THE MACHINE GUN History, Evolution, and Development of Manual, Automatic, and Airborne Repeating Weapons by George M. Chinn Lieutenant Colonel, USMC VOLUME I OF THREE VOLUMES Prepared for the Bureau of Ordnance Department of the Navy 1951 For saie by the Superintendent of Documents U. S. Government Printing Office Washington 25, D.C. — Price $5.00" Buckram)PREFACE With the belief that the next best thing to actual knowledge is knowing where to find it, this research has been compiled by the Bureau of Ordnance, Department of the Navy, in order to place in the hands of those rightfully interested in the art of auto- matic weapon design, the world’s recorded progress in this ficld of endeavor. So great a period has been covered on a vast and controversial subject, with prac- tically no precedent to use as a guide, that the sum total of this effort must be regarded somewhat in the nature of an experiment. While nothing is claimed for this volume except that it is the result of tedious and laborious research, it is believed that in some manner it will help point the way to a better understanding of past development. In so doing, it should help to reduce pit- falls that beset the designer traveling an otherwise dimly lighted path. A biography is included for each of the great masters of gun design, upon whose countless experiments and basic ideas the automatic armament of the world has been created: thus the reader may better detennine the magnitude of their genius and its meaning to history past and future. Excerpts from actual writings of the inventors, manufacturers and professional critics are given wherever possible. These statements, together with other authoritative matter, are assembled for the most part according to historical sequence. It is hot to be construed that this book is infallible, as it has the inevitable errors of all first editions. Sometimes an apparent digression was thought necessary to help darify succeeding events, such as gunpowder experiments, ignition improvements, metal- lurgy formulas and even aviation progress. Without these kindred subjects, present-day ordnance design would not exist. Great stress has been laid upon the inclusion of actual photographs of early in- ventors firing their prototype machine guns, to present pictorial proof that the auto- matic weapons we know today were of as humble origin as the mechanics who created them. The unholy desire throughout the centuries for man to implement his belligerent impulses with superior tools for conflict, has provided the anvil upon which he has patiently forged the most lethal scourge of the modern world—the Machine Gun.ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The help and encouragement received from many sources in the preparation of this work can never be fully acknowledged. ‘The following individuals are listed in at least partial recognition of such contributions. Captain Eugene Tatom, USN, formerly Chief, Re8, and Mr. James R. Norton, Head Engineer, Re8, Aviation Ordnance, Bureau of Ordnance. Mr. M. Bigelow Browning ice President, Browning Arms Company: Colonel Leo A. Codd, Executive Vice President, American Ordnance Association; Dr. $. G. Green, Chief, Engineering Section, Small Arms Branch, Industrial Division, Ordnance Corps. Depart- ment of the Army: Major General Julian S. Hatcher, National Rifle Association: Colonel Allen L.. Keyes, USA, Director, and Mr. Gerald C. Stowe, Curator, West Point Museum: Colonel G. B. Jarrett, Ch Librar d Muscum 1 ch, Aberdeen Proving Ground; Colonel Willard Webb, Chief, Stack and Reader Division, Library of Congress. Mr. John Casey, General Manager, North American Aviation Gorporation; Mr. Louis Ehrman, Pocomoke, Maryland; Mr. Herman P. Dean, President, Standard Printing and Publishing Company, Huntington, West Virginia: Colonel George W. Hicks, Circula- tion Manager, Columbus (Ohio) Citizen; Colonel Melvin M. Johnson, Jr., Technical Director, Arms Department, Rescarch and Development Division, Mr, Edwin, Pugsley, former Vice President in Charge of Research, Mr. James C. Hartley, Director of Re- search, ind Mr. ‘Thomas Hall, Gun