Degtyaryov machine gun

Lore & Background

The DP machine gun was nicknamed the 'record player' by Red Army troops due to its rotating disc-shaped pan magazine. It was first used in war by Republican forces in the Spanish Civil War, with deliveries beginning in October 1936. Many were captured by the Finnish Army in the Winter War and Continuation War, receiving the nickname 'Emma' after a popular waltz, again due to the magazine's resemblance to a record player. In summer 1944, the Finnish army had about 9,000 captured Soviet-made Degtyarevs on the front. Captured examples were also operated by the Volkssturm, designated Leichtes Maschinengewehr 120(r) in German service. The Chinese Nationalists received 5,600 DPs and used them in the Second Sino-Japanese War and Chinese Civil War. North Korean and Chinese Communists used the DP in the Korean War and copied the DPM as the Type 53. Examples were given or sold to the Viet Minh in the First Indochina War, and later to the NVA and Vietcong in the Vietnam War. DPMs have been recovered from Taliban fighters in the War in Afghanistan and spotted in the Northern Mali conflict in 2014. During the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, some backline Ukrainian forces were issued surplus DPMs.

Reader's Guide

The Degtyaryov machine gun was improved in 1943 as the DPM, and replaced in 1946 by the RP-46, which converted the design to belt feed. It 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. Despite its limitations, the DP had a reputation as a relatively effective light support weapon. Its gas-operated mechanism used a long-stroke piston and a gas regulator under the barrel. The barrel was quick-detachable but prone to overheating, requiring short bursts. The pan magazine ensured reliable feeding of rimmed cartridges but was large, heavy, and susceptible to damage. The trigger mechanism allowed only fully automatic fire from an open bolt, with an automatic safety lever that disengaged when gripping the stock. A sound suppressor, the SG-DP, was developed in 1941 and adopted in May 1942, enabling silent automatic fire up to 300 meters using low-charge rounds. A snowshoe attachment was also produced for the bipod legs. The DP's design influenced later Soviet machine guns and saw extensive use across multiple conflicts worldwide.

Did You Know?

• The DP was nicknamed 'record player' by Red Army troops because of its rotating disc-shaped pan magazine.
• A sound suppressor for the DP, the SG-DP, was adopted in May 1942 and allowed silent automatic fire up to 300 meters.
• The DP's pan magazine initially held 49 rounds, later changed to 47 for improved reliability.