Degtyarev light machine gun
Encyclopedia
The Пулемёт Дегтярёвa Пехотный (Pulemyot Degtyaryova Pekhotny) (Degtyaryov's infantry machine gun) or DP was a light machine gun
firing the 7.62x54mmR cartridge that was used by the Soviet Union
starting in 1928. It was cheap and easy to manufacture - early models had fewer than 80 parts and could be built by unskilled labour. The DP was especially able to withstand dirt. In tests it was buried in sand and mud and was still capable of firing more than 500 rounds. The DP's main drawback is its bipod; it cannot withstand much abuse and breaks easily. Also, the magazine
, which is a pan with 47 rounds that feed in from the top, is relatively small and continuous fire for long periods could not be relied on as much as contemporary belt
fed weapons. It takes some time to load a new magazine onto the weapon, and each magazine takes a much longer time to reload with ammunition. However, the DP's lower cyclic rate of fire means a reduced risk of the barrel overheating. Nicknamed the "Record player" by Red Army
troops because the disk-shaped pan magazine resembled a gramophone record
and its top cover which revolves while the weapon is fired. The DP had a reputation as an effective light support weapon. The DP machine gun was supplemented in the 1950s by the more modern RPD machine gun and entirely replaced in Soviet service by the general purpose PK machine gun
in the 1960s.
Captured by the Finnish army
in the Winter War
and the Continuation War
to partially replace the Lahti-Saloranta M/26
, the weapon received the nickname Emma in the service after a popular waltz
. In the summer of 1944 the Finnish army had about 3400 Finnish-made Lahti-Salorantas and 9000 captured Soviet-made Degtyaryovs on the front.
A number of the RP-46 variant of the DP have been spotted in present day Somalia, in use with militant forces, and also among rebel forces in the 2011 Libyan uprising to overthrow Moammar Khaddafi
The original DP is more commonly called the DP-28 (or DP-27), although there is some confusion as to whether these are official designations or not.
Light machine gun
A light machine gun is a machine gun designed to be employed by an individual soldier, with or without an assistant, as an infantry support weapon. Light machine guns are often used as squad automatic weapons.-Characteristics:...
firing the 7.62x54mmR cartridge that was used by the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
starting in 1928. It was cheap and easy to manufacture - early models had fewer than 80 parts and could be built by unskilled labour. The DP was especially able to withstand dirt. In tests it was buried in sand and mud and was still capable of firing more than 500 rounds. The DP's main drawback is its bipod; it cannot withstand much abuse and breaks easily. Also, the magazine
Magazine (firearm)
A magazine is an ammunition storage and feeding device within or attached to a repeating firearm. Magazines may be integral to the firearm or removable . The magazine functions by moving the cartridges stored in the magazine into a position where they may be loaded into the chamber by the action...
, which is a pan with 47 rounds that feed in from the top, is relatively small and continuous fire for long periods could not be relied on as much as contemporary belt
Belt (firearm)
A belt or ammunition belt is a device used to retain and feed cartridges into a firearm. Belts and the associated feed systems are typically employed to feed machine guns or other automatic weapons...
fed weapons. It takes some time to load a new magazine onto the weapon, and each magazine takes a much longer time to reload with ammunition. However, the DP's lower cyclic rate of fire means a reduced risk of the barrel overheating. Nicknamed the "Record player" by Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
troops because the disk-shaped pan magazine resembled a gramophone record
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
and its top cover which revolves while the weapon is fired. The DP had a reputation as an effective light support weapon. The DP machine gun was supplemented in the 1950s by the more modern RPD machine gun and entirely replaced in Soviet service by the general purpose PK machine gun
PK machine gun
The PK is a 7.62 mm general-purpose machine gun designed in the Soviet Union and currently in production in Russia. The PK machine gun was introduced in the 1960s and replaced the SGM and RPD machine guns in Soviet service...
in the 1960s.
