On October 29, 1918, just two weeks until the end of the war, and just before the 80th Division was committed to combat, T H E M O D E L 1 9 1 7 the men of Company A, 315th Battalion, 80th Division receive instruction on the Browning Model of 1917 from Lt. Val Browning in France. (U.S. National Archives) BROWNINGWATER-COOLED MACHINE GUN

by ROBERT G SEGEL

Not long after John Browning invented the world’s first gas operated fully automatic- ma chine gun, the Model 1895 Automatic Gun, he realized that there must be a better, sim- pler, more efficient operating system. He set about to create his version of a short-recoil operated machine gun that was significantly different from the then current Maxim design. The Model 1901 of the type and style as used on the Model 1895 Automatic Gun and used On June 19, 1900, Browning was the Model 1895-style belt box with a JOURNAL granted U.S. Patent No. 678,937, sliding lid. which was his first patent on a recoil Browning informed the U.S. Ord- operated machine gun. This “first” gun nance Department of his new inven- was substantially different from his tion, but they were not interested and later, moreSMALL familiar, versions. The gun it appears thatARMS they never even exam- ejected the empty brass cartridges out ined it for testing. to the right side rather than through the bottom, had an external feed lever, a The Model 1910 specialized belt that left most of the cartridge body exposed, and Over the next several years, its trigger and firing mechanism were Browning continued to work to refine significantly different and featured a his recoil operated machine gun. He hammer driven firing system. Never- redesigned much of the internal oper- theless, this first model set the stage ating system eliminating the hammer for further development and had many method of firing and replacing it with a features that are recognizable in his firing pin with a sear notch on the end later guns. This included a barrel at- and added a trigger bar that engaged tached to a separate barrel extension, a sear that released the sear notch on an accelerator to speed up the move- the firing pin. He added a pistol grip ment of the bolt, a rising breech block, with fiber buffer discs that absorbed a claw extractor and a recoil spring excess energy and helped “bounce” guide with a coil recoil spring that could the bolt back to battery and simplified be turned thus locking the recoil spring the ejection system to eject the spent inside the bolt body. cartridges out through the bottom. The tripod cradle he created in his There were other minor improvements workshop for this gun was reminiscent as well such as using breech lock de-

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peditionary Force that went to France rounds – 40,000 rounds in total – with 27, 1918. Two Model 1917s were fired in 1917 went to war with no machine just one failure of a component part. before a crowd of three hundred dig- guns and had to be initially equipped The board overseeing the test consist- nitaries and guests that included the with the French M1914 Hotchkiss ed of five Army officers and two civil- military, politicians, foreign observers and the disastrous ians appointed by the Secretary of War and the press. Both guns performed M1915 machine . and they recommended the immediate excellently and were well received. In 1917, after much delay, procras- adoption of the weapon as the Model The press was particularly enamored tination and indecision, the U.S. finally of 1917 noting the outstanding reliabil- with the highly successful demonstra- put out a call to American inventors to ity and simplicity of design. They were tion and many newspaper articles ap- submit designs for consideration. John particularly impressed that the officers peared around the country extolling the Browning had been waiting for just who demonstrated the gun were able virtues of Browning’s new gun. such a call and personally traveled to to take the gun apart and put it back Washington, D.C. to present his guns. together in minutes – blindfolded. This Model of 1917 That is guns, plural, because besides had never been done before and be- bringing his improved Model of 1910 came the standard “blindfold test” at It soon became evident that no water-cooled machine gun, he also machine gun schools. one single manufacturer could pro- brought along another project he had Browning knew that there still duce the vast quantities needed. Colt been working on: the Browning Auto- needed to be some refinements done had an agreement with Browning to matic Rifle (BAR). on the heavy machine gun. He returned produce guns of his design exclusively In May, 1917 the official endur- to the Colt factory, who had exclusive but there was no way they could do it ance trial test was held at the Govern- manufacturing rights, to personally im- alone as the Colt manufacturing facili- ment Proving Ground at Springfield Ar- prove and function test the gun to make ties were already at full capacity with mory. The Army requested that 20,000 certain it was ready for a pubic dem- other production. Colt made the rights rounds be fired. The 20,000 rounds onstration at Congress Heights just available to the government and in were fired without a malfunction or bro- outside Washington D.C. on February July, 1917 delivered gages and draw- ken part. And, to the amazement of ings that other companies would use to all, Browning fired an additional 20,000 produce the guns. Colt established a manufactur- M1917A1 accessories included water ing facility in Meriden, to condensing can, early wood and later produce 10,000 guns. In September metal ammunition boxes, 1918 belt filling of 1917, Company of machine, water condensing hose, combi- Illion, New York was given a contract nation tools, anti-aircraft sight, ruptured to manufacture 15,000 guns. And on case extractor, headspace and timing January 10, 1918, New England West- gages, clinometer, spare barrel cover, etc. JOURNALinghouse was given a contract to pro-