Museum Curator. all of Winchester Repeating Arms Company, Division of Olin Industries, Inc.; Mrs. Ruth H. Stoeger, Librarian, Stoeger Ams Co.; Mr. H. P. White, Chief Engineer, and Mr. Burt D. Munhall, Manager, H. P. White Ordnance Co. Lieutenant Colonel Franklin $. Allen, Jr., Chief, Tactical Gombat Branch, USAF; Licu- tenant Colonel John J, Driscoll, Chief, Bomber Defense Branch, USAF. Lieutenant Colonel Andrew W. Hamilton, Chicf, ‘Vechnical Intelligence. Ordnance Re- search and Development Division, Department of the Anny; Lieutenant Colonel Frank J. MceMorrow, Officer in Charge of Muscum, Springfield Armory; Mr. Joseph H. Church, Chief, Patent Section, Ordnance Gorps, Department of the Army; Mr. H. G. Solberg, ‘Technical Intelligence Branch, Ordnance Corps, Deparunent of the Army; Mrs. Rose- mary Darsa, Photo Branch, Army Intelligence. Rear Admiral Malcolm F, Schoeffel, USN; Captain T. H. Ahroon, USN; Captain Devere L.. Day, USN, Chief, Air Section, Intelligence Branch, ONI; Captain F. B. Miller, USN; Captain R. N. Sharp, USN; Commander William J. Lederer, USN; Commander ichard Matter, USN; Commander Dan W. Snively, USN; Lieutenant Commander Marvin Franger, USN: Lieutenant Commander Paul Pugh, USN; Aviation Ordnance Chic J. W. Cospers, USN Brigadier General Vernon E. Megee, USMC; Lieutenant Golonel Francis Kiernan, USMC; Major Ross Jordan, USMC; Captain Don Kenton, USMG; Ghiet Warrant Officer John Scarborough, USMC. viACKNOWLEDGMENTS Dr. Remington Kellogg, Director, U. $. National Muscum: Mr. M. L. Peterson, Acting Curator, Division of Milicuy and Naval History, Smithsonian Institution; Mr. C. E. Haglund, Executive Officer, U, $. Patent Office; Mr. J. F. Nugent, Federal Bureau of Investigation; Mr. Harold L.. Peterson, Historian, National Park Service. Mr. Harry J. Baudu, Miss Josephine Cobb, Miss Elizabeth B. Drewry, Mr. Howard T. Gardner, Mr. Richard G. Giroux, Mrs. Emma B. Haas, Mr. John P. O'Brien, Mr. Wil- liam F. Shonkwiler, Mr. Charles F, Wiseman and Mr. Richard G. Wood, of the National Archives. Mr. Henry E. Marschalk, Miss Adele Miller and Mr, C. H. Grover, Publications Branch; Mr. Gerald D. O'Brien, Patent Counsel; Mr. William F. O'Keefe and Miss Lillian Martin, Administrative Division, of the Bureau of Ordnance. Special thanks must be given for the excellent cooperation and service given by personnel of the U. 8, Naval Photographic Center, Still Picture Library. The staffs of all librarics and muscums visited were most helpful and accommodating. These institu- tions include the Library of Congress, Army Library, Army War College Library, Signal Corps Photographic Library, Main Navy Library, Bureau of Acronautics Library, Bu- reau of Ordnance Technical Library, Bureau of Ships Library, U. $. National Museum, Aberdeen Proving Ground Library and Museum, Naval Ordnance Laboratory Ordnance Technical Museum, Naval Gun Factory Museum, and Bureau of Ordnance Museum. s. Jane Virginia Philbrick, Washington, D. C., aided greatly in the tedious re- search and editorial work involved in the early preparation of this volume. Mr. Daniel D. Musgrave, Washington, D. C., deserves special thanks for many invaluable contributions based on his encyclopedic knowledge of the subject. Three people were assigned directly to assist the author. Mr. Leo X. Abernethy, a young man well recognized for his designing skill on automatic firing mechanisms, was lent to the project by the Naval Gun Factory, Washington, D. C. His display of talent in classifying basic principles and interpreting patent drawings of all nations, coupled with | bility to evaluate accurately research material of each era, warrants a com- mendation of the highest order. Too much credit cannot be given to him for whatever measure of success the finished product may cnjoy. The second member was Master Sergeant John H. Moore, USMC, former instructor at the Marine Corps Aviation Ordnance School, Quantico, Virginia. His meticulous care in collecting historical and pictorial research will be gratefully recognized by students of automatic weapons for years 10 come. His thorough working knowledge of the