RPK

RPK

Type	General purpose machine gun
Place of origin	Soviet Union
Service history
In service	1961–present
Used by	See Users
Wars	Vietnam War Cambodian Civil War Cambodian–Vietnamese War Soviet war in Afghanistan First Chechen War Second Chechen War Iraq War War in Afghanistan (2001–present) Cambodian–Thai border stand-off various others
Production history
Designer	Mikhail Kalashnikov
Designed	1961
Manufacturer	Vyatskie Polyany Machine-Building Plant «Molot»
Produced	RPK: 1961–1978 RPK-74: 1974-present
Variants	RPKN, RPKS, RPKSN, RPK-74, RPK-74N, RPKS-74, RPKS-74N
Specifications
Weight	RPK: 4.8 kg (10.6 lb) RPKS: 5.1 kg (11 lb) RPK-74: 4.7 kg (10 lb) RPKS-74: 4.85 kg (10.7 lb)
Length	RPK, RPKS: 1,040 mm (40.9 in) RPKS: 820 mm (32.3 in) stock folded RPK-74, RPKS-74: 1,060 mm (41.7 in) RPKS-74: 845 mm (33.3 in) stock folded
Barrel length	590 mm (23.2 in)
Cartridge	RPK, RPKS: 7.62x39mm M43 RPK-74, RPKS-74: 5.45x39mm M74
Action	Gas operated, rotating bolt
Rate of fire	600 rounds/min
Muzzle velocity	RPK, RPKS: 745 m/s (2,444 ft/s) RPK-74, RPKS-74: 960 m/s (3,149.6 ft/s)
Effective range	100–1,000 m sight adjustments
Feed system	RPK, RPKS: 40-round curved magazine, 75-round drum magazine RPK-74, RPKS-74: 45-round box magazine, 100-round plastic drum magazine, belt ammunition (with side mounted belt feed device)
Sights	Front: semi-shrouded front post, rear: sliding tangent with adjustable notch Sight radius: 555 mm (21.9 in)