×
Aircraft / Aviation Vehicles & Artillery Small Arms Warships & Submarines Military Ranks Military Pay Chart (2024)
HOME
SMALL ARMS INDEX
MODERN ARMIES
SPECIAL FORCES
ARMS BY COUNTRY
ARMS MANUFACTURERS
COMPARE ARMS
ARMS BY CONFLICT
ARMS BY TYPE
ARMS BY DECADE
INTERWAR PERIOD ARMS
KOREAN WAR ARMS
MODERN SMALL ARMS
RUSSO-UKRAINIAN WAR
VIETNAM WAR ARMS
WWII SMALL ARMS
WINTER WAR ARMS
Infantry Small Arms / The Warfighter

Degtyarev DP LMG (DP28)


Light Machine Gun [ 1928 ]



The DP light machine gun has proven her worth over countless 20th century conflicts including World War 2, Korea and Vietnam.



Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 06/02/2022 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site.

VIEW SPECIFICATIONS [+]
The DP Light Machine Gun (DP LMG), sometimes known as the DP-27 or DP-28 and nicknamed the "Record Player" due to its unique "pan" or "film reel" magazine, was the standard light machine gun system issued to Soviet infantry squads in the decade leading up to World War 2. At the time of its inception, the DP stood alone as one of the more original Russian weapon designs that was more or less wholly indigenous. To go along with traditional Russian thinking, the gun was designed as a simple-to-manufacturer product that could be produced in the thousands and, once in the field, it proved to be a most reliable weapon system regardless of the environmental abuses laid upon it. The legacy of the DP was such that Soviet Army forces continued to use the type well into the 1950s. The DP was designed by Vasily Degtyaryov as early as 1927 to which the weapon system entered formal trials and was accepted by the Red Army in 1928. From there, the DP could be found fighting in the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939), the Winter War against Finland (1939-1940), World War 2 (1939-1945), the Korean War (1950-1953), the Chinese Civil War (1946-1950), the Vietnam War (1955-1975), the Cambodian Civil War (1970-1975) and the Cambodian-Vietnamese War (1975-1989). Her reach has ensured that the weapon type makes an appearance on the modern battlefields of today in places like Afghanistan and Somalia.

Externally, the DP was of a decidedly Russian design, characterized mostly by the use of its pan magazine atop the forward portion of the receiver. The receiver itself was rounded at the edges with slab sides and the forend was metal with oblong, rectangular venting for cooling the barrel. A bipod was affixed to the forward portion of the barrel jacket to which the barrel protruded a distance away from the gun body. The muzzle was capped by a conical flash suppressor. The trigger unit was held under the aft portion of the receiver and protected by an oblong trigger ring. There was no pistol grip but instead an ergonomic shoulder stock. A shoulder strap could be linked to the left side of the weapon, this at the stock and at the vented forend barrel jacket. Sights were present at the receiver rear top (tangent leaf) and at the end of the barrel jacket (front post with ears). The weapon system weighed in at approximately 20.11lbs.

The DP was chambered to fire the Russian 7.62x54mmR cartridge, this from a 47-round pan magazine. Other versions eventually came online that featured belt-feeding and a 30-round overhead box magazine instead. The weapon was a gas-operated system achieving a rate-of-fire of 500 to 600 rounds per minute. Muzzle velocity was listed at 2,755 feet per second. Effective range was out to 800 meters. The barrel measured in at 23.80 inches with a 4-groove, right-hand twist design. The DP utilized a simple locking mechanism that made for a solid and robust machine gun. The internal working components were well protected from dirt and dust that would be encountered on most any battlefield. A piston tube was mounted underneath the barrel assembly and contained the operating spring. Construction was rather solid by Soviet standards.©MilitaryFactory.com
However, the DP was not without any weaknesses. She was designed to only fire in full-automatic mode. The placement of the operating spring under the barrel meant that it was susceptible to the heat generated by constant firing and could become warped. As a cooling feature for the receiver, the bolt would stay open between pulls of the trigger which could invite foreign objects into the mix. The use of the long rimmed Russian 7.62mm cartridge also led to more jamming of the feed that was desired. The 47-round pan magazine also limited suppressive fire to an extent, less functional than a traditional belt-fed system at least. Magazine loading and reloading was a chore. The bipod was rather fragile as well and prone to breaking in the heat of battle. Regardless, the type was one of the finest of its kind before, during and after the war, seeing use in other distinct forms based on the original and seeing use across the globe by Soviet-allied or friendly nations. Its ease of manufacture ensured it would be a world mainstay.

The DP LMG was advanced into other versions beyond the original. The PPD-36 was a magazine-fed model with a 30-round magazine. The DPM became a "modernized" form that appeared between 1943 and 1944 and proved a mainstay in the Red Army by 1945, differentiated by its reworked bipod and addition of a pistol grip to compensate for the recoil spring tube extending out of the rear of the receiver. The DPM was locally-produced in China as the Type 53. The DA was an aircraft mounted model while the DT and DTM (modernized) variants were vehicle mounted types. The DTM-4 fitted four machine guns in a quad-mounting for anti-aircraft work. The RP-46 was a belt-fed model that appeared in 1946. China produced these locally under the designation of "Type 58".

