Chauchat machine gun 8mm

posted 09 November 2021, 12:26 am
01. Original name Fusil Mitrailleur Modele 1915 CSRG  
02. Other official names Fusil Mitrailleur Chauchat  
03. Popular names Chauchat, C.S.R.G.  
04. Chamberings 8x50R (8mm Lebel balle D), 30-06, 7.65 x 53  
05. Designed by Chauchat, Sutter and Ribeyrolle based on a patent by Frommer  
06. Design date 1915  
07. In service date(s) 1915 – 1940. Belgium retained them in use into the 1930s and they have resurfaced occasionally right into the 1960s.  
08. Adopted by France, America, Belgium, Poland, Russia, Romania, Serbia, Italy, Greece and Finland  
09. Production quantities In excess of 260,000, mostly in 8mm Lebel. Some estimates are up to 400,000  
10. Mechanism Long recoil and automatic or semiautomatic fire. Referred to by the French as an automatic rifle and by others as a machine gun  
11. Weight 8.87kg (20 lbs) including bipod  
12. Mountings Sling which enabled firing whilst walking. Several magazine pouches were in use allowing extras to be carried  
13. Practicality in action Suffered from overheating seizures – especially in 30-06 calibre. Open sided magazine allowed easy dirt ingress. In its favour were light weight and controllability  
14. Comments / Other information These were designed for ease of manufacture and economy – and were only expected to last for the length of the war. Rate of fire was around 240 per minute through a distinctive 20 round crescent shaped magazine. America purchased nearly 16,000 in 8mm Lebel and over 19,000 in 30-06 with a 16 round box magazine (named the French Cal .30 M1918 Light Machine Gun C.S.R.G.) Interestingly the CSRG part comes from the names of the three inventors plus G for Gladiator, the manufacturer (excepting the barrels which were made at either Chatellerault or St Etienne).