РПК – Жеңіл пулеметі

Light machine gun

The RPK (Ручной пулемёт Калашникова/РПК, English: "Kalashnikov's hand held machine gun"), sometimes retroactively termed the RPK 47, is a Soviet 7.62×39mm light machine gun that was developed by Mikhail Kalashnikov in the early 1960s, in parallel with the AKM assault rifle. It was created to standardize the small arms inventory of the Soviet Army, where it replaced the 7.62×39mm RPD machine gun. The RPK continues to be used by the military of the post Soviet states and certain African and Asian nations. The RPK is also manufactured in Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, and Serbia.

The RPK functions identically to the AK 47. It also uses the same 7.62×39mm ammunition. It has a similar design layout to the Kalashnikov series of rifles, with modifications to increase the RPK's effective range and accuracy, enhance its sustained fire capability, and strengthen the receiver.

The RPK features a thicker and longer barrel than the AKM. This allows for it to be fired for longer without permanent loss in accuracy due to the barrel heating up. The chrome lined barrel is permanently fixed to the receiver and cannot be replaced in the field. It is fitted with a new front sight base, and the gas block lacks both a bayonet lug and an under barrel cleaning rod guide. The barrel also features a folding bipod mounted near the muzzle, and a front sight base with a lug that limits the bipod's rotation around the axis of the barrel. The barrel has a threaded muzzle, enabling the use of muzzle devices such as flash hiders, compensators, and blank firing adapters. When a muzzle device is not being used, the threads on the muzzle can be covered by a thread protector. The barrel is pinned to the receiver in a modified trunnion, reinforced by ribbing, and is slightly wider than the trunnion used on the standard AKM type rifles. Symmetrical bulges on both sides of the front trunnion ensure a proper fit inside the receiver. The U shaped receiver is stamped from a smooth sheet of steel compared to the sheet metal receiver used on the standard AKM rifles. It uses a modified AKM recoil spring assembly that consists of a rear spring guide rod from the AK and a new forward flat guide rod and coil spring. It features a thick laminated wood foregrip and a fixed laminated wood "club foot" buttstock similar to the stock used on the RPD, which is designed to allow the user to fire from the prone position more comfortably. It uses a standard AKM pistol grip and can also use standard AKM detachable box magazines, but it is most commonly used with a 40 round box magazine or a 75 round drum magazine. Interchangeability of parts between the RPK and AKM are moderate.

The weapon's rear sight leaf is elevation adjustable, and graduated for ranges of 100 to 1,000 meters in 100 m increments. The rear sight leaf also features a windage adjustment knob unique to the RPK series of rifles.

Supplied with the RPK are: spare magazines, a cleaning rod, cleaning kit (stored in a hollowed compartment in the buttstock), a sling, oil bottle, and magazine pouches (a single pocket pouch for a drum magazine or a 4 pocket pouch for box magazines).

The RPK light machine gun chambered in 7.62×39mm cartridge, is essentially a Russian equivalent to a squad automatic weapon. It was adopted by the former Soviet Union, and was issued mainly to motorized units. It was later adopted by several military agencies around the world.

The RPKS ("S" — Skladnoy (Russian: складной) means "folding" [stock]) is a variant of the RPK with a side folding wooden stock was intended primarily for the paratroopers. Changes to the design of the RPKS are limited only to the shoulder stock mounting, at the rear of the receiver. It uses a trunnion riveted to both receiver walls that has a socket and tang, allowing the stock to hinge on a pivot pin. The trunnion has a cut out on the right side which is designed to engage the stock catch and lock it in place when folded. The wooden stock is mounted in a pivoting hull, which contains a catch that secures the buttstock in the extended position. The rear sling loop was moved from the left side of the stock body to the right side of the stock frame.

The RPK family of light machine guns are also available in a night fighting configuration. These weapons are designated as the RPKN, RPKSN, RPK 74N, and RPKS 74N. They have a side rail mounting on the left side of the receiver that accepts a NSP 3, NSPU, or NSPUM night vision sight. Models designated RPKN 1, RPKSN 1, RPK 74N and RPKS 74N can mount the multi model night vision scope NSPU 3 (1PN51) while RPKN2, RPKSN2, RPK 74N2 and RPKS 74N2 can mount the multi model night vision scope NSPUM (1PN58).

The RPK 16 light machine gun (the number 16 indicates the year 2016, when the development first started) is Kalashnikov's response to the "Tokar 2" program, where it competed against Degtyaryov's submission. In 2018, the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation have signed a contract concerning the procurement of the RPK 16, and is expected to take over the role of the RPK 74 in the Russian Armed Forces. The RPK 16 is chambered in 5.45×39mm which features the traditional Kalashnikov gas operated long stroke piston system, and shares several novel technical and ergonomic features derived from the AK 12 program. Such as a Picatinny rail on the top of the receiver for mounting various optical sights and on the bottom of the handguard to mount the Picatinny rail mounted detachable bipod instead of the fixed bipod of the RPK 74, an ergonomic pistol grip and a folding buttstock, and two main barrel lengths; a long barrel (when it is applied or configured for the light machine gun role) and a short barrel (when it is applied or configured for the assault rifle role). Its design enables it to have an interchangeable barrels that can easily be removed, and the ability to quickly attach a detachable suppressor. It has a combat weight of , a full length of , a cyclic rate of fire of 700 rounds per minute, an accuracy range of It primarily uses a 95 round drum magazine and is backwards compatible with box magazines from the AK 74, AK 12 and RPK 74. After receiving feedback on the performance of the weapon, the Kalashnikov Concern has begun development on the RPL 20 (20 indicating 2020) belt fed light machine gun also chambered in 5.45×39mm and with a very similar rate of fire. Kalashnikov Concern has so far created at least one functional prototype. If adopted, the gun will become the first light machine gun to be used by Russian forces since the RPD that isn't magazine fed or of the standard Kalashnikov pattern.

A series of semi automatic rifles and shotguns based on the heavy RPK receiver are manufactured by the Molot factory in Vyatskiye Polyany, Russia. These rifles are known as the Vepr (Vepr > "Wild Boar"). They are offered in several chamberings, including: .223 Remington, 7.62×39mm, 5.45×39mm, 6.5mm Grendel, 7.62×54mmR, .308 Winchester, .30 06 Springfield and Vepr shotguns in 12 gauge, 20 gauge, and .410 bore. The hallmark of Vepr rifles is their heavy RPK receiver and barrel. The barrel, gas block, and bore are chrome lined throughout. They are intended for the civilian market, and are marketed as high quality hunting rifles. Due to this designation, they lack features seen on most AK type rifles. Vepr rifles do not include a bayonet lug, integrated cleaning rods or tool kits, can not accept standard AK magazines, and have wooden thumb hole stocks. Some buy these rifles to "convert" into a traditional style AK rifle, installing new pistol grip stocks and adding tactical accessories. Early generations of the Vepr rifle were manufactured with slant back receivers, making them incompatible with most AK furniture sets without a converter. The receivers were changed to straight back in the second generation. Subsequent versions of the rifle reverted to slant back. Due to this rapid change between designs, it is not uncommon to find some second generation Vepr rifles with rough, incomplete stocks that have not been sanded or painted.