intri- cate mechanics of foreign automatic weapons is outstanding and proved of inestimable valuc in hastening the conclusion of the project. The Naval Ordnance Laboratory, White Oak, Maryland, made the last, but by no means the least, contribution in providing the editorial services of Mr. Franklin W. Clark. The others on the project felt his duties were the most difficult of all and agreed that the handling of his part of the work was responsible for the project being completed with speed and accuracy. His capability left tiem with not only admiration but envy. OS cag. 7m hein Lieutenant Colonel, USMC. vilCONTENTS PART I-FORERUNNERS OF THE MACHINE GUN Chapter Page 1. Weapon History Prior to Gunpowder .......0. 2.002.000 eee ee tence seen ee 3 Primitive Beginnings ......0.0. 0. 00e0c cscs ee eee bebe eb cee ee eens 3 The First Projectile Thrower 4 Medieval Instruments of War 6 2. m Development to Percussion Ignition I Origins of Gunpowder "1 Farly Multibarrel Firearms. 12 Improvements in Ignition . . 15 Beginnings of Revolving and Volley-Fire Guns . 16 Application of the Detonating Principle to Firing . 20 Pioneer American Gunsmiths ..-......... bene : 21 3. Background of Machine Gun Development ... . 24 First Models of Percussion Multifiring Weapons .... : beeen 24 Development of Cartridges . seas 25 Ripley Gun ..... 26 Refinements in ‘Americ n Gunsmithing : 28 Industrial By-Products of the Gun Trade . 29 Colt Revolving Rifle, Model 1855 30 PART I-MANUALLY OPERATED MACHINE 1. Billinghurst Requa Battery ..... 35 Ager “Cotfee Mill” Gun . 37 . Claxton Firing Mechanism ... see wee 41 4. Machine Guns Used by the Gonfederacy se nasene 42 Williams Machine Gun . pene 42 Vandenberg Volley Gun . 43 Confederate nnon . 46 Gorgas Machine Gun 46 5. Gatling Machine Gun : 438 The Model 1862 Gun ... 48 Tests and Demonstrations . 50 The Model 1865 Gatling . bl Adoption by the United States . . a4 International Acceptance of the Weapon .. 55 Performance and Improvement during the Nincteenth Century eee 57 6. Mivailleuse Type Weapons . . 64 7. Farwell Machine Gun 69 8. Hotchkiss Machine Gun iCONTENTS Chapter 9. 10. IL. 12. 13, 14, 15, 16. 1 15, - Hotchkiss Automatic Machine Guns . . De Knight Water-Cooled Machine Gun . . . Madsen Automatic Machine Gun .. . Bergmann and Dreyse Machine Guns . . Perino Machine Gun . . Carr Machine Gun .. i. 12. 13. . Berthier Machine Gun .... . Kjellman Machine Gun . 16. 17. Gardner Machine Gun .. Lowell Machine Gun .... Wilder Machine Gun J. H. McLean's “Peace Makers’ . Bailey Machine Gun .. Nordenfelt Machine Gun Taylor Machine Gun ... : End of the Manually Operated Period. PART IN—FULL AUTOMATIC MACHINE GUN DEVELOPMENT » Maxim Machine Guns... 0.0.0... eee ce eee eee Maxim’s Early Years ‘The First Automatic Machine Gun . First Trials of the Maxim Gun Other Maxim Weapons ...... Vickers-Maxim Machine Gun . Skoda Machine Gun .... Browning Automatic Machine Guns . John M. Browning's Farly Years The Colt Model ’95 Machine Gun The Browning Modcl 1901 Machine Gun bebe ee eee ce tees eeeees Browning Guns in World War I: B.A-R. and Browning Machine Gun Model 1917 ... Browning Caliber Background ..... eee Hotchkiss Machine Gun ..... wees Puteaux and St. Etienne Machine Guns Benét-Mercié Machine Rifle . Hotchkiss Machine Gun Model 1914 Hotchkiss 12-mm Machine Gun Nordenfelt Automatic Machine Gun . Bergmann Machine Gun ... Dreyse Machine Gun .. Schwarzlose Machine Gun . McClean Machine Gun . Chauchat Machine Gun . Revelli Machine Gun seeeae Laird Menteyne Machine Gun .Chapter 1, 2. ae ~ 2, Lewis Aircraft Machine Gun . Hotchkiss Aircraft Machine Gun . Nambu Automatic Weapons .. . Revelli Aircraft Machine Gun : . Bergmann, Dreyse, and MG-13 Machine Guns . . Villar-Perosa Aircraft Ma chine Gun . $1. A. Aircraft Machine Gun . » Gast Aircraft Machine Gun ... . Brixia Machine Gun ............ . Mendoza Light Machine Gun THE MACHINE GUN PART IV-AIRCRAFT AND AIRBORNE APONS Early Aircraft Developments ..... "aerial History before Kitty Hawk The Wright Brothers and other Early Pilots . Beginnings of Military Aviation .... Pioneer Attempts at Aerial Armament The First Aerial Machine Gun .. Farly Development of the Lewis Gin : The Lewis Gun in World War I . The Controversy over the Lewis Gun in Amer Later Development and Production of the I Use of the Lewis Gun by the Navy .. 