5,45-mm RPK (RPK-74, GRAU index - 6P18) - machine gun, designed to replace the troops PKK gun chambered for 7.62 × 39 mm under the system of small arms under maloimpulsnogo cartridge 5.45 × 39 mm. Adopted in 1974 , together with an automatic AK74.
Machine gun RPK-74 – video
Resolution of the Central Committee of the CPSU and the USSR Council of Ministers 18 January 1974 g, and then the order of the Minister of Defense of the USSR 18 Martha 1974 g. adopted a new unified range of 5.45 mm was adopted, included a 5.45-mm submachine gun cartridge, Four models are 5.45 mm machine gun and four models of 5.45-mm machine gun with two options butts. In developing the 5.45-mm submachine gun cartridge (5,45×39) with reduced recoil initially taken into account for its use as a machine, and for LMG. Especially, The new cartridge is allowed to increase agility and hand-carried ammunition gunner.
Machine gun RPK-74
The new family of small arms machine guns entered the PKK 74 (6P18 index) with fixed buttstock and RPKS 74 (6P19) with a folding butt. Differences their design, compared with an AK 74, more difficult, that of the PKK in comparison with AKM - elongated barrel, the presence of a folding bipod and a large capacity of the staff shop. New elements were muzzle device and store. On the muzzle of the barrel is mounted slotted flame arrestor, which can be replaced with a sleeve blank firing.
As in AK 74, in machine gun on the slide frame to facilitate the left side cutout, a rectangular bottom frame protrusion shutter eliminates interference with the upper cartridge in the magazine upon movement back parts of automatics. The shutter is reduced and does not have the annular recess in the cup, firing pin protrudes above the mirror shutter. Ejection slot in the gate took the form of an open groove. Gas tube with handguard on the back end has a spring washer, eliminating its swing and spacing action on the gas chamber.
Machine gun RPK-74M
PKK 74 It is provided with a sector sight mechanism with the introduction of side corrections. Fire from machine gun conducted mainly in short bursts, "the average length of the queue - 5-7 shots. Reducing the recoil momentum and less time a bullet to the target allowed about 1,5 times to improve the accuracy of fire compared to 7.62 mm PKK. Series maloimpulsnogo rounds of small arms includes chuck 7N6 with an ordinary bullet with steel core PS, 7TK with a tracer bullet T, 7TPM with the upgraded tracer bullet, with armor-piercing bullet BP, 7H10 bullet with increased breakdown action PP, as well as a blank 7X3 and Training. When the mass of the bullet SS 3,45 g cartridge weight is 10,2 city, ie. weight portable ammunition at the same ammo is in 1,5 times less than, than when the cartridge arr. 1943 g.
Powered machine gun - from the box magazine with a sector-shaped plastic body and staggered dual inline 45 rounds. There is a special device for equipment stores from clips. For the PKK 74 and RPKS 74 received a box magazine, from the disk store PKK 74 They refused for production and economic reasons. In the manufacture of stock and forend of the tree gradually switched to plastic (glass fiber reinforced polyamide).
It is worth noting, that the Soviet Union before, than in other countries, unification was carried out as a normal infantry weapons, and small-caliber, to link department-platoon. This was facilitated by high reliability and supply of modernization, laid down in the "Kalashnikov".
PKK 74 and its variants are in service in Russia, former republics of the Soviet Union and in several foreign countries. Abroad (in the GDR, Poland, Yugoslavia, Libya, Finland) produced copies of the Soviet machine guns PKK and the PKK 74 and their modification or to create their own models light machine guns "Kalashnikov". 5,45-mm machine guns also have a "night" modification. Plank on the left side of the receiver RPK machine gun 74N is used to set bespodsvetnyh (passive) night sights with a standard attachment such as "dovetail".
In accordance with the model mounted night sight isolated modification: PKK 74N1 - with an eye NSPU (1PN34); PKK 74N2 - a sight NSPUM (1PN58); PKK 74NZ - with an eye NSPU-3 (1PN51). Can also be used night sight NSPU-5 (1PN83). This sight has a multiplicity of amplification 3.5x allows identifying a person at a distance of 300 m. It can also put a universal rifle scope magnification 1P29 4, weight 0.8 kg. The local conflicts found use as machine guns RPK 74N installing optical sight instead night. Mass RPK 74N1 gun in firing position with an eye was NSPU 7,66 kg.
