Worse, the chamber dimensions for the new caliber were machined incorrectly, causing extraction failures, including torn cartridge cases stuck in the chamber. The magazine feed lips were too short for cartridges to move easily up the feed ramp, and rounds constantly failed to feed. 30-06 provided an opportunity to solve the magazine problems, because a straight box magazine holding 16. The American Expeditionary Force’s request for Chauchats in. It proved to be even more of a catastrophe than the 8mm M1915 model. Reportedly upwards of 75 percent of the Chauchat’s stoppages were caused by magazine problems.Ī cutaway engineering drawing of the M1918. A strong squeeze was enough to deform the magazine sides and jam the magazine’s follower spring. Not only was the magazine poorly designed, with a cutout (yes, again) that attracted clods of mud, splinters, rat feces, and every other bit of debris on the battlefield, but it was also flimsily built. The Chauchat’s most dominant feature was the odd, crescent-shaped magazine, necessary because the 8mm Lebel round’s rimmed cartridge case had a strong taper. Unfortunately, there was often a shortage of trees on the Western Front. After four or five magazines were fired (that’s only 80-100 rounds, kids) the hot barrel often expanded and stuck against the barrel shroud, jamming the gun solid until it cooled or, in some cases, was bashed repeatedly against something like a tree until the jam was freed. It also had a terrible overheating problem. Navy photoĪs for effectiveness, the long recoil system meant that the barrel and bolt – more than half of the weapon’s entire weight – moved all the way to the rear of each cartridge before the barrel sprang back into place, followed by the bolt as it chambered another round. Note the crescent-shaped magazine for the 8mm Lebel rounds, the very tall, spindly legs of the bipod, and the recoil tube extending atop more than half of the butt stock.U.S. The sights were actually offset to the left to account for the impossibility of a cheek weld against the stock. The pistol grip was uncomfortable the fore grip was a glorified broom handle mounted too close to the pistol grip the bipod was so tall that it seemed calculated to get the firer’s head blown off by the enemy and the recoil tube was located above the butt stock in the most effective spot to break a cheekbone or bash in an eye socket. Reportedly upwards of 75 percent of the Chauchat’s stoppages were caused by magazine problems. Parts wore out quickly, and in some cases were not interchangeable. The vast majority were made by Gladiator, a bicycle manufacturer. ![]() ![]() The result was a mass-produced weapon made mostly of sheet steel and tubing that was often of low quality. The French, desperate for automatic weapons, made the specifications fairly loose with respect to dimensions, tolerances, materials, and manufacturing techniques that should have been tighter. Navy photoįirst, its standard of manufacture was poor. ![]() The soldier on the left is carrying an 8mm Chauchat. American Expeditionary Force soldiers meet the locals.
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