New Russian machine guns. The most powerful machine guns in the world

Weapons often appear in films, some machine guns appear especially often on screens, but here the question of generations arises,
those born in the USSR remember well numerous films about the Great Patriotic War and the corresponding weapons, while children of the 90s remember American action films and “meat grinders” more.

1 3-line / 7.62mm Maxim machine gun model 1910 on a Sokolov machine gun(film "Chapaev")

The Maxim M1910 machine gun is an automatic weapon with a water-cooled barrel. The barrel casing is steel, most often corrugated, with a capacity of 4 liters. On machine guns produced after 1940, the neck for filling the casing with water is made larger (like Finnish machine guns the same system), which made it possible to fill the casing not only with water, but also with snow or crushed ice. The automatic machine gun uses the recoil of the barrel during its short stroke. The barrel is locked by a cranked pair of levers located between the bolt and the receiver rigidly connected to the barrel. The cartridges are fed from a canvas (later non-loose metal) tape, from right to left. The machine gun allows only automatic fire. Additionally, machine guns could be equipped optical sight model 1932 with a 2X magnification, for which a special bracket was made on the receiver.

2 (film “About these days the soldiers marched...”)

The DP (Degtyarev infantry) light machine gun was adopted by the Red Army in 1927 and became one of the first models created from scratch in the young Soviet state. The machine gun turned out to be quite successful and reliable, and as the main weapon of fire support for the infantry of the platoon-company link, it was widely used until the end of the Great Patriotic War. Patriotic War. In terms of its combat qualities, the machine gun was superior to similar foreign models, in particular the German MG-13 machine gun.

3 (films “Rambo”, “Special Forces”)

In the mid 1950s Soviet Army began a program to develop a new complex small arms, designed to replace the Kalashnikov AK assault rifle, SKS carbine and manual RPD machine gun. The complex was supposed to include an assault rifle and a light machine gun (squad support weapon) that was maximally unified with it, both chambered for 7.62x39 M43 cartridge. Based on the results of the competition in 1961, the SA adopted a modified Kalashnikov AKM assault rifle and a light machine gun, unified with it in design and magazines. Kalashnikov RPK. The RPK served as the main support weapon for the squad until 1974, when it was replaced by its counterpart chambered for 5.45x39 - the RPK-74 light machine gun.

4 (Rambo movie)

The M60 machine gun entered service in the late 50s. The main manufacturer was Saco Defense. The original design allows the rod and shock absorber to move when rolling back into the butt, which reduces the overall length of the machine gun.
The large receiver pad is convenient for carrying weapons, and the folding bipod protects your hands from burns.

5 (film "Predator")

Often such machine guns are called a meat grinder, but this applies to older models with manual drive. The key advantages of modern, apparently Powered Gatling-type cannons are the extremely high rate of fire, typically 4 to 6 thousand rounds per minute (RPM), and sometimes up to 10-12 thousand rpm. This shooting rate is necessary to combat fast-moving targets. Such indicators are mainly of aircraft or ground targets, fire from aircraft. The downfall of many barreled systems is their relative complexity, heavy weight, and requirements for external power supply (electrical, air pressure or hydraulic). There are several self-powered (gas-action) Gatling guns, but they are still much larger and heavier than conventional single-barreled guns. Another disadvantage of Gatling guns, which is important for air combat, is that the machine gun requires some time to spin up the barrels in order to hit the target at full speed (rate of fire). For the M61 Vulcan cannon, for example, the “speed” of barrel rotation is about 0.4, that is, first “from the screw”, and then “fire”

6 (film “The Dawns Here Are Quiet”)

The MG-34 machine gun was developed by the German company Rheinmetall-Borsig to order German army. The development of the machine gun was led by Louis Stange, but when creating the machine gun, the developments of not only Rheinmetall and its subsidiaries, but also other companies, such as Mauser-Werke, for example, were used. The machine gun was officially adopted by the Wehrmacht in 1934 and until 1942 it was officially the main machine gun not only of the infantry, but also tank troops Germany. In 1942, instead of the MG-34, the more advanced MG-42 machine gun was adopted, but production of the MG-34 did not stop until the end of World War II, as it continued to be used as a tank machine gun due to its greater adaptability to this compared to MG-42.

7 (film “Battalions Ask for Fire” “Rambo”)

heavy-caliber machine guns chambered for 12.7x108 mm.
The machine gun has a fairly high rate of fire, which makes it effective at firing at fast-moving targets. Conservation high tempo shooting, despite the increase in caliber, was facilitated by the introduction of a buffer device in the buttplate of the machine gun. The elastic buffer also softens the impacts of the moving system in the rearmost position, which has a beneficial effect on the survivability of parts and shooting accuracy.
DShKM was installed on T-54 and T-55 and T-62 tanks.

8 NSV-12.7 “Utes” heavy machine gun(film "War")

The NSV-12.7 heavy machine gun (code designation during the development of “Utes”) was developed in the period 1969 - 1972 by designers Nikitin, Sokolov and Volkov to replace the outdated DShKM heavy machine gun. The development initially took into account the versatility of the new machine gun - it could be used as an infantry support weapon from a light infantry tripod, as an anti-aircraft machine gun from special installations, as well as for arming armored vehicles and small ships. The machine gun was put into service in 1972 and was mass produced in the USSR; in addition, its copies were produced in Yugoslavia and Bulgaria. After the collapse of the USSR, the main manufacturer of NSV machine guns, the Metallist plant, ended up in independent Kazakhstan, and in Russia, the Kord heavy machine gun was developed to replace this machine gun. The NSV version is also produced in independent Ukraine.

9 (film "White Sun of the Desert")

Lewis machine guns appeared in Russia in 1917 (9,600 American-made and 1,800 English-made machine guns). Lewis machine guns were also used during Civil War. In the film “White Sun of the Desert” it is implied that the fighter Sukhov uses it. However, in fact, another famous machine gun was filmed in the film - the DT-29 with a false barrel casing, making it look similar to a Lewis machine gun.

10

In the late twenties and early thirties, the German company Rheinmetall developed a new light machine gun for the German army. This model was based on the design of the Dreyse MG 18 machine gun, created during the First World War in the same concern by designer Hugo Schmeisser. Taking this machine gun as a basis, the designers of Rheinmtetal, led by Louis Stange, redesigned it for magazine feeding and made a number of other changes. During development, this machine gun, according to German tradition, received the designation Gerat 13 (Device 13). In 1932, this “device” was adopted by the Wehrmacht, which began to strengthen itself, under the symbol MG 13,
I remember well this perforated barrel casing in Soviet films about the Second World War. Oh, how we watched these films as boys, everyone brought weapons and we shot at every fascist, helping our soldiers.

Materials used: https://world.guns.ru

War may never change, but its tools have changed many times. Since humanity moved from spears and arrows to firearms, it has not ceased to improve them every year. In this review, we invite you to consider the best representatives of the “weapons family”. We will talk about both large-caliber and light machine guns - new items and classic models, competing in rate of fire, power and lethality.

