to change the barrel in battle - you needed a special key and protection for your hands from burns.

The barrel was locked with two lugs, which moved apart when the firing pin moved forward. The return spring, which was under the barrel, overheated under intense fire and lost its elasticity. This was one of the significant but few shortcomings of the machine gun.

The power supply scheme involved the use of “plates” - flat disk magazines, where cartridges were located around the circumference, with bullets towards the center of the disk. This design ensured a fairly reliable supply of cartridges, but also had disadvantages: large mass and dimensions of the magazine, the possibility of damage to the magazine, inconvenience in loading and transportation.

The magazine capacity was initially 49 rounds, then 47-round cartridges were introduced, but with increased reliability.

Application

During combat operations and exercises, Degtyarev's light machine gun was serviced by two people: the shooter and his assistant. The second one needed to carry a box with 3 disks.

Performance characteristics

Experts call the characteristics of the Degtyarev machine gun the most successful pre-war design:

• Caliber - 7.62;
• Weight with magazine - 8.4 kg;
• Total length - 1266 mm;
• Magazine capacity - 47 rounds;
• Sighting range - 1500 m;
• Rate of fire - up to 80 rounds per minute.

Variants of the Degtyarev machine gun

1. Small-caliber DP- a prototype of the DP machine gun (5.6 mm caliber), which was designed in the mid-30s for training soldiers. It was designed by M. Margolin, but it was not put into service.
2. DP model 1938- a prototype of the Degtyarev system of 7.62 mm caliber and with a magazine designed by Razorenov and Kubynov for 20 rounds. After the tests, the weapon was transferred for storage, and then entered the museum of the Kirov plant named after. Degtyareva.
3. DP with muffler. During the Battle of Moscow in 1941, the troops equipped several DPs with a silencer, but mass production of this modification was not started.
4. DPM. Under the leadership of Degtyarev, in 1944, work was carried out to improve the DP in order to increase the controllability and reliability of the machine gun. The modification received the designation “Degtyarev Infantry Modernized”. In general, all technical, tactical and combat characteristics remained the same.
5. YES - "Degtyarev Aviation"- intended for installation on aircraft. The casing was removed from the machine gun, which protected the hands from burns. This improved cooling and reduced the size of the weapon. The stock was replaced with two handles, and a 60-round magazine was installed. The DA machine gun entered service in 1928. The twin version DA-2 was released in 1930. They were installed on airplanes