in the weapon's butt (in the Chinese Type 56-1 variant). DS Arms RPD American firearm manufacturer DS Arms makes a semi-auto variant for civil market and a full-auto variant for export, both in the original design and also in a modernized version called RPD Carbine. The RPD Carbine has a fluted 17.5-inch barrel, modern front sight, alloy handguard with rails, M249-type pistol grip and M4 recoil spring tube and buttstock. Civilian variants Because semi-auto RPD variants are manufactured using de-milled parts kits from full-auto RPD machine guns, in order to comply with ATF regulations the full-auto parts must be modified such that the resulting semi-auto rifle cannot be readily converted into a machine gun. Numerous machining operations are necessary to modify the de-milled full-auto RPD parts for use in a semi-auto RPD receiver. For example, the side rails on the bolt carrier must be machined to fit into the slots of the semi-auto receiver, which are purposefully made too narrow to accept an unmodified full-auto RPD bolt carrier. Additional portions of the bolt carrier that are necessary for full-auto firing, such as the sear engagement surface, must be machined off during the semi-auto conversion process. Semi-auto RPD variants must also fire from a closed bolt, which requires the addition of a striker mechanism and other fire control group parts that are not found on full-auto RPD machine guns. Users : Burundian rebels , including Type 56s Hungary Type 62 : used on Land Rovers : Modified version issued to MACVSOG, with shortened barrrel and 125 round belt Former users : Type 56 and Type 56-1. Superseded by the Type 81 LMG and QBB-95 LSW in service, formerly produced by Norinco. East Germany (former user). Locally designated lMG D or leichtes Maschinengewehr Degtjarjow (lit. light machine gun Degtyaryov). (no longer in use) locally designated name 7.62 kk 54 RPD : Used by different armed groups in 1990s, out of service. Non-state users People's Movement for the Liberation of Azawad Wars Vietnam War Laotian Civil War Suez Crisis Sino-Indian War Cambodian Civil War Six-Day War Indonesian invasion of East Timor Yom Kippur War Rhodesian Bush War South African Border War Nathu La and Cho La clashes Bangladesh Liberation War Western Sahara War Lebanese Civil War Shaba II Cambodian–Vietnamese War Sino-Vietnamese War Soviet–Afghan War Salvadoran Civil War Somali Civil War Tuareg rebellion (1990–1995) Iran-Iraq War Gulf War Yugoslav Wars Rwandan Civil War Burundian