Single German machine gun The HK 121 replaced the famous MG 3. No matter how good the “troika” was, it all ends sooner or later. The Bundeswehr needed a more powerful option to support its army, which was the creation of the arms company Heckler & Koch. Smart layout, lethal power, quick-change barrel, possibility of installation on military equipment– what else is needed to make a machine gunner happy?

Caliber: 7.62x51 NATO

Weight: 10.8 (with bipod)

Length: 1165 mm

Barrel length: 550 mm

Power: Tape

Rate of fire: 640 - 800 rounds per minute

The Negev machine gun, produced by the Israeli concern Israel Military Industries, has proven itself to be a powerful and mobile support weapon. But its firing range and lethality were clearly not enough for modern military conflicts. That is why we put it into service israeli army The updated Negev NG7 arrived, which corrected all the shortcomings of its predecessor.

Caliber: 7.62x51 NATO

Weight: 7.6 (with bipod)

Length: 1000 / 820

Barrel length: 508 mm

Power: Tape

Rate of fire: 850 – 1150 rounds per minute

FN MAG can rightfully be called the “Belgian horse” in the class small arms. The gunsmiths from Fabrique Nationale did their best, creating a truly good machine gun. A fairly simple and reliable design, combined with flexibility of use and adequate ammunition, has secured this machine gun a place in the weapons systems of over 50 countries, including Belgium itself, the UK, Australia, Canada, the USA, Sweden and many other countries.

Caliber: 7.62mm NATO

Weight: 11-13 kg with bipod (depending on modification), tripod weight 21 kg

Length: 1260 mm

Barrel length: 545 mm

Feeding: loose metal strip

Rate of fire: 650 - 950 rounds per minute

The single Pecheneg machine gun is intended to destroy enemy personnel and light equipment. It can also be used as anti-aircraft gun. Thanks to its characteristics, it is rightfully considered one of the best examples of single machine guns in the world.

"Pecheneg" is capable of firing about 650 rounds per minute without reducing combat characteristics. This increase in survivability made it possible to abandon the replacement barrel. However, the Pecheneg barrel, as before, remains quick-detachable.

Caliber: 7.62x54mm R

Weight without cartridges: 8.2 kg on bipod; 12.7 kg on a tripod machine

Length: 1155 mm

Barrel length: 658 mm

Power: 100 or 200 round belt

Rate of fire: 650 rounds per minute

Most domestic and foreign experts agree that the KORD heavy machine gun ( Large Caliber Weapon Dyagterevtsev) is the best of its kind.

In the armed forces, the KORD is called a “sniper machine gun” for its amazing accuracy and mobility, which is unusual for this type of weapon. With a caliber of 12.7 mm, its weight is only 25.5 kilograms (body). Also, “KORD” is highly valued for its ability to fire both from a bipod and from the hands at a speed of up to 750 rounds per minute.

Caliber: 12.7x108 mm

Weight: 25.5 kg (machine gun body) + 16 kg (6T7 machine) or 7 kg (6T19 machine)

Length: 1980 mm

Barrel length: no data

Power: 50 rounds belt

Rate of fire: 650-750 rounds/min

Heckler & Koch MP5K. The Heckler & Koch MP5 family of submachine guns has been wildly popular around the world since its introduction in 1966. MP5 are distinguished by their compactness, lightness, high accuracy of fire, reliability and power. The MP5K modification from 1976 with a shortened barrel and an additional handle for holding the weapon is considered one of the most successful.

Ceska Zbrojovka Scorpion EV03- this submachine gun with a scary name, designed in Slovakia and manufactured in the Czech Republic, launched on the market in 2010, has already proven itself quite well. The CZ EV03 is not ideal for full-scale combat, but due to its lightness, accuracy and ease of handling, it is ideal for police and special forces.

Heckler & Koch UMP- another brainchild of the famous German company, developed in the second half of the 1990s as an addition to the MP5 family. UMP has a simpler design, but uses modern materials - mainly corrosion- and stress-resistant polymers. This submachine gun is used by special police and army units in many countries.

M2 Browning- the legendary heavy machine gun of the John Browning system, developed back in 1933 and still in production today. The United States used it in almost all wars of the 20th and 21st centuries, and during World War II alone, more than 400 thousand copies of its infantry version were produced. It is so accurate that it can even be used as a sniper rifle.

M1919 Browning- more old model Browning, adopted after the First World War and lasted until the 1970s. The machine gun was operated mainly in the USA, also supplied under the program military assistance to Nicaragua, El Salvador, Japan and the USSR. With a rate of fire of up to 600 rounds per minute, it was one of the most powerful weapons of its time.

M60- one of the most famous American machine guns, developed in 1957. It was rightly criticized for being cumbersome and unreliable, but continued to be used for many decades. Its final modification, the M60E4, released in 1995, could fire 850 rounds smoothly in less than 2 minutes without any problems.

FN F2000- a modern Belgian assault rifle from FN Herstal, lightweight and durable, with a polymer body and a plastic handguard, featuring a futuristic design. Can be used by both right- and left-handed people without the slightest modification. It is operated by special forces of a dozen countries around the world.

M240E6. The M240, which entered service in 1977, is used in both ground forces, so for installation on small vessels. The M240E6 is a modernized version of it, constructed using titanium alloys and thus much stronger and lighter.

Kalashnikov assault rifle- perhaps the most famous representative automatic weapons in the world, and certainly the most common. Since 1949, about 70 million copies of this legendary domestic machine gun of various modifications have been produced, which are used all over the world. The AK is incredibly reliable, simple and powerful.

Colt M4- American carbine, created on the basis of the M16A2, on at the moment in service with all types of US troops. Additional equipment includes silencer, optical and red dot sights, laser target designator and under-barrel 40 mm M203 grenade launcher.

During war, technologies always develop, which peacetime not in demand. The armament of troops is constantly being improved, which, in turn, leads to the fact that inventors are constantly working to improve weapons for military forces.

The invention of the machine gun and its appearance on the battlefield dramatically changed the situation during combat operations.

From their first appearance to the present day, Russian machine guns have gone through a long evolution. At the beginning of their journey on the battlefields, machine guns had a narrow specialization. Now it's hard to imagine combat operation without the use of machine guns.

Manual Kalashnikov

The production of these weapons was stopped due to the cessation of production of military products at Kovrov Fur. factory in 1996.

The AEK-999 device itself is identical to the PKM. The differences from it were a new barrel and a body kit, which allows the installation of low-noise firing devices, flame arresters, etc.

This machine gun makes it possible to conduct intense fire without the need to change the barrel. Although this feature has been preserved in the machine gun as an option not only for replacing the barrel, but also for its cleaning and maintenance.

In addition, there is a plastic fore-end on the barrel for hand-held firing on the move.