Captured by the Finnish army
Finnish Army
The Finnish Army is the land forces branch of the Finnish Defence Forces.Today's Army is divided into six branches: the infantry , field artillery, anti-aircraft artillery, engineers, signals, and materiel troops.-History of the Finnish Army:Between 1809 and 1917 Finland was an autonomous part of...
in the Winter War
Winter War
The Winter War was a military conflict between the Soviet Union and Finland. It began with a Soviet offensive on 30 November 1939 – three months after the start of World War II and the Soviet invasion of Poland – and ended on 13 March 1940 with the Moscow Peace Treaty...
and the Continuation War
Continuation War
The Continuation War was the second of two wars fought between Finland and the Soviet Union during World War II.At the time of the war, the Finnish side used the name to make clear its perceived relationship to the preceding Winter War...
to partially replace the Lahti-Saloranta M/26
Lahti-Saloranta M/26
The Lahti-Saloranta M/26 is a light machine gun which was designed by Aimo Lahti and Arvo Saloranta in 1926. The weapon was able to fire in both full automatic and semi-automatic modes...
, the weapon received the nickname Emma in the service after a popular waltz
Waltz
The waltz is a ballroom and folk dance in time, performed primarily in closed position.- History :There are several references to a sliding or gliding dance,- a waltz, from the 16th century including the representations of the printer H.S. Beheim...
. In the summer of 1944 the Finnish army had about 3400 Finnish-made Lahti-Salorantas and 9000 captured Soviet-made Degtyaryovs on the front.
A number of the RP-46 variant of the DP have been spotted in present day Somalia, in use with militant forces, and also among rebel forces in the 2011 Libyan uprising to overthrow Moammar Khaddafi
Variants
- DPM, modernized version adopted in 1943-44, with a more robust bipod fastened to the cooling jacket and the recoil spring housed in a tube projecting from the rear of the receiver which necessitated a pistol grip for this model of the weapon (manufactured in China as the Type 53)
- DA, for mounting in aircraft (Дегтярёва авиационный, Degtyaryova Aviatsionny; ДА)
- DT and DTM, for mounting in AFVArmoured fighting vehicleAn armoured fighting vehicle is a combat vehicle, protected by strong armour and armed with weapons. AFVs can be wheeled or tracked....
s (Дегтярёва танковый, Degtyaryova Tankovy; ДТ and ДТМ) - DTM-4, (ДТМ-4) quad mounted variant.
- RP-46, belt fed version adopted in 1946 (manufactured in China as the Type 58)
- A semi-automaticSemi-automatic firearmA semi-automatic, or self-loading firearm is a weapon which performs all steps necessary to prepare the weapon to fire again after firing—assuming cartridges remain in the weapon's feed device or magazine...
-only version that was released in the United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 2006.
The original DP is more commonly called the DP-28 (or DP-27), although there is some confusion as to whether these are official designations or not.
Users
- RP-46 variant.: RP-46 variant.: RP-46 variant.: RP-46 variant.: RP-46 variant.: RP-46 variant.: RP-46 variant.: RP-46 variant.: RP-46 variant.: RP-46 variant.: Used captured examples during World War II.: DP, DPM and DTM variant: RP-46 variant.: RP-46 variant.: RP-46 variant.: RP-46 variant.: RP-46 variant.: RP-46 variant.: RP-46 variant.: RP-46 variant.
See also
- Charlton Automatic RifleCharlton Automatic RifleThe Charlton Automatic Rifle was a fully automatic conversion of the Lee-Enfield rifle, designed by New Zealander Philip Charlton in 1941 to act as a substitute for the Bren and Lewis gun light machine guns which were in chronically short supply at the time....
- Kucher Model K1Kucher Model K1The Kucher K1 was a Hungarian box magazined submachine gun designed by József Kucher and was based on the Danuvia 44.M prototype smg....
- Lahti-Saloranta M/26Lahti-Saloranta M/26The Lahti-Saloranta M/26 is a light machine gun which was designed by Aimo Lahti and Arvo Saloranta in 1926. The weapon was able to fire in both full automatic and semi-automatic modes...
- Lewis GunLewis GunThe Lewis Gun is a World War I–era light machine gun of American design that was perfected and widely used by the British Empire. It was first used in combat in World War I, and continued in service with a number of armed forces through to the end of the Korean War...