Right side of a Browning Model of 1917 water-cooled machine gun on an M1917 tripod. SMALLNote the leather ARMS box attached to the rear leg containing spare parts and take-down tools. pressors to help disengage the breech was no market for his new machine February 4, 1919 as U.S. Patent No. lock from the locking recess in the bot- gun, he decided to just “sit on it” until 1,293,021: Automatic Machine Gun. tom of the bolt. It was this gun, the an appropriate time that his new inven- The U.S. government showed Model 1910, that was the basis of the tion was needed. However, Browning practically no interest in machine guns. Model of 1917. Browning also rede- continued to work on his new inven- It had adopted the Maxim gun in 1904 signed the cradle for the gun to sit in tion and on October 13, 1916 applied and the Benet-Mercie machine rifle in that became the M1917 tripod. for another U.S. patent based upon 1909, but both weapons were few in All of the refinements that were his perfected recoil-operated machine numbers and tactics were sorely lack- incorporated in the Model 1910 were gun; the Model of 1910 that ultimately ing. When war broke out in Europe in done on Browning’s own initiative. His became the Model of 1917. It is inter- 1914, there was again a slight flurry of business was thriving with hunting and esting to note that by the end of 1916, machine gun interest in the U.S. and sporting weapons and there was no it had become apparent that the United the Vickers was adopted in 1915. But governmental interest in his machine States would be drawn into the war in even with almost three years to pre- gun, yet he was determined to produce Europe and so patent applications on pare for the eventual U.S. involvement an efficient weapon that required very war materiel were withheld as once in in 1917, there was no little adjustment, could produce a high a patent was granted it became pub- effective machine gun development volume of fire and operated by a sol- lic knowledge and thus available to program in spite of the fact that it was dier with minimal training, with simplic- everyone – including their enemies. obvious that the war in Europe was a ity of construction that enabled cost The patent was eventually granted machine gun war. It was under such effective manufacturing. Since there three months after the war ended on circumstance that the American Ex-

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substantially weakened enemy. Nev- ertheless, it should be noted that even in the German Army’s death throes in those final three months, they fought valiantly to the end and inflicted seri- ous casualties on the American fighting forces who were generally equipped with French machine guns and the U.S. Model of 1915 Vickers, not the new Brownings. And, there were prob- lems with the new gun.