0... 2..000e0 eee The Routing of the Zeppelin Menace . Conclusion . eee 909 Models of the Lewis Gun « . Vickers Aircraft Machine Gun .. . 301 | German Maxim-Type Aircraft Weapons. 309 Early Adaptations 809 Parabellum Machine Gun 310 ‘The Fokker Synchronizer . 312 Introduction of Armored Planes. 314 T. u. F. Machine Gun .... 315 Models of Maxim Guns .. 317 . Marlin Aircraft Machine Gun . : 320 . Browning Aircraft Machine Guns ... ween cece ences 327 First Attempts at Air Firing .............05 ieee ce teeter eeeeeees 327 ‘The Aircraft Armament Board Report . wie cece eeeeees 328 Browning Aircraft Machine Gun, Cal. .30. Browning Cal. .50 Aircraft Machine Gun Cycle of Operation : The B. A. R. Since World War I : Models of Browning Recoil-Operated Machine Guns : Aerial Uses of the Hotchkiss Tabulation of Hotchkiss Machine Gun: German Light Machine Gun Models in W ond War 1 Bergmann ‘Model 1915, N. A., Machine Gun MG-13 : Darne Aircraft Machine Gun . : : Beardmore-Farquhar Aircraft Machine GunCONTENTS Chapter 18. Chatellerault Machine Gun ... 19. Madsen Aircraft Machine Gun . The Aircraft Version of the Madsen : Models and Users of the Madsen .... . B.S. A. Aircraft Machine Gun . Breda Machine Gun urrer Machine Gun . . ZB Machine Guns 7B Model 1926 . The Bren Gun ...... Japancse Models of the ZB ZB-50 Machine Gun Besa—ZB-53 Machine Guns . 24. Vickers-Berthier Machine Gun .. 25. Lali (Suomi) (L/S) Machine Gun 26. Rheinmetall-Borsig Machine Guns . Introduction Solothurn Model 29 MG-30 MG-15 MG-17 MG-131.. 27. Scotti Machine Gun 461 28. Bang Aircraft Machine G 464 29. Sistar Machine Gun . : 165 30. Knorr-Bremse Machine Gun .. 469 31. Mauser Machine Guns 472 Background .. 472 A738 . 478 . Johnson Light Machine Gui. 480 . MG-42 Machine Gun .......- beeeeee bees * Le 484 . FG-42 Machine Gun .........0.-5- bebe eve ee eee ceeeee serene 489 PART V-AU'TOMATIC AIRCRAFT CANNON 1. Davis Nonrecoiling Gun bebe eee enter eens bcntreee es 495 2, Vickers Aircraft Cannon Aircraft Cannon) 500 3. Revelli Aircraft Cannon 505 4. Puteaux 37-mm Aircraft Cannon . bce ee ee eveeeevenees 507 5, Becker—Semag—Oerlikon Automatic Aircraft Cannons 512 Becker Gannon Semag Aircraft Cannon Oerlikon Aircraft Cannon Garda Aircraft Gannon Polsten Cannon Cycle of Operation .... Conclusion... . 6, Srakats 20mm Aircraft Cannon... 7. Baldwin Aircraft Cannon (37mm)xii THE MACHINE GUN Chapter 8. Browning Aircraft Cannon . 9. Madsen Aircraft Cannon . 10. Hotchkiss 25-mm Aircraft Cannon . | ‘otti Aircraft 20-mm Cannon .. 12. Litbbe 20-mm Aircraft Cannon 13. Rheinmetall-Borsig Automatic Aircraft Cannon | Ehrhardt, Solothurn & Flak 30 Cannon Flak 18 Cannon MK-101 Cannon MK-103 Cannon MK-108 Cannon beeen eee . 14. Birkigt Type 404 20-mm (Hispano-Suiza) Gannon . Early History of Hispano-Suiza Company .. rliest Birkigt Type 404 C » of Operation ......... Adoption of the Gun . American Negotiations for the Cannon pateee : Production of Hispano-Suiza Cannon by the United States Modifications and Attcmpts at Standardization . . Mount, Feed, and Other Modifications . ‘Types of Hispano-Suiza Cannon ... . ‘T-26 and Other Modified Hispano-Suiza Cannon beeen eee Performance of Hispano-Suiza Cannon During World War IT 15. Furrer Automatic Aircraft Cannon ...... : 16. American Armament Antomatic Aircraft Cannon. 17. Lahti Aircraft Cannon . 18. Breda 20-mm Automatic Cannon 19. Mauser Automatic Cannon ... 20. Automatic Aircraft Cannon, Calib 21. Bofors Automatic Aircraft Cannon . 22, Japanese Automatic Aircraft Cannon ... CONCLUSION ...........555 feeb eben eect eee teen eee APPENDICES A. Patents on Machine Guns and Relating Mechanisms upon which the World's Automatic Weapons Have Been Based B. Tabulated Characteristics of Machine Guns and Aircraft BIBLIOGRAPHY oo. eee eee eee ten tent e eens INDEX Page 531 537 542 545 548 550 550 554 558 566 566 570 574 577 579, 582 583 588 591 598 596 598 602 602 604 607 610 614 619