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| Browning Heavy Machine Gun, Cal .30, M1917A1 The M1917A1 was a water cooled, recoil operated, belt fed, heavy machine gun The M1917A1 Heavy Machine Gun was one of many weapons designed by the legendary John M. Browning. It was first used in World War I as the M1917 HMG. Nearly 70,000 of these weapons were produced in 1917-1918. After the armistice, many of these weapons were placed in long term storage. Between 1936-1937, Rock Island Arsenal made numerous modifications to these weapons, redesignating the HMG as the M1917A1. With the coming of World War II, the US Army Ordnance Department placed contracts for new weapons. During the war, nearly 54,000 M1917A1's were built by American manufacturers. In the attack, the HMG's could be employed to cover the flanks on the axis of advance, or to provide suppressive fires on the objective. In the defense, they were a key part of the battalion's fires. The guns' water cooling and heavy tripods enabled them to fire thousands of rounds if necessary. Weighing nearly 100 pounds, the M1917A1 was difficult to transport. It was cumbersome to hand carry and its ammunition was also heavy. HMG's were usually emplaced in static positions. They were best suited to the defensive role of breaking up night attacks. Weight (with water): 93 pounds Rate of fire: 400-600 rounds per minute Maximum effective range: 1100 yards Method of loading: 250 round cloth belts. |
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