Machine guns introduction
Austria
 Schwarzlose M07 M07/12
 Steyr-Solothurn MG 30
 Steyr AUG /Hbar
Belgium
 FN Model D
 FN Minimi
 FN MAG
 FN BRG-15
China, People's Republic
 Type 67 GPMG
 Type 88 GPMG
 Type 95 LMG
 Type 77 HMG
 Type 85 HMG
 W-85 HMG
 Type 89 HMG
 Type 02 / QJG 02 HMG
Czech Republic
 ZB 26
 ZB 53 / Vz.37
 ZB 60 new
 Vz.52, Vz.52/57 upd
 UK Vz.59 upd
Denmark
 Madsen LMG
 Madsen-Saetter
Finland
 L/S-26
 Valmet KvKK 62
France
 Chauchat CSRG M1915
 Hotchkiss Portative
 Hotchkiss M1914
 Hotchkiss M1922 LMG
 Hotchkiss M1930 HMG
 MAC M1924/29
 AAT Mod.52
Germany
 MG 08, MG 08/15, MG 08/18
 MG 13
 MG 34
 MG 35/36 Knorr-Bremse
 MG 42 and MG 3
 HK 21 and 23
 HK MG 4
Great Britain
 Vickers Mk.I
 Hotchkiss Portable Mk.I
 Lewis
 Vickers-Berthier
 Bren
 L86A1 SA-80 LSW
Israel
 Dror
 Negev
Italy
 Fiat-Revelli M1914 M1935
 Breda M1930
 Breda M1937
Japan
 Type 03 & Type 92
 Type 11
 Type 96 & Type 99
 Type 62
Mexico
 Mendoza
Russia / USSR
 Maxim M1910/30
 Degtyarov DP DPM RP-46
 Degtyarov DS-39
 Degtyarov RPD
 Kalashnikov RPK
 Kalashnikov RPK-74
 Gorjunov SG-43 SGM
 Kalashnikov PK / PKM
 Pecheneg
 DShK DShKM 12.7
 NSV 12.7 'Utes'
 Kord 12.7
 KPV 14.5
Singapore
 STK Ultimax 100
 CIS .50 MG
South Africa
 Vector SS-77 / Mini-SS
South Korea
 Daewoo K3
Spain
 CETME Ameli
Sweden
 Knorr-Bremse m/40
Switzerland
 W+F Lmg 25
 SIG KE-7
 Steyr-Solothurn MG 30
 SIG MG 50
 W+F MG 51
 SIG MG 710
USA
 Benet-Mercie M1909
 Lewis
 Browning M1917 M1919
 Browning M1918 BAR
 Johnson M1941 M1944
 M60
 M16 LSW / LMG
 M134 Minigun
 XM214 Microgun
 Stoner 63
 M249 SAW
 M240
 Mk.48 mod.0
 Browning M2HB .50 cal
 XM312 .50 cal
 LW50MG

 Gatling, Minigun, Vulcan

all texts and some pictures
copyright © 1999-2009
by Max R. Popenker
and can not be used without author permission

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Vickers-Berthier light machine gun (Great Britain)

Vickers-Berthier Mk.2 light machine gun

Vickers-Berthier Mk.3 light machine gun on tripod

Caliber	.303 Mk.VII (7.7x57R)
Weight	9.4 kg
Length	1180 mm
Barrel length	607 mm
Feed	box magazine, 30 rounds
Rate of fire	~500 rounds per minute

The Vickers-Berthier light machine gun came a long way, being first designed circa 1909 in France by Gen. Andre Berthier. After much development it was tested and even formally adopted by US Army in 1917. Despite the formal adoption, the Berthier gun was never produced in USA, mostly because of lack of manufacturing facilities during the war. When war ended, US Army showed little interest in Berthier gun, and after more development the designer finally sold manufacturing rights for his light machine gun to British Vickers-Armstrong Ltd company in 1925, which sought to complement its heavy Vickers-Maxim machine gun with lighter and more mobile weapon. It was offered for British army and was tested among other light machine guns, but finally lost to BREN gun.
Vickers-Berthier Mk.1 was the first production model, which was introduced commercially in 1928; it had a short forend under receiver and a finned barrel. Vickers-Berthier Mk.2, which was introduced in 1931 on request from Indian government, has a light forend, no monopod under the butt and barrel with no cooling fins. The Vickers-Berthier Mk.3 was further modification of the Mk.2 gun, introduced in 1933 and subsequently adopted by Indian Army. This machine gun had some parts strengthened, forend was omitted and a carrying handle was added to the quick-detachable barrel. Vickers-Berthier Mk.3 light machine gun was produced by Vickers-Armstrong in UK and by Ishapore Rifle factory in India.

Vickers-Berthier light machine gun was gas operated, selective-fired, air-cooled weapon which fired from open bolt. The long-stroke gas piston was located below the barrel. The locking was achieved by the vertically tilting bolt, which had a single locking lug on its top. The feed was from top-mounted box magazines Standard furniture of Vickers-Berthier light machine guns included a wooden buttstock and a pistol grip, and a folding bipod attached to gas tube; Mark 1 Vickers-Berthier guns also had short wooden forend under the front part of receiver, which was intended for “assault firing” from the hip, and a detachable “third leg” or monopod under the butt. The shape of the butt and forend was changed over the time with introduction of following Marks of the gun.

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