Problems

Because the gun was accepted so quickly, a full trial of tests of all as- pects of the gun were either omitted or rushed so as to get the gun into production. Further testing was con- ducted while the gun was in production but production guns were entering the field with flaws. It was probably fortu- nate that the gun actually saw limited combat use. If it had been used longer On May 10, 1918, just four months after getting the contract, Westinghouse made their under the harsh and demanding condi- first delivery of 85 Browning Model of 1917 guns. By June of 1918, they had manufac- tions that permeated WWI, the failure tured 2,500 guns. Colt was just beginning production in June. (Col George M. Chinn) rate would have mounted very quickly. The list of parts failure was exten- tors, barrel extensions, extractor cam Though there were few problems en- sive, and included accelerators, ejec- plungers, firing pins, belt holding pawl countered regarding the functioning of tor pins, worn out barrels (that had a springs, sears, etc. The list contin- the guns in the field, there were a high life of only about 8,000 rounds), extrac- ued naming another twenty key com- number of parts failures due to improp- er material preparation, poor workman- At some disputed barricade in the Meuse-Argonne front, US soldiers lay down fire ship and inspection. with their Browning ModelJOURNAL of 1917 machine gun. Model of 1917 being demonstrated at Congress Heights on February 27, 1918 mounted on an M1917 tripod. (U.S. National Archives) duce 20,000 guns. Armistice was signed on November guns arrived and the training contin- Because of Colt already being in 11, 1918, Westinghouse had manufac- ued, particularly with the 79th and 80th production of other weapons, most no- tured 30,150 guns and was producing Divisions, the guns were ready to be tably the VickersSMALL Model of 1915, and guns at the rateARMS of 500 per day. As was fielded for combat in September of the time required to start up the new so often the case in the past, and still 1918. The first instance of combat us- facility in Meriden, Colt was the last of is currently, the U.S. was ill prepared age was in the Meuse-Argonne Forest the three manufacturers to get up to for war and the mighty industrial might on September 26, by a small detach- speed in late June, 1918 with the pro- of the U.S stepped up to meet the de- ment of the 79th Division, where in the duction the Model of 1917 Browning, mand. wet and muddy conditions, the new producing only 600 guns by the time Browning performed exceptionally well of the Armistice in November, 1918. Into The Crucible – Finally with one company firing 10,000 rounds Remington also experienced delays per gun. due to completing a Russian contract A machine gun training facility was In all, a total of 1,168 Browning and didn’t begin production until May, established at Camp Hancock in Au- guns actually made it to the front lines 1918. By the end of the war Rem- gusta, though the majority of of World War I seeing action for only ington had produced 12,000 guns. It the graduates never engaged in com- two months before the war ended. was, however, Westinghouse, that bat in France. The first Browning guns While that number may initially seem stepped in with an outstanding pro- arrived in France on June 29, 1918 impressive, it was not, as only a very duction schedule. Within 29 days of and shortly thereafter, training com- small portion of the Allied Expedition- receiving the contract on January 10, menced there even though there was ary Force was so equipped. It was too 1918, Westinghouse had produced a a shortage of guns, spare parts and in- little, too late. But that didn’t matter hand-made prototype production gun structors. The shortage of instructors because the fresh influx of American and, 63 days later, the first produc- was so acute that Val Browning, John troops fighting against an army that, tion gun came off the manufacturing Browning’s son, went to France to be after fours years of decimating casual- line. Just nine months later when the an instructor on the new gun. As more ties, was the final hammer blow to a

