Browning Model 1919 machine gun
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| Browning Model 1919 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Type | machine gun | ||
| Nationality | US | ||
| Era | WW2 | ||
| Platform | Individual | ||
| Target | personnel | ||
| History | |||
| Date of design | 1919 | ||
| Production period | 1919 - | ||
| Service duration | 1919 - 1980's | ||
| Operators | US, UK, | ||
| War service | WW2, Korea | ||
| Specifications | |||
| Type | |||
| Calibre | .30 | ||
| Barrel length | |||
| Ammunition | .30 | ||
| Magazine | |||
| Action | |||
| Rate of fire | |||
| Muzzle velocity | |||
| Weight | |||
| Length | |||
| Variants | M1919A1 - A6 | ||
| Number built | |||
The Browning M1919 was a light infantry unit machine gun manufactured by the Browning Arms Company. It was widely used in World War 2 and until just after the Korean War, when NATO standardization led to a search for a more modern weapon. Many M1919's outside US service were rechambered for the new 7.62 NATO round and served into the 1990s.
| Contents |
History
The M1919 was an air-cooled development of the standard US machine gun of World War I, the Browning M1917. The original idea was to allow the gun to be more easily packed for transport, and featured a light barrel and bipod when first introduced as the M1919A1. Unfortunately it quickly became clear that the gun was too heavy to be easily moved, while at the same time too light for sustained fire. This led to the M1919A2, which included a heavier barrel and tripod, and could be continuously fired for longer.
As an infantry weapon, they were usually operated by 2 soldiers: the gunner, who carried the weapon; and the feeder, who carried the tripod, and ammunition and when in action fed the ammunition belts into the gun to ensure a smooth entry of each round, and decreasing the chance of jamming.
The M1914A4 was a heavier unit, belt fed via .30 calibre (7.62mm) belts, and usually mounted on a tripod (for infantry use), or from a fixed mount. It saw very wide use in World War I and World War II, mounted on such vehicles as jeeps, tanks, aeroplanes and ships, as well as seeing a great deal of infantry use.
The A5 was an adaptation of the A4 with a forward mounting point to allow it to be mounted in cupolas in tanks and armored cars. This was the most common secondary armament during WWII. A lightened version, the M1919A6, was used by American troops during World War II and the Korean War. The main difference was a replacement of the pistol-grip firing handle with a wooden buttstock and a carrying handle, returning it to an -A1 like state.
The same basic weapon was also manufactured chambered for the British .303" round, and was used as their basic fighter aircraft gun until the widespread introduction of the larger calibre Hispano-Suiza HS.404 cannon and throughout the war in bombers. Similar versions for a variety of European calibres were delivered by Fabrique Nationale, notably German-standard 8mm Mauser which was fairly widely used in eastern Europe.
Variants
M1919A1
- Original light barrel and bipod
M1919A2
- Heavier barrel, tripod for better sustained fire
M1919A3
- An improved version of the M1919A2.
M1919A4
- Infantry use
M1919A5
- A4 adapted for mounting on vehicles
M1919A6
- Lightened version for infantry use as light machine gun
Warkorea_American_Soldiers.jpg
External links
Further reading
- Frank Iannamico, Hard Rain: History of the Browning Machine Guns
See also
| United States infantry weapons of World War II |
|---|
| Side-arms |
| Colt/Browning M1911 .45 |
| Rifles & Carbines |
| M1 Garand | M1 Carbine | Browning Automatic Rifle | |
| Submachine guns |
| Thompson SMG ("Tommy Gun") | M3 "Grease gun" |
| Machine-guns & other larger weapons |
| Browning MG | M2 HMG | Bazooka |