The RPD Light Machine Gun
One of the many Soviet-designed weapons that found its way into the hands of Viet Cong main force units was the RPD fully automatic light machine gun. It was introduced into Warsaw Pact service during the 1950s as a squad support weapon. The Chincom Type 56 and 56-1 copy of the RPD won great favor with both Viet Cong and NVA; light, uncomplicated but capable of sustained heavy fire, the RPD light machine gun was ideally suited to a conflict where stealth, cunning and shock action were seen as essential.
The problem of ammunition belts picking up dirt or snagging on nearby obstacles was overcome by equipping the RPD with a 100-round drum into which the belt could be coiled when the gun needed to be employed in a mobile role. The RPD could therefore be operated by one man, compared with the two man crew of the American M60 machine gun. The only real drawback of this design is that the gas-operated mechanism required to lift and feed a fully-loaded belt into the chamber is liable to malfunction if the belt is even slightly damaged.
Another potential problem with the RPD is the danger of the barrel overheating and jamming the weapon. Since the barrel cannot be removed for changing when hot, Viet Cong gunners had to be trained to fire only in short bursts, never exceeding 100 rounds per minute during an ambush or firefight. To achieve the accuracy desired on the battlefield or for an ambush, the gunners also had to make allowances for the vibration caused by the recoil of the lightweight RPD.
RPD Light Machine Gun Stats:
Caliber: 7.62mm
Weight: 7.1kg (unloaded)
Length: 1036 (overall) 521mm (barrel)
Feed: 100-round belt
Maximum rate of fire: Cyclic, 700 rounds per minute
Muzzle velocity: 700 meters per second
Sights: 1000m
Maximum effective range: 800m