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and reliable machine gun operating the by system is a testament to his inventive FIELD-STRIPPING MODEL 1917 ASSEMBLIES genius. The exact same operating principle was applied to the larger .50 1. Make sure the gun is unloaded by checking to make sure there is no belt in Browning M2 machine gun that is still the feedway. Open the top cover and cycle the bolt to the rear three times in use to this day. and visually check the chamber and T-slot on the bolt face that no cartridges Accessories are present. Return bolt to forward position and close top cover. 2. Drain water from the water jacket by unscrewing the water jacket drain plug. Accessories for the M1917 con- 3. Pull the bolt handle back and hold in that position. sisted of a water condensing can, 4. Push in on the driving spring rod protruding from the rear of the back plate water condensing hose, flash hider, and turn to the right so that the lugs on it will catch in undercut recesses in combination tool, M1917 clinometer, the bolt. Use a screwdriver or the base (rim) of a cartridge to turn the driving M1918 belt filling machine, headspace spring rod. and timing gage and a ruptured case 5. Push the bolt handle forward so as to remove the driving spring rod from the extractor. Ammo boxes were made of hole in the back plate. wood in two styles, both slotted to fit on the M1917 cradle. The two styles of 6. Pull back on the top cover latch and open the top cover. Then, push the top wood boxes differ in that the early ones cover latch forward and lift out the back plate. had a straight front while the later ones 7. Pull the bolt handle all the way back and draw the bolt handle out to the right. had a slanted bottom to the front. This 8. The rear of the bolt will be visible. Grasp it by the top and bottom with the was so they would also fit on the short thumb and forefinger and pull it out of the rear end of the receiver. In order lived M1918 tripod cradle. to get a better grip on the bolt, it can be pushed backwards from inside the Wearing their gas masks, US soldiers in the Meuse-Argonne fire their Browning as the M1917A1. (The “Model of” des- Accessories for the M1917A1 con- receiver. Make certain that the driving spring rod is not pointed at the hand Model of 1917 machine gun under protection of a smoke screen. ignation for U.S. arms was dropped in sisted of those accessories mentioned or any other part of the body or another person. It must be pointed in a safe 1939 and replaced with the letter “M”.) above, albeit with some updating and direction. The driving spring rod is under tremendous spring tension, and if it ponents. Many of the parts problems tablished and different design changes modifications, as well as several styles were due to improper heat treating and were conceived and tried. In 1922, the WWII of metal ammunition cans, carrying should become loose (which can happen) it will be a very dangerous missile. poor workmanship. The two most seri- rear sight was changed from meters to handle, anti-aircraft front sight, anti- 9. Push in on the trigger pin through the hole located on the right side of the ous defects were leaking water jackets yards. (Meters were used as all the During World War II, more chang- aircraft tripod extension, and canvas receiver with the point of a bullet. Take hold of the trigger and draw the entire both at the end cap and at the trunnion firing tables and maps used in World es occurred to the M1917A1 that in- covers of various types. lock frame, barrel extension and barrel unit all the way out to the rear. block due to improper manufacturing War I were in meters.) In 1925, there cluded an improved bolt, the bronze 10. Holding the barrel tightly, take hold of the lock frame and hold securely while techniques at Westinghouse and, the were modifications to the buffer to ac- end cap and trunnion block replaced M1917 Tripod pushing forward on the accelerator with the thumb. This unlocks the lock biggest problem, was cracked bottom commodate the 15% increase in recoil by steel, the steam tube assembly was frame and barrel extension, which allows them to be separated. strengthened and the rear leaf sight and side plates due to a flaw in the de- energy due to the adoption of the more Historians familiar with the Brown- 11. Unscrew the JOURNALbarrel from the barrel extension. sign of the support of the breech lock powerful 172-grain boattail M1 .30- graduated for the now standard M2 ball ing family of .30 caliber machine 12. Each complete assembly is now separated from any other assembly. cam, which produced a lot of stress 06 cartridge, but the sight graduation cartridge. guns are acquainted with the versa- on the bottom and side plates. Even wasn’t changed until 1932. While almost all Model of 1917s tile M1917A1 tripod as used with the 13. To reassemble the weapon, reverse the order. as guns were being manufactured, The biggest modification was the were ultimately converted to the A1 M1917A1 Browning water-cooled ma- shipped and fielded, testing continued retrofitting of Model of 1917s with a specifications, production resumed back at Westinghouse,SMALL Remington and reinforcement ARMSstirrup under the breech from 1936 to 1945 with 55,869 Members of the US 315th Machine Gun Battalion, 80th Division, advance through the wood with their Browning Model of 1917 Colts to try and work out problems. lock cam to strengthen the sides and M1917A1s being produced by Rock Is- machine gun between La Chalade and Le Claon, Meuse, France October 29, 1918. This included a number of interchange- bottom plate. Different methods were land Arsenal. ability tests to assure parts from one used as were different sizes of brack- The M1917A1 was the final manufacturer would fit in the gun of an- ets. Initially, a simple “U” bracket was achievement of the heavy water- other manufacturer. either riveted or welded just under the cooled machine gun. The water-cooled breech lock cam. It wasn’t until 1936 Browning was already considered ob- Post War WWI Development that a program was initiated by Rock solete by the end of World War II be- Island Arsenal to convert all exist- cause of its use of water and weight It was fortunate that the war ended ing Model of 1917 Brownings with all and was ultimately supplemented with when it did in terms of working out the the upgrades. Some of the changes the light weight air-cooled Browning problems on the Model of 1917 Brown- included a large, new-manufactured M1919A4, which functioned exactly ing water-cooled machine gun. Pro- reinforced bottom plate that extended the same as the M1917A1, and used duction continued after the war with up the sides of the receiver and riveted the same internal parts, except with- most of the 72,500 guns ultimately in place, a new belt feed lever and the out the water jacket and used a light produced being assembled in the new rear sight in yards for the M1 ball weight M2 tripod. Nevertheless, the post war era. It was during this time, cartridge. A new tripod cradle was also M1917A1 was used extensively in both from about 1919 to the mid 1930s that introduced that simplified construction theaters of operation during World War work continued to perfect the Brown- and incorporated a traverse and eleva- II and continued service throughout ing. Comprehensive testing continued, tion mechanism as one unit at the rear Korea and the beginning stages of the metallurgy improved, standardization of the cradle. This improved version Vietnam War. of manufacturing processes was es- of the Model of 1917 was designated John Browning’s vision of a simple

