| M1922 machine gun | |
|---|---|
 A Greek Hotchkiss M1922 chambered for 6.5×54mm Mannlicher–Schönauer at the Israel Defense Forces History Museum | |
| Type | Light machine gun |
| Place of origin | France |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1922–1950s |
| Wars | Rif War Constitutionalist Revolution Spanish Civil War Second Sino-Japanese War World War II Greco-Italian War First Indochina War |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Hotchkiss et Cie |
| Manufacturer | Hotchkiss et Cie |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 8.5 kg |
| Length | 1216 mm |
| Barrel length | 600 mm |
| Cartridge | Several, including 6.5×54mm Mannlicher–Schönauer, 7×57mm Mauser, 7.5×54mm French, .303 British, 7.92×57mm Mauser, 8×50mmR Lebel |
| Action | Gas operated |
| Rate of fire | 450 rounds/minute |
| Feed system | 20 round overhead box magazine (Spanish pattern) 15 round feed strip (Officially issued and produced) 24-30 round strip from "Hotchkiss M1914" 30 round strip from "Hotchkiss M1909 Benét–Mercié" |
| Sights | Iron |
The Hotchkiss M1922 was a light machine gun manufactured by Hotchkiss.
It was never adopted in large numbers by the French Army; nevertheless, it was exported to many European and Latin American countries under the names Hotchkiss M1926 or Hotchkiss M1934.
Description
The Fusil-Mitrailleur (FM) Model 1922 is a classic weapon with a fixed stock, pistol grip, and wooden handguard. It has a non-telescopic folding bipod. Both the cocking handle and ejection port is located on the right side. The FM's caliber varied with the user, being chambered in a wide range of calibres and fed from either 20-round overhead magazines (Spanish model) or an extended feed strip. Its maximum range is 2,000 meters, and it had a regulator mechanism that would allow the user to adjust the rate of fire.
Use
The Hotchkiss M1922 was used with great success by the Greek Army during Greco-Italian War during the fight against the Royal Italian Army. It was also used by the Chinese Nationalist Army during the Second Sino-Japanese War to fight against the Japanese Imperial Army and was frequently used in the Spanish Civil War by the Nationalist and in small numbers, the Republicans.
Versions
There were several versions with different feed systems, calibers and improvements, among which were the Hotchkiss M1924 and M1926, the last of which spawned the Greek EYP Hotchkiss.
Users
Brazil - M1922 in 7×57mm Mauser
Czechoslovakia - received 1000 M1924 (vz. 24) in 7.92×57mm Mauser
France - Mitrailleuse légère Hotchkiss type 1934, used in French colonies : Liban and French Indochina
Greece - 6.5×54mm Mannlicher–Schönauer, 6000 used
Republic of China - ~3,500 in 7.92×57mm Mauser between 1931-1939
Spain - 3,000 Hotchkiss Model 1922 O.C. (Oviedo and A Coruña), in 7×57mm Mauser
Spanish Republic - from Spanish Army and Czechoslovakia
United Kingdom - .303 British, only for evaluation
Turkey - 7.92×57mm Mauser
Viet Minh - used during First Indochina War
References
- ^ "Fusil Ametrallador Hotchkiss Mod.1922". historiadelasarmasdefuego.blogspot.com (in Spanish). 13 March 2009.
- Jowett, Philip (28 Jun 2018). Latin American Wars 1900–1941: "Banana Wars," Border Wars & Revolutions. Men-at-Arms 519. Osprey Publishing. p. 33. ISBN 9781472826282.
- ^ "Hotchkiss Model 1922 light machine gun (France)". 2010-10-27. Retrieved 31 October 2017.
- Athanassiou, Phoebus (2017). Armies of the Greek-Italian War 1940-41. Vol. Men-at-Arms 514. Bloomsbury Publishing Plc. p. Weapons and personal equipment. ISBN 978-1-4728-1917-8.
- Heinz, Leonard R. (10 December 2016). "Small Arms of the Spanish Civil War" (PDF). Retrieved 7 September 2021.
- ^ McCollum, Ian (May 24, 2013). "Hotchkiss M1922/24/26". Forgotten Weapons. Retrieved 31 October 2017.
- McCollum, Ian (October 4, 2014). "Vintage Saturday: Pipe-Smoking Snakes". Forgotten Weapons.
- "Francouzský kulomet Hotchkiss vz. 24" [French machine gun Hotchkiss vz. 24]. vhu.cz (in Czech). Vojenský historický ústav Praha [cs].
- http://atf40.1fr1.net/t6276-mitrailleuse-legere-hotchkiss-1934 Archived 2019-02-13 at the Wayback Machine
- Shih, Bin (2018). China's Small Arms of the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945).
- Howson, Gerald (1999). Arms for Spain: the untold story of the Spanish Civil War. St. Martin's Press. p. 28. ISBN 978-0719555565.
- Marina Berthier. La bataille de Na San Indochine : novembre-décembre 1952 (PDF) (Report) (in French). ECPAD Fonds Indochine. p. 8.
| French infantry weapons of World War II (1939–1940) | |
|---|---|
| Sidearms | |
| Rifles and carbines | |
| Submachine guns | |
| Machine guns and other larger weapons | |
| Mortars | |
| Grenades | |
| Cartridges used by France during World War II | |