The RPK: The Soviet Choice of Commonality Over Capability

Summary

The article details the Soviet Union's 1959 adoption of the RPK, an AKM-derived automatic rifle, prioritizing platform commonality with the AKM over the dedicated suppressive fire capability of the belt-fed RPD. The RPK, initially chambered in 7.62x39mm and later 5.45x39mm as the RPK-74, featured a heavier barrel, stronger receiver, and accepted 40 or 75-round magazines, though it sacrificed the sustained fire of a true light machine gun for logistical simplicity.