Later, he was one of my instructors in the SFQC Weapons course, back in 1980. Told us stories about his cut-down RPD, which later led to me doing the same modification on one in Beirut in 1983. Very handy little brute.
Yes, they are. And keep in mind that I have known both the guys in the pics I posted for over 42 years.
The weapon in Garand Thumb's video is an original, full-sized RPD. The weapons in the pictures I posted are also RPD's but they have been cut down, which was a popular MACV-SOG modification to that weapon at that time. Some guys would have it cut back and then remount the front sight in front of the gas block, like the one the black guy is holding in the first picture I posted. Some guys cut them back to just in front of the gas block and didn't bother with the front sight at all, like the second and third pics.
There were also a number of slight changes made to the basic design over it's service life that created different minor variations. For instance, one was to extend the gas tube slightly and reduce the gap at the gas block like the first and second pics. The third pic was of an older variant, with the larger gap visible between the end of the gas tube and the gas block. You can also tell that the bolt is to the rear, cocked and ready to fire, because the end of the chromed gas piston (which is pinned to the bolt) is clearly not visible, leaving the gap at the gas block clearly visible. But those are about the only differences.
I also know because there is very good reason that I have an intimate familiarity with RPD's.
The one I carried in Beirut in 1983-84, I went even further, cutting the wooden stock down a few inches shorter too, so that the whole thing would fit into a large red toolbox with a couple loaded drums and a couple grenades in the bottom. I needed to do that because my team's cover was that we were Canadian phone workers. That gave us cover for presence and cover for action around the whole town because the phone system there was constantly fucked up everywhere. Only had to pull it twice in 6 months, but when I did it worked just fine.
I thought you meant the cut down ones were the same gun held by two different guys. You could be right about the negro, he has that "US troop in Vietnam" look to him
You could be right about the negro, he has that "US troop in Vietnam" look to him
I told you, I knew both those guys. In the first pic the black guy was an SGT/E5 on a recon team in MACV-SOG. By the time I met him later, in 1980, he was a SFC/E7, and one of my light weapons instructors in the Special Forces Qualification Course, Weapons Sergeant Course on Smoke Bomb Hill, Ft. Bragg, NC. The White guy in the 2nd and 3rd pics was a recon team leader (a "One-Zero") on recon team Montana MACV-SOG, that I got to know a few years later, after I had graduated the SFQC, through the SF Association.
[ + ] BulletStopper
[ - ] BulletStopper 1 point 2.6 yearsOct 4, 2022 17:51:02 ago (+1/-0)
https://files.catbox.moe/udi8bi.jpg
He was in Vietnam in MACV SOG.
Later, he was one of my instructors in the SFQC Weapons course, back in 1980. Told us stories about his cut-down RPD, which later led to me doing the same modification on one in Beirut in 1983. Very handy little brute.
Here's two more SOG pics. Different guy, same piece, two different days.
https://files.catbox.moe/odtarj.jpg
https://files.catbox.moe/5lqd2o.jpg
[ + ] selfpropelled
[ - ] selfpropelled [op] 0 points 2.6 yearsOct 6, 2022 23:18:50 ago (+0/-0)
[ + ] BulletStopper
[ - ] BulletStopper 1 point 2.6 yearsOct 8, 2022 09:14:24 ago (+1/-0)*
The weapon in Garand Thumb's video is an original, full-sized RPD. The weapons in the pictures I posted are also RPD's but they have been cut down, which was a popular MACV-SOG modification to that weapon at that time. Some guys would have it cut back and then remount the front sight in front of the gas block, like the one the black guy is holding in the first picture I posted. Some guys cut them back to just in front of the gas block and didn't bother with the front sight at all, like the second and third pics.
There were also a number of slight changes made to the basic design over it's service life that created different minor variations. For instance, one was to extend the gas tube slightly and reduce the gap at the gas block like the first and second pics. The third pic was of an older variant, with the larger gap visible between the end of the gas tube and the gas block. You can also tell that the bolt is to the rear, cocked and ready to fire, because the end of the chromed gas piston (which is pinned to the bolt) is clearly not visible, leaving the gap at the gas block clearly visible. But those are about the only differences.
I also know because there is very good reason that I have an intimate familiarity with RPD's.
The one I carried in Beirut in 1983-84, I went even further, cutting the wooden stock down a few inches shorter too, so that the whole thing would fit into a large red toolbox with a couple loaded drums and a couple grenades in the bottom. I needed to do that because my team's cover was that we were Canadian phone workers. That gave us cover for presence and cover for action around the whole town because the phone system there was constantly fucked up everywhere. Only had to pull it twice in 6 months, but when I did it worked just fine.
[ + ] selfpropelled
[ - ] selfpropelled [op] 0 points 2.6 yearsOct 8, 2022 14:34:36 ago (+0/-0)
[ + ] BulletStopper
[ - ] BulletStopper 0 points 2.6 yearsOct 9, 2022 19:07:04 ago (+0/-0)
I told you, I knew both those guys. In the first pic the black guy was an SGT/E5 on a recon team in MACV-SOG. By the time I met him later, in 1980, he was a SFC/E7, and one of my light weapons instructors in the Special Forces Qualification Course, Weapons Sergeant Course on Smoke Bomb Hill, Ft. Bragg, NC. The White guy in the 2nd and 3rd pics was a recon team leader (a "One-Zero") on recon team Montana MACV-SOG, that I got to know a few years later, after I had graduated the SFQC, through the SF Association.
[ + ] Not_a_redfugee
[ - ] Not_a_redfugee 2 points 2.6 yearsOct 4, 2022 01:28:09 ago (+2/-0)
[ + ] selfpropelled
[ - ] selfpropelled [op] 1 point 2.6 yearsOct 4, 2022 10:12:03 ago (+1/-0)