Schwarzlose MG M.07/12 Machine Gun
Country of Origin | Austria |
Type | Machine Gun |
Caliber | 8.000 mm |
Capacity | 250 rounds |
Length | 945.000 mm |
Barrel Length | 530.000 mm |
Weight | 20.000 kg |
Rate of Fire | 400 rounds/min |
Muzzle Velocity | 625 m/s |
Contributor: C. Peter Chen
ww2dbaseSchwarzlose M.07/12 water-cooled medium machine guns, designed by German engineer Andreas Wilhelm Schwarzlose, were the standard machine guns of the Austro-Hungarian Army up to the end of WW1. They could often be recognized by the distinctive flash eliminators on the muzzles. These weapons made use of fabric belts each containing 250 rounds of ammunition, and they were typically mounted on tripods. Unlike their contemporaries, these weapons fired from an unlocked breech, a property typically seen in submachine guns of a later era. While mainly wielded by infantry, they were also mounted on aircraft, generally as forward-firing synchronized guns; on occasion they were mounted for aircraft observers, which was an ill-suited role for the heavy Schwarzlose machine guns. Despite the dated design, their simplicity and their reliability meant a long production life that encompassed a long list of variants using different caliber ammunition. They were employed by the armies of Greece, the Netherlands, Sweden, Britain, Italy, and others. Production of these weapons did not stop until 1939. During WW2, they saw limited front line service with the Italian Army in the early phases of the fighting in North Africa, mainly as anti-aircraft weapons against low-flying fighters and with the colonial units loyal to Italy as the standard infantry machine guns. In Germany, examples takens from Czechoslovakia and Austria were deployed to second line units; most of these weapons were used only for training purposes, but a small number did see combat in the final days of the war out of necessity.Sources:
John weeks, "Machine Guns 1914-1918", War Monthly magazine
Wikipedia ww2dbase
Last Major Revision: Feb 2015
Photographs
Did you enjoy this article or find this article helpful? If so, please consider supporting us on Patreon. Even $1 per month will go a long way! Thank you. Share this article with your friends: Stay updated with WW2DB: |
Search WW2DB
News
- » Autumn 2024 Fundraiser (15 Oct 2024)
- » Nobel Peace Prize for the Atomic Bomb Survivors Organization (11 Oct 2024)
- » Wreck of USS Stewart/DD-224 Found (2 Oct 2024)
- » WW2DB's 19th Anniversary (29 Dec 2023)
- » See all news
Schwarzlose MG M.07/12 Machine Gun Photo Gallery
Current Site Statistics
- » 1,150 biographies
- » 337 events
- » 43,897 timeline entries
- » 1,241 ships
- » 350 aircraft models
- » 207 vehicle models
- » 372 weapon models
- » 123 historical documents
- » 260 facilities
- » 470 book reviews
- » 28,525 photos
- » 432 maps
Famous WW2 Quote
"With Germany arming at breakneck speed, England lost in a pacifist dream, France corrupt and torn by dissension, America remote and indifferent... do you not tremble for your children?"Winston Churchill, 1935
Support Us
Please consider supporting us on Patreon. Even $1 a month will go a long way. Thank you!
Or, please support us by purchasing some WW2DB merchandise at TeeSpring, Thank you!