RPD

The Ruchnoy Pulemyot Degtyareva (abbreviated RPD) is a light machine gun designed in 1944 in the Soviet Union. It first entered service during the 1950s. Like most weapons of the post-war period in Soviet service, the RPD fires a 7.62x39mm round, which is fed into the RPD from 2 separate non-disintegrating 50-round belts in a drum magazine. Although first produced in the Soviet Union, significant numbers were also built in China. It was later replaced in Soviet service with the Ruchnoy Pulemyot Kalashnikov (RPK) as well as the PKM, a light machine gun derivative of the AKM in the late sixties. Although the RPD isn't used by the Russian Army today, it is still used by some national armies, including North Korea and Egypt, as well as paramilitary and insurgent groups.

Single Player
In the single-player campaign of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, the RPD is frequently used by the Loyalists, Ultranationalists and OpFor. To this end, it can be more useful than the M249 SAW in some stages, as ammunition is frequently available. A mounted form can also be found in the level Safehouse in two of the houses.

Multiplayer
In multiplayer, it is available soon after the start (level 4) and can be modified with a Red Dot Sight, ACOG Scope and grip. It is primarily used for medium to long distances and is particularly liked for its magazine's high capacity as well as high power. It is capable of getting long distance kills as the recoil is less that the AK-47's cosmetic recoil and it has no idle sway. Also, in terms of damage per second, the RPD is better than both the SAW and M60E4 when using Stopping Power. The SAW does significantly less damage per second than the RPD or M60E4, and the RPD and M60E4 take the same number of bullets to kill (except in close quarters or mid-range, where the M60E4 can kill in two shots without Stopping Power). Many players use the Grip to increase the RPD's long range capabilities.

In the hands of a skilled player, the weapon, even without any attachments, can be very powerful. A medium rate of fire of 700 rounds per minute as well as taking 2 shots to kill (with stopping power) make this gun nearly unbeatable, even more, it has rather low recoil, making it a preferred weapon by many. It is possible to earn a helicopter using only a fraction of the magazine. However, it does have some drawbacks, such as having the longest reload time and poor hip-fire accuracy.

The RPD's iron sights are large and unobstructed, so many players like the RPD's iron sights and prefer to use it with the foregrip or stand-alone rather than the red dot sight or ACOG, as the front sight is not removed when using the red dot sight so it will be more obstructed, and the ACOG adds sway.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
The RPD is seen in the Worldwide reveal trailer and later in an official create-a-class video. It also makes an apearance in the flag runner trailer, near the bridge. It may look like another LMG, but the barrel is that of a RPD.





Trivia

 * In the mission Safehouse a mounted RPD can be used.
 * Strangely, if you run out of ammo or reload it after it finishes its drum magazine, it has some bullets left in its magazine when it is pulled out and changed.
 * The RPD has one of the longest reload times of any gun in Call of Duty 4.