I posted this in GD as well but figured its probably more appropriate here

The recoil spring is in the stock like a AR or a FAL

Obviously they probably relocated the spring up front some place, but where or how seems to be a mystery. This is the only picture I have ever seen of this thing. I have never seen it recreated either.

If you look close he is holding onto some sort of rod. Could be a rigged bipod, or it could have something to do with the recoil system. The front of the receiver is also shaped "funny" as it is rounded when it should be square.

Thoughts and ideas?

MACV SOG used them too.

Only ever read that they were "Chopped"

As always, I still come back to these threads.

I'll probably be coming back every few months, as I dig up more info...and here's some: "Johne Fletcher shows off armourer Phil Morgan’s converted RPD 1 for close–quarter fighting. The butt has beenchopped off, the barrel shortened and the recoil feed mechanism reversed— something the Soviets were never
able to achieve."

That's the caption to the original photo.  Unfortunately, the armorers, Mr. Morgan, passed on about a year ago. Always seems to happen this way, and I wish I would have gotten on the ball earlier, especially since I've known about this pic for many years now. Too much stuff to do, so it goes.

Now I've got to go back to researching heat treating on those rpd receivers. I've got one or two 80%'ers that are in storage, but one of these years I'll start working on them. Or the son will, once I'm dead.

This makes me think it was done SIG 550/551/553 style, just as Dano523 mentioned. Just because Morgan achieved it though, does not mean it was a reliable setup.

Uuuh.... That's not a real gun. It's propped up on a 3"x5" scotchbrite pad that was obviously just used to distress the model paint it was painted with.

Yeah that's a GI Joe gun or something. They really did it though.
Here are a couple real ones for you...







And of course they used the full-size ones as well...

Here's a recent one my buddy Flem made.

Any way you can get some info about the shortened gas system?

What specifically are you looking for?

Im curious on how far he moved each barrel accessory back and am pretty curious how the piston looks too.

Honestly Id like to build something similar. I just finished a 16" RPD build and I think I would like something a bit smaller better.