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Hotchkiss M1922 machine gun

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
M1922 machine gun
A Greek Hotchkiss M1922 chambered for 6.5×54mm Mannlicher–Schönauer at the Israel Defense Forces History Museum
TypeLight machine gun
Place of originFrance
Service history
In service1922–1950s
WarsRif War[1]
Constitutionalist Revolution[2]
Spanish Civil War[1]
Second Sino-Japanese War
World War II
Greco-Italian War
First Indochina War
Production history
DesignerHotchkiss et Cie
ManufacturerHotchkiss et Cie
Specifications
Mass8.5 kg
Length1216 mm
Barrel length600 mm

CartridgeSeveral, including 6.5×54mm Mannlicher–Schönauer, 7×57mm Mauser, 7.5×54mm French, .303 British, 7.92×57mm Mauser, 8×50mmR Lebel[3]
ActionGas operated
Rate of fire450 rounds/minute
Feed system20 round overhead box magazine, 15-24-30 round feed strip
SightsIron

The Hotchkiss M1922 was a light machine gun manufactured by Hotchkiss.

It was never adopted in large numbers by the French Army; nevertheless, it was exported to many European and Latin American countries under the names Hotchkiss M1926 or Hotchkiss M1934.

Description

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The Fusil-Mitrailleur (FM) Model 1922 is a classic weapon with a fixed stock, pistol grip, and wooden handguard. It has a non-telescopic folding bipod. Both the cocking handle and ejection port is located on the right side. The FM's caliber varied with the user, being chambered in a wide range of calibres and fed from either 20-round overhead magazines or an extended feed strip (Greek model). Its maximum range is 2,000 meters, and it had a regulator mechanism that would allow the user to adjust the rate of fire.

Use

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The Hotchkiss M1922 was used with great success by the Greek Army during Greco-Italian War during the fight against the Royal Italian Army.[4] It was also used by the Chinese Nationalist Army during the Second Sino-Japanese War to fight against the Japanese Imperial Army and was frequently used in the Spanish Civil War by the Nationalist and in small numbers, the Republicans.[5]

Versions

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There were several versions with different feed systems, calibers and improvements, among which were the Hotchkiss M1924 and M1926, the last of which spawned the Greek EYP Hotchkiss.[6]

Users

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Two Chinese soldiers using a Hotchkiss M1922 machine gun

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Fusil Ametrallador Hotchkiss Mod.1922". historiadelasarmasdefuego.blogspot.com (in Spanish). 13 March 2009.
  2. ^ Jowett, Philip (28 Jun 2018). Latin American Wars 1900–1941: "Banana Wars," Border Wars & Revolutions. Men-at-Arms 519. Osprey Publishing. p. 33. ISBN 9781472826282.
  3. ^ a b c "Hotchkiss Model 1922 light machine gun (France)". 2010-10-27. Retrieved 31 October 2017.
  4. ^ Athanassiou, Phoebus (2017). Armies of the Greek-Italian War 1940-41. Vol. Men-at-Arms 514. Bloomsbury Publishing Plc. p. Weapons and personal equipment. ISBN 978-1-4728-1917-8.
  5. ^ Heinz, Leonard R. (10 December 2016). "Small Arms of the Spanish Civil War" (PDF). Retrieved 7 September 2021.
  6. ^ a b c McCollum, Ian (May 24, 2013). "Hotchkiss M1922/24/26". Forgotten Weapons. Retrieved 31 October 2017.
  7. ^ McCollum, Ian (October 4, 2014). "Vintage Saturday: Pipe-Smoking Snakes". Forgotten Weapons.
  8. ^ "Francouzský kulomet Hotchkiss vz. 24" [French machine gun Hotchkiss vz. 24]. vhu.cz (in Czech). Vojenský historický ústav Praha [cs].
  9. ^ http://atf40.forumculture.net/t6276-mitrailleuse-legere-hotchkiss-1934 Archived 2019-02-13 at the Wayback Machine
  10. ^ Shih, Bin (2018). China's Small Arms of the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945).
  11. ^ Howson, Gerald (1999). Arms for Spain: the untold story of the Spanish Civil War. St. Martin's Press. p. 28. ISBN 978-0719555565.
  12. ^ Marina Berthier. La bataille de Na San Indochine : novembre-décembre 1952 (PDF) (Report) (in French). ECPAD Fonds Indochine. p. 8.