- Chauchat-Ribeyrolles 1918 submachine gun
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Chauchat-Ribeyrolles 1918 submachine gun Type Submachine gun Place of origin France Service history In service 1918 Used by France Wars World War I Production history Designer Ribeyrolles, Sutter and Chauchat (RSC) Designed 1918 Manufacturer Ribeyrolles, Sutter and Chauchat (RSC) Specifications Weight 4 kilograms (8.8 lb) Length .575 metres (22.6 in) Barrel length .340 metres (13.4 in) Caliber 8mm Lebel (8x50mm R) In 1917 the French Army adopted the Mle. 1917 semi-automatic rifle made by Ribeyrolles, Sutter and Chauchat (RSC), who already developed the "Chauchat" Mle. 1915 LMG. In 1918 they presented a "pistolet-mitrailleur" (submachine gun), meant to be used for close-range protection for the French tank crews. The weapon is based on the RSC Mle. 1917 semi-automatic rifle mechanism. The first trials used a Mannlicher-Berthier clip holding 8 cartridges. The trials continued until 1919 with a weapon using the same magazine as the Mle. 1915 LMG. The results were satisfactory but the weapon was too powerful for the intended self protection use. A mix of standard and tracer bullets was planned to be used to assist in aiming.
Specifications
- Caliber: 8mm Lebel (8x50mm R)
- Total length: 0,575 m
- Barrel length: 0,340 m
- Weight (empty): about 4 kg
References
Categories:- World War I French infantry weapons
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