Heavy MGs
ABC’s of Machine Guns
Here’s another neat manual – A.B.C du Mitrailleu – the ABCs of Machine Guns. This was published in 1917 (the fifth edition, anyway) in French, and does a nice job showing all the most useful […]
Hotchkiss
Vintage photo
Vintage Saturday: A 1914 Hotchkiss
Not sure where these poilu are fighting, but the fellow in the back appears to have swapped his regulation Kepi for a bowler and shaved off his moustache.
Artillery
A Few Updates –
Thanks to reader Erik, we have a little more information on Fridtjof Brondby, which we’ve added to the Brondby page in the Vault. Apparently Brondby also designed a 20mm antitank rifle, although we do not […]
Light MGs
French 1923 LMG Trials Report
In 1923, the French military held a light machine gun trial to choose a weapon to replace the CSRG Chauchat. The trials involved weapons evaluations both by an expert committee and by 9 regiments testing […]
Artillery
Hotchkiss Revolving Cannon
The Hotchkiss Revolving Cannon was designed by an American, Benjamin Hotchkiss, in response to the Franco-Prussian War. Hotchkiss chose to use large caliber shells in the gun instead of rifle cartridges (like the American Gatling […]
Vintage photo
Vintage Hotchkiss photo
Just a neat old photo to spice up your Saturday… Think he’s going to hit that airplane?
Light MGs
Hotchkiss Portative video
The Hotchkiss Portative was the British variation of a light machine gun used widely in World War I. It was also used by the French, Belgian, and American armies (In the US, it was adopted […]
Light MGs
Benet-Mercie 1909 manual
The Benet-Mercie 1909 was the first light machine gun adopted by the American military. Although named for two designers, the Benet-Mercie was basically a Hotchkiss Portative machine gun chambered for the .30-06 cartridge. The guns […]
Heavy MGs
Polish Hotchkiss M1914
After regaining its independence in 1918, Poland had a variety of weapons available to its armed forces, including the Hotchkiss M1914 machine gun. The Hotchkiss fed from 30-round feed strips, and was gas operated and […]