RPD belts too tight?

[Walkingfunk]

Hey I just got my hands on a semi auto RPD, (DSA receiver, polish kit, built by Two Rivers Arms)

Sometimes the bolt is struggling to push rounds through the belts and there are certain links that are harder to load by hand than others. I read somewhere that virgin belts can be a lil tight (pretty sure both of my haven’t been used) and I was wondering if there was anything I could do? Should I just keep running the gun and eventually it should get better?

 

[CapnMac]

Should I just keep running the gun and eventually it should get better?

Seems likely.

RPD kind of "wants" an AG to feed belts in in FA, or it will "drag" a bit.
But, the only ones I've been around had seen miles and miles of miles and miles, and the belts were of a similar vintage. A loading machine is a belt-owner's friend.

 

[FL-NC]

While I had no difficulty obtaining original RPD MG's overseas, I rarely ever found belts that were serviceable.