The Short History of the DP Machine Gun (DP-27): The Soviet Proigryvatel

The DP or DP-27 was designed by Vasiliy Alexeyevich Degtyarev in 1927. DP-27 is the Russian abbreviation for Degtyarev Pechotny or in English Degtyarev Infantry. The numeral 27 represents the year it was first accepted in 1927. The DP was designed to be a light machine gun for the infantry. However, it was also used in various roles in aircraft, tanks, and armoured vehicles. The DP and later upgraded model the DPM uses a gas-operated system, designed only for and is chambered in . The DP uses a conventional rifle stock design, equipped with an integrated bipod, and with simple iron sights. The DP are standard issued with a 47 round capacity disc-shaped pan detachable magazine. After the Second World War, the DP continued to be in service with the Soviet Union and with many countries with friendly ties to Communism till around 1960s. The DP model was also later modified to be belt fed and was known as the RP-46. The DP and its copies are still in use in today’s conflicts by mostly non-state actors.