[Lone Sentry: Italian 8-mm Breda Medium Machine Gun, Model 37, WWII Tactical and Technical Trends]
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"Italian 8-mm Breda Medium Machine Gun, Model 37" from Tactical and Technical Trends

The following U.S. report on the Italian Breda Model 37 machine gun originally appeared in Tactical and Technical Trends, No. 23, April 22, 1943.

[DISCLAIMER: The following text is taken from the U.S. War Department publication Tactical and Technical Trends. As with all wartime intelligence information, data may be incomplete or inaccurate. No attempt has been made to update or correct the text. Any views or opinions expressed do not necessarily represent those of the website.]
 

ITALIAN 8-MM BREDA MEDIUM MACHINE GUN, MODEL 37

a. General

This machine gun is not dissimilar to the French Hotchkiss, with the exception of the thumb trigger, like the British Vickers. From the following report, prepared at the Aberdeen Proving Ground, it appears to be an excellent gun.

The gun is gas-operated, air-cooled and has a quick-change barrel. The cartridges are fed from plate chargers holding 20 rounds, each round being housed in a separate compartment (see sketch). After firing, the empty cases, instead of being ejected, are replaced in the compartment of the plate charger.

The gun uses ammunition very similar to our own with the exception of the case which is shorter and the caliber which is .015 of an inch larger. It is made in ball, tracer, and incendiary tracer armorpiercing. The German 7.92-mm ammunition can also be used.

[Italian Breda MG, Model 37]

b. Description

Following are characteristics of this gun:

Caliber    8 mm (.315 in)
Weight44 pounds
Length over-all50 in
Weight of barrel, complete17-3/4 pounds
Length of barrel, complete33-1/4 in
Rifling4 lands, right hand twist
Rear Sight: 
Elevation300 to 3,000 meters
Windage0 to 8 mils plus or minus
(0 to 2-1/4° plus or minus)
Cyclic rate of fire (maximum)450 rounds per minute*
Effective rate of fireUnknown
Muzzle velocity2,600 feet per second*
Maximum range6,500 yards*
CoolingAir
MountingTripod
Feed20-round plate charger
Provision for single-shot fireNone
SafetyShift safety catch on top of rear cross-piece to S for "safe" and to F for "fire".

The accompanying range table covers the Breda Model 37 and also the Fiat Model 35.

c. Tripod Mount

The mounting is provided with elevating and traversing gears, which can be used in conjunction with the open sights for direct laying, or with the elevating and traverse scales for indirect laying.

Elevation is adjustable from 360 mils (20 degrees) depression to 360 (20 degrees) elevation, with a micrometer adjustment from the 46 mils (2 degrees 30 minutes) depression to 36 mils (2 degrees) elevation.

The main traverse scale is graduated from 450 mils (25 degrees) to 1,150 mils (65 degrees) in 10 mil steps, the central position being at 800 mils (45 degrees). An additional 150 mils (8 degrees 30 minutes) traverse is provided by an independent micrometer adjustment.

RANGE TABLES FOR ITALIAN 8-MM MGs--FIAT MODEL 35 AND BREDA MODEL 37,
FIRING MODEL 35 BALL AMMUNITION
 Range 
(yds)
Fiat 35
Elev.
(mils)
Breda 37
Elev.
(mils)
 Range 
(yds)
Fiat 35
Elev.
(mils)
Breda 37
Elev.
(mils)
 Range 
(yds)
Fiat 35
Elev.
(mils)
Breda 37
Elev.
(mils)
 Range 
(yds)
Fiat 35
Elev.
(mils)
Breda 37
Elev.
(mils)
 100 1 1120019192300 68 663400150148
 200 2 2130022222400 74 723500159158
 300 3 3140025252500 80 783600168168
 400 4 4150029282600 86 843700178179
 500 5 5160033322700 93 913800188190
 600 6 6170037362800100 993900199202
 700 8 81800414029001081074000210214
 80010101900464530001161144100221226
 90012122000515031001241224200234239
100014142100565532001321304300247253
110016162200626033001411394400261286
Standard conditions: barometer 750 mm (29.5 in) of mercury, temperature 15° C (59° F), humidity 0.5 (half-saturated air).

Comment: The gun is quite simple in its operational features, and is extremely easy to disassemble. The breech is positively locked at the moment of firing, the breechblock being forced up (without tilting) by the action of inclined surfaces on the piston extension, so that a projection on its upper surfaces engages in an opening in the top of the body. The barrel is sufficiently heavy (17-3/4 pounds) to enable it to fire a large number of rounds in quick succession without overheating.

*This information has not been checked by U.S. test.

 
 


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