Now you can see that the development of small arms, including machine guns, for Russian army goes on constantly and does not stop to this day and combat power Russia is replenished not only with new missile weapons, but also with various small arms systems.

LIGHT MACHINE GUNS

Automatic (“hand-held submachine gun”) Fedorov

The weapon's automatic operation was based on the recoil of a short-stroke barrel. The barrel bore was locked by a longitudinally sliding bolt using swinging larvae. The larvae, with their trunnions, were inserted into the sockets of the breech of the barrel and held in place by a clip placed on the barrel. When the barrel and bolt moved backward, the front protrusions of the larvae ran onto the ledge of the stationary box and turned, releasing the bolt. The barrel turned the lever accelerator, through which it imparted an additional impulse to the bolt. The accelerator also served as a barrel stopper. At reverse movement the lower protrusions of the larvae ran over the protrusions of the box, the larvae rose to their previous position, and locking occurred. The barrel and bolt had their own return springs. A spring-loaded ejector and a firing pin were mounted in the bolt at a slight angle. The shutter handle was located on the right side. On top of the bolt was closed with a movable lid, designed to reduce clogging of the weapon. Shortening the barrel, combined with an ingenious solution to the locking system, made it possible to keep the weapon small in size and weight - Fedorov's light submachine gun was shorter than a standard repeating rifle and lighter than existing submachine guns. True, with a non-replaceable light barrel, it could not conduct intense fire. The box and breech of the machine gun had very complex outlines. The cartridges are fed from a detachable sector-shaped box magazine with a staggered arrangement of cartridges. The magazine latch was located in front of it.

Diagram of the operation of the locking unit of Fedorov’s “light submachine gun” (machine gun): at the top - the barrel bore is locked, at the bottom - after the barrel bore is unlocked; 1 - shutter, 2 - trunk, 3 - locking cylinder, 4 - combat stop of the locking cylinder, 5 - bolt lug, 6 - front protrusion of the locking cylinder, 7 - box projection

The trigger mechanism was hammer-type, with a screw mainspring, allowed single and automatic fire, and included a separate flag translator and fuse. When the translator's tail, located behind the trigger, was turned forward, the trigger (sear) remained lowered while the trigger was pressed, and the trigger was set to the self-timer. When the shutter came to the forward position, it rejected the self-timer, the trigger hit the firing pin, and a shot was fired. When the translator's tail was pressed against the trigger guard, the trigger, after being pressed, was disconnected from the trigger lever, which intercepted the trigger; for the next shot, it was necessary to release and press the trigger again. The self-timer also served as a reflector for the spent cartridge case. The safety lever blocked the descent when turning down. The location of the translator and safety device inside the trigger guard made it possible to control them without taking the shooting hand off the stock. The notch in the trigger head served as an automatic safety device in case of incomplete locking, since the trigger did not reach the firing pin until the barrel and bolt reached the extreme forward position.

Scheme of operation of the barrel delay and accelerator of the Fedorov assault rifle: 1 - lever accelerator, 2 - barrel delay, 3 - barrel delay spring, 4 - lower protrusion of the accelerator, 5 - automatic transmission

The first machine guns had a folding frame sight similar to the Japanese Arisaka carbine, which was later replaced by a sector one. Hit radius better half bullets at a distance of 100 m did not exceed 134 mm.

The solid wooden stock had a pistol neck protrusion. The metal front part of the forend prevented delays in automatic operation due to warping of the stock when heated or wet. For better cooling of the barrel, holes were made in the fore-end and receiver lining. The appearance of the front holding handle in the form of an extension of the forend is interesting - in combination with portability, it made it possible to conduct aimed fire on the move, while existing submachine guns could only conduct aimed fire from a bipod. The design included 64 parts, including 10 screws and 11 springs.

In the early 1920s, Fedorov, taking into account operating experience, improved the machine gun - a new mainspring clutch was introduced, the shape of the ejector and the shape of the magazine feeder were changed, the diameter of the firing pin was reduced, three sight slots were replaced by one, and the front sight received a fuse. To prevent double shots, a trigger disconnector was introduced. Big problems created a cartridge supply system. As Fedorov himself wrote in his work “The Problem of Admission” (1933): “75% of the correct, trouble-free operation of automatic weapons depends on the proper design and proper debugging of the feed mechanisms.” It was difficult to ensure complete interchangeability of machine gun magazines; moreover, at first, due to a lack of steel, magazines were made of iron. Therefore, the machine guns were equipped with individually fitted magazines, and to equip the magazine from a clip, grooves in the box and a bolt stop were introduced into the design. The specification of changes was approved by Artcom on March 30, 1923. The produced machine guns were returned to the factory for conversion.

TACTICAL AND TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE FEDOROV AUTOMATIC MACHINE

Cartridge - 6.5?50SR (6.5 mm "arisak").

The weight of the weapon without magazine is 4.4 kg.

Weight with loaded magazine - 5.336 kg.

The length of the weapon without bayonet is 1045 mm.

Barrel length - 520 mm.

The initial bullet speed is 660 m/s.

Muzzle energy of the bullet - 1960 J.

Types of fire - single/automatic.

Combat rate of fire - 25/75 - 100 rounds/min.

The length of the aiming line is 379 mm.

Sighting range - 2100 m (3000 steps).

Magazine capacity - 25 rounds.

Light machine gun model 1927 DP (“Degtyarev, infantry”)

The automatic machine gun operated by removing powder gases through a transverse hole drilled in the barrel wall. The gas piston stroke is long. The gas chamber was open, with a pipe, and had a hole in the upper part for removing powder gases, and in the lower part there was a hole for cleaning the gas paths. The amount of powder gases discharged to the piston was regulated using a pipe regulator with two gas outlet holes with a diameter of 3.0 and 4.0 mm. The issuance of the first orders before the adoption of the machine gun for service and the fine-tuning of the system in the process of mass production led to the fact that the troops encountered machine guns that differed in the design of parts and components. So, for example, the DP of the first batches - still “illegal” manufactured (before the approval of a full set of drawings and patterns) - had a gas regulator with three (diameters 2.5, 3.0 and 4.0 mm) or four (2.5, 3.0, 4.0 and 5.0 mm) holes. Machine guns of “local” manufacture had a regulator with holes with a diameter of 2.5, 3.0 and 4.0 mm or - as indicated - two holes. The main “working” holes were considered to be holes with a diameter of 2.5 or 3.0 mm.

