RP-46: Belt fed conversion of the DP light machine gun
Degtyaryov’s infantry machine gun, aka. DP / DP-27 / DPM (modernized), with its large pan magazine, is one of the most distinctive weapons of WWII.
The pan magazine proved not to be the best idea and after the war the Soviets developed the RP-46, an ingenious device that converted the gun from magazine fed to belt fed.
Because the RP-46 is a collectable item in the US, and expensive, the crew at Forgotten Weapons have embarked on a project to reverse engineer and manufacture the device for sale. In the video below they explain how the RP-46 works and how they are going about cloning it.
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The DP as produced ran well as long as the gunner maintained good fire discipline, and was not forced into final protective fires, firing indescriminantly, at which point the operating spring would lose tension as the piston rod heated up, and it would fail to fully run the bolt home and fire the round chambered. The DPM put the operating spring behind the bolt, with a tube to carry the spring when compressed, taking up the grip space and requiring a full hand grip to make room for this spring cover assembly. The belt feed adapter was well considered and an asset to the extent these weapons are currently being used in the Lybian uprising, and the RP-46 adapter is unavailable most likely because it is still in full use throughout Africa, and in the middle east. As a retired Marine, I consider this to be among the best weapons ever put in battle, and they were widely in use from 1928 up through today, with them the main battle machine gun in Korea, a primary organization weapon in Vietnam, and used against the Russians in Afghanistan, with reported use today, throughout the African continent. Where else can you fire 203 grain steel core and effectively control territory out to 2400 meters?
very interested in the RP46. Any repro's on the market yet from you guys?