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The RPD (Russian: РПД, ручной пулемёт Дегтярёва [Degtyaryov hand-held machine gun]) is a Soviet light machine gun, fed from an ammunition belt contained in a drum container. Chambered in intermediate 7.62×39mm cartridge, it is the precursor of modern squad automatic weapons. It is usually equipped with a bipod, fixed wooden stock and handguard. The weapon was created as a replacement for the DP machine gun. Both weapons were designed by Vasily Degtyaryov.
Although the RPD was ready for mass production during the final stages of World War II in 1944, it was adopted in 1948. In 1960s, the RPK largely replaced it in Soviet military service. The RPD converted into 5.56×45mm NATO was used by Israel in limited quantity.
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