7.62 mm light machine gun mod. 1927 DP, disk magazine for it and a box for carrying magazines

Scheme of operation of the automatics and locking unit of the DP light machine gun. From top to bottom: moving parts in the forward position (shot moment), moving parts in the rearmost position, locked bolt position, open bolt position; 3 - gas chamber, 9 - bolt frame, 10 - stock, 12 - return spring, 14 - gas piston, 16 - shutter, 16a- combat stops, 18 - drummer

The leading link of the automation was the bolt frame, which connected all parts of the moving system. The piston rod (rod), rigidly connected to the bolt frame, with a return spring attached to it, was placed in a guide tube under the barrel. The gas piston itself was screwed onto the front end of the rod and served as the front stop of the return spring. In the forward position, the gas piston with its bell moved onto the gas chamber regulator pipe. The machine gun bolt consisted of a frame, lugs, a firing pin with a firing pin, and an ejector with a spring. The barrel bore was locked using two lugs, hinged on the sides of the bolt frame and moved to the sides by the widened rear part of the firing pin. In the rear part of the bolt frame there was a stand with a cutout for the firing pin and a figured groove that brought the bolt lugs together; on the bottom right was a reloading handle. A flat bolt frame with small transverse dimensions, which also served as the lower cover of the receiver, and compact placement of the bolt assembly on the frame ensured a significant reduction in the size and weight of the entire machine gun.

Section of the DP machine gun: 1 - trunk, 2 - front sight with base and fuse, 3 - barrel casing, 4 - shop, 5 - sight, 6 - magazine latch, 7 - receiver, 8 - butt, 9 - oiler, 10 - fuse, 11 - trigger, 12 - trigger frame, 13 - drummer, 14 - shutter, 15 - bolt frame, 16 - ejector, 17 - return spring, 18 - guide tube, 19 - gas piston, 20 - gas chamber, 21 - gas regulator nut

The trigger mechanism allowed only automatic fire. The trigger mechanism was mounted in the trigger frame and included a trigger with an axle and a spring, a trigger lever with a sear, and an automatic safety with an axle and a spring. The safety blocked the trigger, propping it up from behind, and turned off when the butt neck was completely covered with the palm. The trigger frame was inserted into the vertical grooves of the receiver and secured with a connecting screw.

A detachable disk magazine was attached to the top of the receiver. The magazine design included upper and lower disks connected by an axle screw, and a snail-shaped (“clockwise” type) helical spring with a delay. The lower disk served as the bottom of the store. The cartridges were placed in the magazine along a radius with the tip of the bullet towards the center. By the force of the spring, twisted when loading the magazine, the upper disk rotated relative to the lower one, while two rows of teeth on the inner surface of the upper disk, holding the cartridges, moved them to the receiver window on the lower disk. Using a curved tray mounted on a fixed lower disk, the next cartridge was fed into the receiver window. A store of this design was previously developed for aviation machine gun Fedorova (Fedorova - Degtyareva). Initially, the requirements for the light machine gun assumed a power system capacity of 50 rounds, but since the disk “Fedorov magazine” for fifty 6.5 mm rounds was already ready for production, they decided to maintain its basic dimensions, reducing the capacity to forty-nine 7.62 mm cartridges. It must be said that the design of a disk magazine with radial placement of cartridges largely solved the problem of reliability of the power system for a rifle cartridge with a protruding rim of the cartridge case. Soon, however, the magazine capacity was reduced to 47 rounds - the spring force was not enough to feed the last rounds. Annular stiffening ribs and radial stampings of the magazine disks were supposed to reduce their loss during impacts and shocks and reduce the likelihood of the magazine “seizing.” The spring-loaded magazine latch was mounted in the sight block. The receiver window on the march was covered with a shield that was moved forward before installing the magazine. A special PSM device was used to equip the store. With the help of a special device, it was possible to use the DP and Rakov’s machine to equip the store.

As with most machine guns, designed for intense burst fire and significant heating of the barrel, the shot was fired from the rear sear. Before the first shot, the bolt carrier with the bolt was in the rear position and held by the cocking sear, and the return spring was compressed. When you press the trigger, the trigger lever lowers, the bolt carrier breaks off the sear and moves forward, pushing the firing pin and the bolt with its vertical stand. The bolt captured the cartridge from the receiver, sent it into the chamber and rested against the stump of the barrel. With further movement of the bolt frame, the firing pin with its widened part moved apart the combat lugs, the supporting planes of which entered the combat lugs of the receiver - this locking scheme was reminiscent of the experimental Swedish Chelman automatic rifle, tested in Russia in 1910 (although there was locking according to the “Friberg-Chelman scheme "combined with automation based on the recoil of a short-stroke barrel). After locking, the bolt frame and firing pin moved further forward, the firing pin reached the cartridge primer, broke it, and a shot occurred. After the bullet passed through the gas outlet hole, the powder gases entered the gas chamber, hit the piston and threw it back along with the bolt frame. After the frame had passed about 8 mm, the firing pin released the lugs, then the bevels of the figured recess of the frame brought the stops together, along the path of about 12 mm the barrel bore was unlocked, the bolt frame picked up the bolt and pulled it back. In this case, the ejector removed the spent cartridge case by the edge of its bottom, the cartridge case hit the nose of the spring-loaded reflector and was thrown down through the lower window of the bolt frame. Full speed ahead the bolt frame was 149 mm (the bolt was 136 mm), after which it hit the trigger frame and moved forward under the action of the return spring. If the trigger remained pressed, the automation cycle was repeated; if the hook was released, the bolt frame, with its cocking, stood on the sear. At the same time, the machine gun remained ready for the next shot - with only one automatic trigger safety, this created the danger of an involuntary shot when running across with a loaded machine gun. It is no coincidence that the instructions required loading the machine gun only after occupying a firing position.

The machine gun had a sector sight with a high block mounted on the receiver and a rail notched up to 1500 m, and a front sight with a safety device inserted into a groove on the protrusion of the barrel casing. The magazine latch also served as protective “ears” for the sight. The perforated tubular barrel casing, which protected the barrel from impacts and the shooter from burns, resembled the casing of a Madsen light machine gun. The wooden butt, attached with screws to the trigger frame, was also made according to the “Madsen” type, had a semi-pistol neck protrusion and an upper ridge for better positioning of the machine gunner’s head. The length of the butt from the back of the head to the trigger is 360 mm, the width of the butt is 42 mm. An oil can was placed in the butt. A vertical channel for the rear retractable support was drilled into the widened lower part of the buttstock, however serial machine guns were produced without such support, and subsequently the channel in the butt was not made. The bipod was attached to the barrel casing with a folding clamp with a wing screw; the legs of the bipod were equipped with openers and shoes.

