RPK-74
Summary
| Country | 🇨🇳 Ex-USSR |
| Category | Light machine gun |
| Manufacturer | Kalachnikov |
Technical specifications
| RPK-74 | |
|---|---|
| Fire Rate | 600 rounds/min. |
| Caliber | 5.45 x 39 mm |
| Magazine | 45 - 75 rounds |
| Length | 1060 mm (41.7 in) |
| Weight | 5.0 kg (11.0 lb) |
| Range | 450 m (1476 ft) |
Further Reading
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Description
The RPK-74 entered service in the Soviet Union in 1974, introduced alongside the AK-74 assault rifle. The design was finalized that same year, resulting in a light machine gun derived from the AK-74 platform. This development mirrored the earlier adaptation of the AKM into the RPK, utilizing the existing infantry rifle architecture to create a squad-level support weapon.
The firearm utilizes a gas-operated action with a rotating bolt, firing from a closed bolt. It is equipped with a chrome-plated barrel that is longer and heavier than the standard rifle barrel, featuring a gas block with a channel positioned at a 90-degree angle to the bore axis. The receiver is constructed with a reinforced magazine well containing steel inserts and a strengthened rear stock trunnion. Its return mechanism employs a metal spring guide rod and recoil spring. Standard features include a folding bipod, a front sight tower, and a threaded muzzle for the attachment of flash suppressors or blank-firing devices. While early models used wooden furniture, modernized versions incorporate black glass-filled polyamide for the lower handguard, gas tube cover, and pistol grip. The weapon feeds from box magazines, which are interchangeable with standard rifle magazines and compatible with stripper clips. Development also included drum magazines and experimental belt-fed systems.
In continuous use since 1974, the weapon is currently deployed by Bulgaria and various states of the former Soviet Union. Combat history includes the Soviet-Afghan War, the First and Second Chechen Wars, the Russo-Georgian War, the Russo-Ukrainian War, and the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Variants include the RPKS-74, designed for paratroopers with a folding wooden stock, and the RPK-74M, which features a side-folding synthetic stock and a side-rail bracket for mounting optics. Night-capable models, such as the RPK-74N and RPK-74N2, are configured for use with NSPU-3 and NSPUM night vision scopes. Export models include the RPK-201 and the polymer-constructed RPK-203.