Although officially retired from U.S service in 1957, it is still in full use by dozens of smaller nations across the world. It is still regarded as one of the best weapons ever made,and will be around for many more generations to come. was used widely during WWII and the Korean War by American forces and even saw some action during the Vietnam War. The infamous Clyde Barrow, of Bonnie & Clyde, was known to use a modified version of the B.A.R. The weapon saw use between the World Wars by American gangsters who obtained these weapons from surplus, or stole them from armories and the police. As a result it was introduced too late to see much action. However, top American brass were afraid that if captured the weapon would be reverse engineered and used against American troops so it wasn't put into service until late in the war. This automatic weapon, which fired from an open bolt so it would stay cooler under sustained fire, allowed the individual soldier to lay down a tremendous amount of fire, provided a clear advantage in the trench warfare of World War I, and with this weapon came a tremendous amount of responsibility for its user and required specialized training to use. Browning and manufactured by Browning, Colt, Winchester repeating arms Co., and Marlin-Rockwell Co. (Browning Automatic Rifle) was first issued in February 1918, designed by John M. The RKM wz.28 was a basis for development of an aerial, flexible machine gun, designated karabin maszynowy obserwatora wz.37, used mainly by the Polish PZL.37 Łoś bombers.Soldier with a B.A.R in the Battle of Okinawa A number were also seized by the Red Army and used during the war. The German armed forces captured a number of Polish-made Browning guns and used them until the end of World War II under the designation of lMG 28 (p). 1928 was the standard LMG used by almost all Polish infantry and cavalry units. There were also extensive works on spare, replaceable barrels for the weapon, which however were never completed due to the outbreak of World War II.ĭuring the German-Soviet Invasion of Poland of 1939, the rkm wz. Among them was the replacement of the iron sights with a smaller version and reshaping the butt to a "fish tail" shape. Additional modifications were introduced during the production run. Until 1939 approximately 14,000 pieces were built. 1928 and period-correct uniform.ĭue to serious flaws in license documentation purchased from Belgium, production in Poland was not started until 1930. 1928, which is Polish for "7.92 mm hand-held machine gun of Browning mark 1928".Ī Polish reenactor poses with the wz. The first wz.28 LMGs were officially commissioned in 1927 and were officially named 7,92 mm rkm Browning wz. Apart from the 10,000 pieces ordered from Fabrique Nationale, Poland also bought a license to producet the weapon domestically. The barrel was lengthened for greater accuracy and a pistol grip was added for easier aiming. 30-06 Springfield to standard Polish 7.92×57mm Mauser), the construction of a bipod and mounting, and the iron sights (peephole changed to v-notch type). The modifications included changing the round from. Although extensive tests were continued, the Polish army ordered a series of Belgian-made BAR machine guns, modified to better suit the Polish needs. Testing proved the superiority of the American construction, and during the 1925 competition, a Belgian FN-made Browning was chosen. 1923") and Hotchkiss M1909 Benét–Mercié each. The competition ended without a winner and the following year the Polish Ministry of War purchased 12 specimens of the M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle, Lewis gun ("Lewis wz. 1928Īfter the Polish-Bolshevik War, in 1923 a competition was opened for a new, standard light machine gun for the Polish army that was to replace all previously used types of LMG. The large variety of light machine guns used, as well as the fact that each of them used a different caliber, made troop training and logistics a difficult task.įiring mechanism Polish partisan member of Home Army unit Jędrusie with wz. It was a light machine gun used by the Polish Military During World War II.Īfter Poland regained its independence in 1918, the Polish Army was equipped with all sorts of machine guns inherited from the armed forces of the partitioners, along with equipment from the French and British armies that equipped the Polish Blue Army during the Great War. The Browning wz.1928 is a Polish version of the M1918 BAR.
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