Variants
The M1917 was the initial production model, designated by the year it was first made available for service. These were produced in substantial numbers in the closing months of World War 1 but only 1,200 were made available out of the 40,000 delivered before the armistice while a grand total of 68,000 were produced before the end of the war. A tripod was standard field issue and used to stabilize the firing action and provide the operator with a certain degree of movement across his firing line. Rate-of-fire was listed at 450 rounds per minute. The M1917 was developed into an air-cooled, open jacket machine gun for use on aircraft and became the standard airborne weapon for American planes for some time. Base on the combat experiences in World War 1, the M1917 was revised regularly throughout the 1920s (including its leaf sight component in 1926) but no "official" revisions took place until 1936, producing the improved M1917A1.
The M1917A1 was a remanufactured version of the base M1917 handled by Rock Island Arsenal but maintained the original's overall design, layout and general appearance. Such improvements to the base system helped to help increase the service life of the machine gun with one notable improvement to the line being the new rate-of-fire between 450 and 600 rounds per minute. Other revisions included reworking the feed mechanism, the sights and improving upon the tripod. Modifications took place from 1936 to 1937. The M1917A1 was featured in World War 2 (producing yet more modifications from 1942 to 1944) and incorporated use of tracer, armor-piercing and M2 ball ammunition. The M1917A1 became the US Army's standard battalion-level machine gun up until the middle of the 1950s to which it was then replaced by the M60 General Purpose Machine Gun of 7.62mm caliber - itself having origins in the fine German MG42 machine gun series. The M1917A1 saw service in both World War 2 and the Korean War. By this time, the system had effectively met her period of combat usefulness for the United States.
M1917A1 crews in World War 2 learned their machine guns from the inside out, trained to take apart and reassemble the weapon from memory while blind-folded. Training also produced operators that could adjust their weapons only by feel and change their barrels in the dark of night while under fire from the enemy. Out of the crew of three, each member was trained in the other's actions so all three could operate independent of one another if the situation called for it. One member handled the tripod while the other set the gun atop it. The third crewmember handled the water container and ammunition supply. World War 2 M1917A1's were fitted to the M18A1 tripod.
As the M1917 made use of the water-cooled system, such a cumbersome device aboard a fighter aircraft was, of course, unreasonable for use in aircraft. The M1918 was an aircraft-based derivative of the M1917 and developed as an air-cooled alternative with a lighter and open-air jacket along with use of a heavier barrel. Though development ensued while the war was still being waged, the weapon was not made available in time to take part in the conflict. The M1918M1A was a variant of the M1918 meant to operate from a flexible mounting such as from a rear observers cockpit position. The M1918 gave birth to the M1919 (mentioned below), initially an air-cooled, heavy barrel weapon meant to arm American tanks in World War 1.
Colt produced the M1917 in military and commercial forms. These included the Model 1917, Model 1928, MG38, MG38B and the MG38BT.
The M1917 line was simplified in an air-cooled model known as the M1919 designed specifically for cavalry forces as these units also saw the need for such a weapon system, though made more lightweight and therefore mobile on the battlefield. This development - as noted by its designation - appeared after World War 2 but went on to see action in ensuing conflicts. The M1919 spawned the M1919A tank gun and was modified and upgraded into other forms.
Operators
The Ksp m/36 was the Swedish designation of the M1917. These were forged in two distinct calibers for two distinct duties. The 6.5x55mm model was developed specifically for use as an anti-infantry support weapon while the 8x63mm was an anti-aircraft derivative. By the end of the 1970s, all M1917s in Swedish service were converted to fire the 7.62x51mm NATO standard round.
The Ckm wz.30 were Polish-built M1917 models with the only major difference being their use of 7.92x57mm Mauser rounds.
Norway operated the M/29, essentially Colt-produced M1917s and chambered to fire the 7.92mm round. The M/29 saw service in World War 2 during the invasion of Norway in defense of the homeland from Nazi German incursion.
Argentina became another M1917 operator, these being Colt-produced M1917s.
Conclusion
As previously stated, the M1917 was eventually replaced in US service by the newer 7.62x51mm NATO M60 General Purpose Machine Gun. The days of a heavy defensive weapon had long past and the need for a more mobile infantry solution was apparent. The M60 fit the bill and the legacy of the M1917 was effectively over. The weapon does surface from time to time in those forgotten corners of the world where revolutions and tribal warfare are a seemingly daily occurrence. Though effectively out of service with US forces by the time of the Vietnam War, some US Navy units used the weapon in the early stages of the conflict.
Manufacture of the M1917 was handled by Remington Arms-Union Metallic Cartridge Company, Colt's Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company and the New England Westinghouse Company. Production spanned from 1917 through 1945.
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