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).