The RPK has a new, heavier and extended barrel with an increased heat capacity. The chrome-lined barrel is permanently fixed to the receiver and cannot be replaced in the field. It is fitted with a new front sight base, gas block (lacks the bayonet lug) and an under-barrel cleaning rod guide. The barrel also features a folding bipod, mounted near the muzzle and a front sight base with a lug that limits the bipod's rotation around the barrel. The barrel's muzzle is threaded, enabling the use of a blank-firing adaptor. When the blank-firing attachment is not used, the threading is protected by a thread protector cap from the AK. The barrel is pinned to the receiver in a modified trunnion, reinforced by ribbing, and is slightly wider than the trunnion used in the AKM. Symmetrical bulges on both sides of the barrel chamber ensure proper fit inside the receiver.
The RPK receiver cover is stamped from a smooth 1.5 mm (0.1 in) sheet of steel (compared to only 1 mm sheet metal used in the AKM). Interchangeability of parts between the RPK and AKM is quite significant.
The RPK uses a different recoil mechanism as compared to the AKM, which consists of a rear spring guide rod from the AK, and a new forward flat guide rod and coil spring.
The RPK features a thicker wooden forearm, a fixed wooden buttstock shaped like the RPD stock, optimized for prone firing, and a pistol grip from the AKM.
The weapon is fed from box magazines with a 40-round capacity or a 75-round drum magazine, both are compatible with magazines used with the AK-47 and AKM series.
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