It is worth noting that a number of design solutions in Degtyarev’s design were made under the obvious influence of carefully studied in Russia light machine guns"Hotchkiss", "Lewis" and "Madsen" (the Kovrov plant had complete sets of drawings and ready-made samples"Madsen" and Lewis machine guns were repaired here during the Civil War). However, overall it was a new and original design. Total number machine gun parts (without magazine) - 68, of which 10 screws and 4 coil springs: for comparison, the German Dreyse light machine gun consisted of 96 parts, the American Browning BAR model 1922 - 125, the Czech ZB-26 - 143 The use of the bolt frame as the lower cover of the receiver and the application of the principle of multifunctionality to a number of other parts made it possible to significantly reduce the size and weight of the structure. The advantages of the DP also included the ease of disassembly, while the machine gun was disassembled into large parts, and the main parts were separated by removing the bolt frame. Accessories for the DP included a collapsible cleaning rod, two drifts, a brush, a screwdriver key, a wiper, a device for cleaning gas passages, and a extractor for torn-off cartridge cases (the rupture of cartridge cases in the chamber had long plagued the machine guns of the Degtyarev system). Spare barrels - two per machine gun - were supplied in special boxes. There was a canvas cover for storing and carrying the machine gun. The machine gunner's assistant carried the magazines in a special iron box with 3 disks or in a canvas bag.

The fire was carried out in “normal” bursts of 4–6 shots or short bursts of 2–3 (the accuracy of fire in short bursts was better); prolonged automatic fire was allowed in extreme cases. Experienced machine gunners could conduct targeted fire with single shots. For firing blank cartridges, there was a muzzle sleeve with an outlet diameter of 4 mm and a special magazine with a window under blank cartridges(it was impossible to load with live ammunition).

In the cavalry, the VD saddle pack was used to transport the DP. For firing at air targets, the same anti-aircraft tripod mod. 1928, as for the Maxim machine gun. Special motorcycle installations were developed: on the M-72 motorcycle, for example, it was a simple rotating frame, hinged on the sidecar of the motorcycle, boxes with disks and spare parts were mounted on the trunk and between the motorcycle and the sidecar, the DP mount allowed anti-aircraft shooting from the knee without removing him from the stroller. On the TIZ-AM-600 motorcycle, a DT machine gun was mounted on a special bracket above the handlebars. In the early 1930s, they also experimentally studied the installation of diesel fuel on passenger cars.

The DP machine gun quickly gained popularity, successfully combining maneuverability with the “power” of fire for its time. After setting up production, it turned out that the production of the DP required 1.5 times less time than most foreign samples, 2 times less local measurements and transitions than for a revolver, and more than three times less than for a rifle. The direction taken by domestic gunsmiths to increase the manufacturability of weapons had an effect. However, along with obvious advantages, it also had a number of disadvantages that manifested themselves during operation in the army. First of all, this concerned the bulkiness of the disk magazine and the baggy nature of its equipment. The store had a large mass - 1.8 kg. For comparison, the double-row disc magazine of the Lewis machine gun with a light alloy body with the same capacity was half the weight (0.875 kg, although it did not contain a feed mechanism). In addition, the magazine with a diameter of 265 mm created a number of inconveniences when carrying the machine gun in battle. After some of the cartridges were used up, the mutual movement of the discs and cartridges during the machine gunner’s movements created noticeable noise. Rapid weakening of the spring led to last cartridges remained in the store - because of this, crews sometimes preferred to not fully equip the store.

Quickly replacing a hot barrel was complicated by the lack of a handle on it and the need to separate the bipod. Replacing the barrel took 20–30 seconds even for a trained crew in favorable conditions. An open gas chamber located under the barrel, on the one hand, prevented the accumulation of carbon deposits in the gas outlet unit, and on the other hand, together with the open bolt frame, increased sensitivity to clogging on sandy and dusty soils. Screwing off the gas piston rod and clogging its bell caused the moving parts to not move to the extreme forward position. A significant problem was the rapid settlement of the recoil spring due to its heating - the spring was located under the barrel quite close to it. It is characteristic that the recoil spring was even included in the individual set of spare parts for the machine gun (there was also a regimental set of spare parts).

DP machine guns were still used by the army North Korea and Chinese volunteers during Korean War, and some became a trophy of American invaders

The method of attaching the bipod and swivels was unreliable and created additional clinging parts that reduced the ease of carrying the machine gun. Working with the gas regulator was also inconvenient - to rearrange it, you had to remove the cotter pin, unscrew the nut, push the regulator back, turn it and fasten it again. In general, however, the “Tar” turned out to be a fairly reliable weapon, which was also recognized by its opponents.

During the Great Patriotic War, it was necessary to reduce the spare parts standards for the DP machine gun - instead of the 22 disks required before the war, 12 were now given for each machine gun.

Discharge procedure for DP

Pull the charging handle back until the bolt frame is cocked (after firing, the moving system always remains in the rear position). Pull back the magazine latch, remove the magazine, inspect the chamber and make sure there is no cartridge in it. By pressing the safety and the trigger, send the moving system forward.

The procedure for incomplete disassembly of the DP

Place the machine gun on the bipod and unload.

Separate the trunk, for what: withdraw. bolt frame by the reloading handle back, press the barrel lock all the way (or - in machine guns of earlier releases - turn the lock with the head back until the nipple slides into the recess on the wall of the box), insert the key from below into the grooves of the muzzle of the barrel and turn the key up, then, shaking, pull the barrel forward. Having released the lock, carefully remove the barrel from the casing, pressing the safety and trigger, move the bolt frame to the forward position.

Release the connecting coupling, for this purpose: move the reloading handle (bolt frame handle) a little back, place the edge of the screwdriver key between the rear edge of the connecting coupling and the front edge of the frame; right hand move the bolt handle forward and turn the tail of the coupling with your left hand, releasing it.

Separate the trigger frame from the butt, for this purpose: holding the machine gun by the neck of the butt with one hand, unscrew the connecting screw of the trigger frame with the other hand and remove it; Supporting the receiver, lightly hit the butt with your hand from above to separate the trigger frame from the butt.

Separate the bolt frame with the bolt, for this purpose: move the bolt frame handle back, remove the bolt frame with the bolt from the receiver.

Separate the bolt from the bolt carrier by grasping the rear end of the bolt and lifting it up.

Disassemble the bolt, removing the firing pin and lugs.

Separate the gas piston, the recoil spring and the connecting coupling, for which: place the bolt frame vertically, pressing the recoil spring down, unscrew the gas piston, having previously moved it from its place with a key; separate the piston, then remove the return spring and coupling.

Separate the flame arrester, to do this: place the barrel vertically, unscrew and separate the flame arrester, having previously moved it with a key.

Separate the gas regulator, for this purpose: using a drift, remove the split pin of the nut; then unscrew the nut with a wrench and remove the regulator.

Separate the bipod, for this purpose: supporting the casing, release the wing and remove the screw from the cutout of the folding part of the clamp, fold back the upper part of the clamp and separate the bipod.

Reassemble in reverse order.

TACTICAL AND TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF DP

Cartridge - 7.62?54R (7.62 mm model 1908).

The weight of the machine gun without cartridges is 7.77 kg (without bipod), 8.5 kg (with bipod).

Barrel weight - 2.0 kg.

Bipod weight - 0.73 kg.

Machine gun length - 1272 mm (with flame arrester), 1147 mm (without flame arrester).

Barrel length - 605 mm.

The length of the rifled part of the barrel is 527 mm.

Number of grooves - 4.