Some 795,000 DP LMGs were produced in all. The type went on to serve more than just the Red Army and included the armies of Cambodia, China, North Korea, North Vietnam and Vietnam. The Finns made use of the DP LMG as captured examples (nicknaming them as "Emma") during their struggle with the Red Army in the Winter War of World War 2. It bears mention that nearly all of the above operators made use of the RP-46 belt-fed variant.

In the Soviet Army, the DP LMG was formally replaced in frontline service by the more modern PK machine gun series late in the 1960s.©MilitaryFactory.com
Note: The above text is EXCLUSIVE to the site www.MilitaryFactory.com. It is the product of many hours of research and work made possible with the help of contributors, veterans, insiders, and topic specialists. If you happen upon this text anywhere else on the internet or in print, please let us know at MilitaryFactory AT gmail DOT com so that we may take appropriate action against the offender / offending site and continue to protect this original work.

June 2022 - DP-27 light machine guns have been filmed used by Ukrainian forces in training, some with modern optics offset to the left of the frame.

Specifications



Service Year
1928

Origin
Soviet Union national flag graphic
Soviet Union

Classification


Light Machine Gun


Kovrov Machine Gun Factory; Degtyarev - Soviet Union
(View other Arms-Related Manufacturers)
National flag of China National flag of Finland National flag of North Korea National flag of the Soviet Union National flag of Ukraine National flag of Vietnam Cambodia; China; Finland; North Korea; North Vietnam; Soviet Union; Ukraine; Vietnam
(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)
Fire Support
Capable of suppressing enemy elements at range through direct or in-direct fire.


Overall Length
1,270 mm
50.00 in
Barrel Length
604 mm
23.78 in
Empty Wgt
20.11 lb
9.12 kg
Sights


Rear Tanget Leaf; Front Post.


Action


Gas-Operated

Gas-Operated
Gas-operated system is featured, typically involving a gas cylinder and rear-driven piston directing energy to the bolt component.
(Material presented above is for historical and entertainment value and should not be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation - always consult official manufacturer sources for such information)


Caliber(s)*


7.62x54mmR

Rounds / Feed


47-round pan magazine
Cartridge relative size chart
*May not represent an exhuastive list; calibers are model-specific dependent, always consult official manufacturer sources.
**Graphics not to actual size; not all cartridges may be represented visually; graphics intended for general reference only.
Max Eff.Range
2,624 ft
(800 m | 875 yd)
Rate-of-Fire
550
rds/min
Muzzle Velocity
2,755 ft/sec
(840 m/sec)


DP - Base Series Designation.
DP-27 - Possible Original Designation for DP.
DP-28 - Possible Original Designation for DP.
DPM - Modernized DP model; appearing in 1943; revised bipod and cooling jacket; pistol grip.
DA - Aircraft-mounted variant.
DT - Vehicle-mounted variant.
DTM - Vehicle-mounted variant.
RP-46 - Belt-Fed Variant; appearing in 1946.
Type 58 - Chinese designation for license-produced versions of the RP-46.


Military lapel ribbon for the American Civil War
Military lapel ribbon for pioneering aircraft
Military lapel ribbon for the Cold War
Military lapel ribbon for the Korean War
Military lapel ribbon representing modern aircraft
Military lapel ribbon for the Ukranian-Russian War
Military lapel ribbon for the Vietnam War
Military lapel ribbon for the World War 1
Military lapel ribbon for the World War 2


Ribbon graphics not necessarily indicative of actual historical campaign ribbons. Ribbons are clickable to their respective campaigns / operations.

Images Gallery



1 / 10
Image of the Degtyarev DP LMG (DP28)
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
2 / 10
Image of the Degtyarev DP LMG (DP28)
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
3 / 10
Image of the Degtyarev DP LMG (DP28)
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
4 / 10
Image of the Degtyarev DP LMG (DP28)
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
5 / 10
Image of the Degtyarev DP LMG (DP28)
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
6 / 10
Image of the Degtyarev DP LMG (DP28)
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
7 / 10
Image of the Degtyarev DP LMG (DP28)
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
8 / 10
Image of the Degtyarev DP LMG (DP28)
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
9 / 10
Image of the Degtyarev DP LMG (DP28)
Right side front view of the Degtyarev DP light machine gun
10 / 10
Image of the Degtyarev DP LMG (DP28)
Front left side view of a captured Degtyarev DP light machine gun in Afghanistan; color

Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Cookies

2024 Military Pay Chart Military Ranks DoD Dictionary Conversion Calculators Military Alphabet Code Military Map Symbols

The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® U.S. trademarks protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws. All written content, illustrations, and photography are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and not for reuse/reproduction in any form. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value only and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation. We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory AT gmail.com. No A.I. was used in the generation of this content; site is 100% curated by humans.

Part of a network of sites that includes GlobalFirepower, a data-driven property used in ranking the top military powers of the world, WDMMA.org (World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft), WDMMW.org (World Directory of Modern Military Warships), SR71blackbird.org, detailing the history of the world's most iconic spyplane, and MilitaryRibbons.info, cataloguing military medals and ribbons. Special Interest: RailRoad Junction, the locomotive encyclopedia.


©2023 www.MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • Content ©2003-2023 (20yrs)