Description
Written by a noted authority, this fully illustrated study describes and depicts the machine guns equipping Soviet and Russian troops after 1945.
Following the USSR’s victory in World War II, the Soviet armed forces adopted a succession of new or improved machine guns. At squad level, the 7.62mm RPD and RP-46 light machine guns replaced the DPM, themselves being supplanted by the RPK from 1961. Firing the lighter 5.45×39mm cartridge, the RPK-74 was issued from 1974 and remains in use today. The 5.45mm RPK-16 entered Russian service in 2018.
Having served alongside the 7.62mm PM M1910 Maxim during World War II, the 7.62mm SG-43 medium machine gun was updated as the SGM before being supplanted by the 7.62mm PK general-purpose machine gun, issued from 1961. The improved PKM made its debut in 1969 and still equips Russian troops today, being joined by the PKP in 2001 and the AEK-999 in 2008.