The rifling stroke length is 240 mm.

The range of a direct shot at a chest figure (50 cm high) is 375 m, at a running figure (150 cm) - 640 m.

The length of the aiming line (maximum) is 616.6 mm.

The sight division value is 50 m.

Rate of fire - 600 rounds/min.

Combat rate of fire - 100–150 rounds/min.

The height of the firing line is 345–354 mm.

Calculation - 2 people.

DP firing accuracy indicators. Dispersion core:

When firing in bursts of 4–6 shots at a distance of 100 m - 17 cm in height and width, at 200 m - 35 cm? 35 cm, at 500 m - 85?85 cm, at 800 m - 160?125 cm, at 1000 m - 210?185 cm;

When firing in short bursts of 2–3 shots - at a distance of 500 m - 65?65 cm, at 1000 m - 165?140 cm.

Machine guns YES and DT

The DA aircraft machine gun, which entered service with the Red Army Air Force in 1928 and was intended for use on mobile aircraft, differed from the basic DP in a three-row (three-tier) disc magazine for 65 rounds, a pistol grip, and new sights. A faceplate was screwed to the front of the DA receiver, in the lower part of which a pin with a curved swivel was attached for mounting on the installation; instead of the butt, a notched wooden rear handle and a pistol grip control were installed. A bushing with a ring sight was attached to the top of the front, and a bushing with a stand for a weather vane front sight was attached to the thread in the muzzle of the barrel. In connection with the removal of the casing and installation of the faceplate, the fastening of the guide tube of the gas piston changed. The magazine on top had a belt handle for convenience and quick replacement. To ensure shooting in a limited volume and to prevent spent cartridges from getting into the aircraft's mechanisms, a canvas sleeve-catcher bag with a wire frame and a lower fastener was attached to the bottom of the receiver. Note that to find the best frame configuration that ensures reliable removal of cartridges from the receiver without jamming, accelerated filming was used. The study of the operation of weapons and the flight of bullets using accelerated filming was practiced in different countries already at the beginning of the twentieth century, but in domestic practice this was one of the first cases. YES weight without magazine - 7.1 kg, length from the muzzle to the edge of the rear handle - 940 mm, magazine weight without cartridges - 1.73 kg.

Machine gun YES, cutaway magazine

In 1930, the DA-2 twin turret unit entered service. On each machine gun of the DA-2 installation, the faceplate in the front part of the receiver is replaced by a front mounting coupling. The side bosses of the couplings were used for fastening to the installation, the bottom bosses were used to hold the gas piston tube. The rear mounting of the machine guns on the installation was carried out with coupling bolts passing through holes in the rear bosses of the receivers. The general trigger hook was mounted in an additional trigger guard on the pistol grip of the right machine gun; the trigger rod was attached to the holes in the trigger guards and consisted of a connecting shaft and an adjusting rod. On the left machine gun, the bolt handle and safety box were moved to the left side, and a bracket for a weather vane front sight was attached to its barrel. Since the recoil of coaxial machine guns was very sensitive for the shooter and the gunner, the machine guns were equipped with active-type muzzle brakes in the form of a kind of parachutes; a special disk behind the muzzle brake protected the gunner and gunner from the wave of gases generated muzzle brake- subsequently a brake of the same design will be installed on large-caliber DShK. The machine guns were connected to the turret through a pin. The installation was equipped with a shoulder rest (until 1932 - a chest rest) and a chin rest. The weight of the DA-2 with a weathervane front sight and loaded magazines was 25 kg, length - 1140 mm, width - 300 mm, with a distance between the axes of the machine gun barrels of 193 ± 1 mm.

With the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, outdated and already removed from aircraft DA-2 machine guns found a new use as anti-aircraft guns to combat low-flying aircraft. For this purpose, the DA and DA-2 machine guns could be installed through a pin on an anti-aircraft tripod mod. 1928 - such installations were used, in particular, in 1941 near Leningrad. The front sight vane was replaced by a ring front sight from an anti-aircraft machine gun sight. In addition, light night bombers U-2 (Po-2) were armed with DA-2 installations.

The DT tank machine gun (“Degtyarev, tank”, also called “tank machine gun model 1929”) did not have a barrel casing. The barrel itself was distinguished by additional turning of the ribs. The machine gun had a retractable metal butt, which included two rods and a shoulder rest with a folding shoulder support, a pistol grip, a double-row disk magazine for 63 rounds, and a cartridge case catcher. The magazine latch has been changed compared to the DP. The pistol grip and safety were similar to the YES. The safety pin was made in the form of a pin with a beveled axis, the flag was located on the right above the trigger guard, its front position corresponded to the “fuse” state, and the rear position corresponded to “fire”. The sight is a rack-mount diopter. The diopter was made on a special vertical slider and, using spring-loaded latches, could be installed in several fixed positions corresponding to ranges of 400–600 - 800 and 1000 m. The sight had an adjustment screw for zeroing. The machine gun itself did not have a front sight - it was attached to the front disk of the ball mount. The DT could be removed from the installation and used outside the vehicle, for which a detachable bipod and a bracket with a front sight were attached to the machine gun - both were attached to the faceplate of the machine gun. The weight of the DT machine gun with a magazine is 10.25 kg, length is 1138 mm, combat rate of fire is 100 rounds/min, the length of the sighting line in the ball mount is 431 mm, on the bipod - 428 mm.

DT machine gun, magazine cutaway: 1 - butt, 2 - butt latch, 3 - liner, 4 - washer, 5 - 10 - diopter sight

In addition to the ball mount, the DT was also used as a coaxial weapon with a tank gun or a heavy machine gun - and then mounted in the same mantlet with them - or on a special anti-aircraft tank mount. During the Great Patriotic War, the DT was also installed on combat snowmobiles.

During the war, the DT was often used as a manual weapon not only by tankers - its combat rate of fire, almost twice as high as that of the DP (due to the magazine capacity), combined with its compactness, was liked by infantrymen and paratroopers. Although in terms of ergonomics it was inferior to the DP and had a shorter aiming line.

Soon after the Great Patriotic War, the DT was replaced by the SGMT tank machine gun, created on the basis of the easel machine gun.

DPM light machine gun and DTM tank machine gun

On October 14, 1944, the decision of the State Defense Committee approved changes in the design of light and tank machine guns, proposed and implemented by A.G. Belyaev, A.I. Skvortsov with the participation of A.A. Dubynin and P.P. Polyakov, the DPM (“Degtyarev, infantry, modernized”) and DTM (“Degtyarev tank, modernized”) machine guns were adopted for service.

One of the main problems of the DP machine gun was the rapid settlement of the recoil spring located under the barrel due to its intense heating and the loss of its qualities. And a significant part of the design change was associated precisely with the transfer of the return spring. At the same time, they made handling the machine gun more convenient.