Options and modernization
RPK-74 (GRAU index - 6P18) - basic version chambered 5,45 × 39 mm;
RPK-74P (GRAU index - 6P18P) - RPK-74 with a telescopic sight 1P29;
RPK-74N (GRAU index - 6P18N1) - RPK-74 with night sight NSPU (1PN34) or optical PSO-1;
RPK-74N2 (GRAU index - 6P18N2) - RPK-74 with night sight NSPUM (1PN58);
RPKS-74 (GRAU index - 6P19) - variant with folding butt chambered 5,45 × 39 mm;
RPKS-74P (GRAU index - 6P19P) - RPKS-74 with a telescopic sight 1P29;
RPKS-74N (GRAU index - 6P19N1) - RPKS-74 with night sight NSPU;
RPKS-74N2 (GRAU index - 6P19N2) - RPKS-74 with night sight NSPUM;
RPKS-74N3 (GRAU index - 6P19N3) - RPKS-74 with night sight bespodsvetochnym NSPU-3 (1PN51);
RPK-74M (GRAU index - 6P39) - a modernized version, It has the following number of differences:
1. similar to the AK-74M, handguard and handguard gas tubes are made of impact-resistant glass-filled thermoset AG-4B. Metal parts are well protected against corrosion coated.
2. increased resource when firing barrel at the time of the new modernization 7N10 cartridge with enhanced penetration bullet (claimed barrel life - to 50 thousand shots)
3. enhanced receiver and its cover. On the left side of the receiver there is a bar for installation of night or optical sight
4. abutment guide rod return spring is provided with recessed abutment (which prevents breakdown when the receiver cover bumps and knocks)
5. gun is equipped with a folding plastic butt to the left, latched in latch pushbutton firing position
RPK-200:
– RPK-201 (GRAU index - 6P55) - export variant chambered 5,56 × 45 mm;
– RPK-203 (GRAU index - 6P8M) - export variant chambered 7,62 × 39 mm.
The performance characteristics of the PKK-74
– Adopted: 1974
– Constructor: Kalashnikov, Michael T.
– designed: 1974 year. 1992 year (RPK-74M)
– Manufacturer: Vyatskiye-Polyansky Machine-Building Plant "Molot"
– options: RPK-74P, RPK-74N, RPKS-74, RPKS-74P, RPKS-74N, RPK-74N2, RPK-74M, RPK-201, RPK-203
Weight machine guns RPK-74
– 5,0 kg (RPK-74 nesnaryazhonny); 5,46 kg (RPK-74 Curb)
– 5,15 kg (RPKS 74 nesnaryazhonny); 5,61 kg (RPKS-74 Curb)
– 7,76 kg (RPK-74N curb)
– 7,91 kg (RPKS-74N curb)
– 0,3 kg (plastic shop)
Dimensions of machine guns RPK-74
– Length, mm: 1060; 845 (RPKS-74 with folded butt); 1065/857 (RPK-74M with unfolded / folded butt)
– barrel length, mm: 590
Cartridge gun RPK-74
– 5,45× 39 mm
– 5,56× 45 mm (RPK-201)
– 7,62× 39 mm (RPK-203)
Rate of fire machine guns RPK-74
– 600 rounds / min
muzzle velocity guns RPK-74
– 960 m / s; 745 m / s (RPK-203)
Sighting range machine guns RPK-74
– 1000 m
Capacity gun store RPK-74
– korobchatыy store 45 rounds (can be used to store 30 rounds of AK74)
Maximum range
– 3150 m
Work principles: removal of powder gases, Butterfly valve
Aim: adjustable open, Fitting plate for day or night optical sights (RPK-74P, RPK-74N, RPKS-74P, RPKS-74N, RPK-74M, RPK-201 and-203 PKK)
Photos RPK-74
RPK-203 – export variant chambered 7,62 × 39 mm
RPK-74MN with night sight NSPU-3
Served with this in Kazakhstan, Taldy-Kurgan region. 1988g. In general, a good machine, but there is a small drawback. When you lie in “bare steppe”, machine gun stands in front of you on the bipod, then in order to hit a low-lying target, you had to rise high above the grass, thereby unmask, the lower back curved like an American dollar. general discomfort, but there was almost no return, machine gunner just sang.