The DPM had the following significant differences:

The recoil spring has been moved from under the barrel to the rear of the receiver. To install it, a tubular rod was put on the tail of the striker, and a guide tube was inserted into the buttplate, protruding outward above the neck of the butt. The tube was connected by a return spring to the stand of the trigger frame and secured with a latch. In accordance with this, the coupling was eliminated, and the rod was manufactured as a single part with the piston. Similar changes were introduced to the tank DT (DTM), which made it possible to disassemble it and eliminate minor faults without removing the machine gun from the ball mount;

A pistol grip control is installed in the form of a slope welded to the trigger guard and two wooden cheeks attached to it with screws;

The shape of the butt has been simplified accordingly;

Instead of an automatic safety on the light machine gun, a non-automatic flag safety of the DT type was introduced - the beveled axis of its pin was placed under the trigger lever and blocked it when the flag was in the forward position. This fuse was more reliable, since it acted directly on the sear and made it safer to carry a loaded machine gun;

In the ejection mechanism, the leaf spring was replaced by a cylindrical screw spring. The ejector, similar to the ejector of the SG heavy machine gun, was mounted in the bolt socket and kept from falling out by a pin, which also served as its axis;

The bolt, reflector and stock connecting screw are strengthened;

The bolt body has a groove for the reflector along the entire length of the ridge, the ejector socket has changed, and cutouts for the reflector pins have appeared in the sighting block;

Minor changes have been made to the trigger mechanism;

The folding bipod has become integral, and its mounting hinges have been moved higher relative to the axis of the barrel bore and somewhat back. A clamp of two welded plates was installed on the upper part of the barrel casing, forming lugs to which the bipod legs were attached with screws. The bipod became stronger, and to replace the barrel it was not necessary to separate it, the stability of the machine gun when firing increased;

According to the transfer of the recoil spring and the change in the bipod, the barrel casing also changed;

The weight of the machine gun has decreased;

The barrel of the DPM machine gun was distinguished by a deeper notch on the stump - in accordance with the change in the ejector.

The barrel from the DPM could be placed on the DP, but the spare barrel from the DP did not fit on the DPM - due to the smaller notch on the stump. The procedure for disassembling the machine gun also changed: now, after separating the barrel, it was necessary to separate the butt plate (guide tube) with the recoil spring, to do this, release the butt plate latch, turn the butt plate upward with the latch and, gradually loosening the pressure of the spring, remove the butt plate and the recoil spring. As a result of design and technological changes, the weight of the machine gun increased by 0.3 kg.

As the work progressed, an option was proposed modernized machine gun DP and with a retractable butt of the DT type, but still settled on a permanent wooden butt, as it was more convenient and reliable. At the same time, it was proposed to equip the DTM with a weighted barrel with longitudinal valleys similar to the experimental DS-42, but this was also abandoned.

The modernized DTM tank machine gun was adopted at the same time on October 14, 1944. Some lightly loaded parts - for example, the retractable butt of a tank machine gun - were made by cold stamping to reduce the cost. In general, DTM did not last long - its production ceased on January 1, 1945.

In addition to the USSR, DP and DPM machine guns were in service with the armies of the GDR, Vietnam, China, North Korea, Cuba, Mongolia, Poland, Seychelles, and Somalia. In China, the DPM machine gun under Soviet license was produced under the designation “Type 53”; this version was also used in Vietnam and is in service in Albania. “Tars” sometimes appeared unexpectedly - for example, Turkish troops captured DT machine guns from the Cypriots. Stocks of DP and CSA remaining in warehouses “surfaced” in the late 80s - early 90s of the 20th century during post-perestroika military conflicts on the territory of the USSR. These machine guns also fought in Yugoslavia at the end of the twentieth century. beginning of XXI century.

TACTICAL AND TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF DPM

Cartridge - 7.62?54R (7.62 mm model 1908).

The weight of the machine gun with a bipod and an empty magazine is 10.9 kg.

Machine gun length - 1272 mm (with flame arrester).

Barrel length - 605 mm.

Number of grooves - 4.

Type of rifling - right-handed, rectangular.

The rifling stroke length is 240 mm.

The initial bullet speed is 840 m/s (light bullet model 1908).

Sighting range - 1500 m.

The range of a direct shot at a chest figure (50 cm high) is 420 m, at a running figure (150 cm) - 640 m.

Range lethal action bullets - 2500 m.

The maximum flight range of a bullet is 3800 m.

Rate of fire - b00 rounds/min.

Combat rate of fire - 80 rounds/min.

Food - disk magazine with a capacity of 47 rounds.

The weight of the magazine with cartridges is 2.6–2.85 kg.

Calculation - 2 people.

Company machine gun model 1946 (RP-46)

Although this machine gun is, rather, “ transition period"from a traditional heavy machine gun to a single one, due to its origin (based on the DPM machine gun) and the features of its application (fire only from a bipod), it is worth considering in this section.

The bulkiness and large dead weight of the disk magazine of the DP machine gun caused repeated attempts to replace it with belt feed both before the start of the Great Patriotic War and during it. In addition, belt feeding with a replaceable barrel made it possible to achieve greater intensity of fire in short periods of time and thereby fill the gap between the capabilities of heavy and heavy machine guns. Work continued during the war. In May 1944, the DP machine gun and the modernized DPM, which had not yet been adopted for service, were tested, which were equipped with a receiver developed by A.A. Dubynin and P.P. Polyakov under the leadership of designer A.I. Shilin and with the participation of mechanic-debugger V.D. Lobanova. And on May 24, 1946, the “7.62-mm company machine gun mod. 1946 (RP-46)" with this receiver option.

7.62 mm RP-46 company machine gun with metal cartridge belt

Parts and assemblies of the RP-46 machine gun: 1 - butt, 2 - trigger, 3 - fuse, 4 - whispered, 5 - trigger frame with butt plate, 6 - combat stops, 7 - shutter, 8 - flame arrester, 9 And 10 - gas regulator and chamber, 11 - trunk, 12 - front sight with base, 13 - machine gun handle, 14, 16 And 17 - cover, housing and base of the receiver, 15 - fixing fingers, 18 - lid, 19 - emphasis, 20 And 22 - feed slider and slider, 21 - giving finger, 23 - sight, 24 - receiver, 25 - guide tube, 26 - bolt frame, 27 And 31 - contactor and barrel casing, 28 - reloading handle, 29 - return spring, 30 - drummer, 32 - front swivel

The RP-46 machine gun consisted of the following main parts: a barrel with a gas chamber and a flame arrester; receiver with barrel casing and bipod; bolt carrier with gas piston; gate; trigger frame with butt, pistol grip control; trigger mechanism; return spring with tube; feed mechanism; sighting devices. To make it possible to fire in long bursts, the barrel was weighted. On the muzzle of the barrel there were threads for attaching a flame arrester and cuts for a screwdriver key; in the receiver, the barrel was fastened with sector protrusions on the breech and fixed with a lock, the head of which fit into a recess on the surface of the barrel. The new barrel, the need to drive the tape feed mechanism, as well as the effort to feed the cartridge from the tape required a change in the design of the gas outlet unit. The gas chamber with a pipe located under the barrel had a transverse hole into which the regulator was inserted. The regulator had three grooves, varying in width. By combining one or another groove with the gas outlet hole, it was possible to change the supply of powder gases removed from the barrel bore to the piston. In this case, the tooth of the regulator lock indicated the size of the groove on which the shooting was being carried out. Normally, shooting was carried out on the regulator mark “1”, in case of heavy contamination and incomplete waste of the mobile system - on mark “2”, under difficult conditions ( low temperatures, heavy dust) - on mark “3”. Moreover, to change from division “2” or “3” to “1”, it was necessary to knock out the latch from the gas chamber to the left and insert it back on the right side. The gas piston did not slide onto the gas chamber pipe, as in the DPM, but entered into it, and for better sealing, the piston was equipped with annular recesses. Otherwise, the design, layout and controls of the machine gun were similar to the basic DPM. Accordingly, the operation of the automation, locking unit, trigger and impact mechanisms of the machine gun were similar. The length of the “path of bringing the lugs together” - the length of the bolt frame moving back to the point of bringing the lugs together and unlocking the barrel - was 10–15 mm. The trigger mechanism was equipped with a non-automatic safety lever, which blocked the trigger lever when the bolt frame was cocked; the front position of the flag corresponded to the “safety” position, the rear position to “fire”.

To move the belt with cartridges and feed cartridges during the shooting process, a feed mechanism (receiver) was used, which consisted of a body with a carrying handle, a receiver base, a feed engine, a neck with a tray, a slider with a feeder, a feed and fixing feed fingers, a receiver cover and an axis covers with spring. The receiver parts were made by cold stamping, and this, combined with the use of the proven Degtyarev machine gun system, reduced the cost of production of a company machine gun. The tape feeding mechanism was driven by the reloading handle (bolt frame handle) when it moved - a similar principle was used in the Shpagin receiver, but now the movement of the handle was transmitted to the receiver not through a swinging lever, but through a special moving part (engine), which was engaged by its fork with bolt handle. Direct movement of the tape was carried out by a slider, which moved in the transverse direction and was equipped with a spring-loaded feeder and a roller. The tape was a metal link tape with a closed link; the links were connected using connecting springs, and tips were attached to the ends of the tape. The feeding direction is on the right; a special tray was used to guide the tape. The receiver cover latch was located similarly to the magazine latch on the DP and DPM.

To load the machine gun it was necessary to: turn the handle for carrying the machine gun to the left, pull back the receiver latch and open its cover; insert the loaded tape into the neck of the receiver so that the first cartridge of the rim of the sleeve goes behind the hooks of the engine extractor; close the receiver cover; pull the bolt frame back by the reloading handle until it stops, putting it in cocking position. At the same time, the handle of the bolt frame pulled back the engine, which, with its hooks, removed the cartridge from the belt back, after which the cartridge, under the action of the feed ridge and the feed lever, was lowered into the hollow protrusion of the base of the receiver, ending up on the chambering line. At the same time, the curvilinear groove of the slider, interacting with the slider roller, shifted the slider to the left, and the slider feeder moved the cartridge strip one link to the left, installing the next cartridge in the receiving window in a position to be captured by the slider hooks. When the machine gunner pressed the trigger, the sear of the trigger lever came out from under the cocking bolt frame, and the bolt frame together with the bolt moved forward under the action of the return spring. In this case, the bolt rammer pushed the cartridge out of the hollow protrusion of the base of the receiver and sent it into the chamber. The bolt carrier handle pushed forward the engine, which with its curved groove pressed on the slider roller, forcing the slider to move to the right, and the slider feeder jumped behind the next link of the belt. When reaching the extreme forward position, the engine hooks jumped over the rim of the cartridge case of the next cartridge in the belt. When firing, the operation of the power system (removing the next cartridge from the belt link, lowering it to the chambering line, advancing the belt one link to the left, chambering the cartridge into the barrel chamber) repeated the described sequence. After all the cartridges in the belt were used up and the trigger was pressed, the bolt frame and bolt remained in the extreme forward position.

It was recommended to fire from a machine gun in short (up to 5 shots) and long (up to 15 shots) bursts. The rate of fire reached 200–250 rounds/min, which was comparable to an easel machine gun and three times higher than the combat rate of fire of the DPM. Conducting intense fire without replacing or cooling the barrel was allowed up to 500 shots. The sector sight rail was notched from 100 to 1500 m every 100 m. The front sight was screwed into the fuse and could be shifted to the right or left when the machine gun was brought to normal combat.

The machine gun kit included cartridge boxes with belts for 200 and 250 rounds, as well as accessories, a belt, a case and a spare barrel.

In addition to rifle (motorized rifle) units, the RP-46 was also included as an auxiliary self-defense weapon in the armament complex of light armored vehicles - for example, the airborne ASU-57. They worked on mounting it on the sidecar of the M-72 motorcycle (later a motorcycle mount for the RPD machine gun appeared).

The combination of a system already proven in production with a receiver assembled from cold-forged parts made it possible to quickly begin production of a new machine gun. The introduction of belt feeding reduced the total weight of the ammunition carried by the crew - if without cartridges the RP-46 weighed 2.5 kg more than the DP, then its total weight with 500 rounds of ammunition was 10 kg less than that of the DP with the same supply of cartridges. The machine gun received a folding shoulder support and a carrying handle. However, a separate cartridge box with a belt caused difficulties in combat conditions, since changing the position of the RP-46 often required removing the tape and reloading it in a new position.

The RP-46 remained in service for 15 years and was replaced, along with the mounted SGM, by a single PK machine gun. In addition to the USSR, it was in service in Albania, Algeria, Angola, Benin, Bulgaria, Kampuchea, China, Congo, Cuba, Libya, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Togo. In China, a copy of the RP-46 was produced under the designation “Type 58”, in the DPRK the copy was called “Type 64”. Although the RP-46 was much inferior to its “parent” in terms of production volume, it is still found in different parts of the world - these are both the “native” RP-46 and their Chinese copies.

Procedure for partial disassembly of RP-46

Unfasten the spring latch of the bipod, spread the legs of the bipod and place the machine gun on it.

Remove the feed mechanism, to do this: turn the machine gun handle to the left as far as it will go, pull back the latch of the receiver cover and, moving the reloading handle to the cutout in the engine, lift the entire mechanism by the cover.

Separate the barrel, for this purpose: pull back the bolt frame until it is cocked and set it on the safety catch, pull back the barrel lock latch, press on it and, slightly turning the barrel, separate it from the machine gun.

Remove the bolt carrier from the safety and from the cocking position.

Press down the latch of the return spring tube and, turning it up 90°, separate the tube.

Remove the recoil spring.

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