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ing the elevation mechanism. Unlike the later M1917A1 tri- pod that had a traverse and elevation mechanism incorporated as a single unit at the rear of the cradle, the M1917 only had an elevation adjustment at the rear operated by a large elevation hand wheel marked with graduations to correctly set the elevation of the gun. Traversing was by a different method whereas fine traversing was accom- plished by a “slow motion” worm gear located within the cradle socket above and ahead of the rear leg clamp. Ad- ditionally, the M1917 Browning gun attaches directly to the M1917 tripod cradle, whereas a separate pintle is attached to the gun (either M1917 or M1917A1) that fits into a socket in the head of the M1917A1 tripod. Because of the height of both tri- The elevation mechanism at the rear of the M1917 cradle (left) is the only function conducted at this location. Note the large eleva- pods and due to the weight of pulling a tion hand wheel has graduation markings for fine adjustment and a lock screw. The M1917A1 (right) has both elevation and traverse loaded belt from ground level through mechanisms located at the rear. Mil marks for fine adjustments are located on each adjusting wheel and on the traversing bar. Three soldiers of Company A, 339th Machine Gun Battalion, 88th Division, take a the feedway, which seriously affect- position on the Rhone-Rhine Canal near Eglingen with their Browning Model of 1917 ed the operation of the gun, both the major parts; the legs, the socket, the Captain Stanley continues in a specifications in a rebuild program in machine gun on October 29, 1918. M1917 and the M1917A1 tripods had a pintle and the cradle. The legs are conclusion that, “This tripod was not the 1920s and ‘30s and an original chine gun. Rock steady with integral pods were produced in 1917-1918 by bracket on the left side cradle plate that steel tubing having feet attached to originally designed for the slow mo- M1917 Browning machine gun that traverse and elevation mechanism, it two manufacturers: the Nelson Blower facilitated the attachment of a slotted one end and the serrated connections tion mechanism, or for stops. Ac- has not been modified and upgrad- saw service from its adoption in 1935 & Furnace Company of Boston, and wood ammunition box. This presented to the other. The socket is of manga- cordingly the slow motion and stops ed is exceptionally rare. So too, the through the . It’s only real the Crown Cork & Seal Company of the belt close to the mouth of the feed- nese bronze and is the part to which are not especially efficient, although M1917 tripods were also modified and drawback to the soldier in the field was Baltimore. The M1917 tripod was an way and provided ease of operation of the legs are assembled, in which the they are very quick and positive in ac- upgraded to the A1 tripod specifica- its weight. But just as the M1917A1 improvement of a tripod originally de- the working parts of the gun as the feed pintle revolves and in which the slow tion. The tripods have been issued to tions. This often consisted of remov- Browning machine gun was an im- signed and patented by John Browning pawl lever is directly attached to the re- motion mechanism and stops are at- troops and such reports as have been ing the traversing worm gear adjust- provement of the M1917 Browning for his early water-cooled guns that he coiling bolt. tached. The traversing clamp is also received show them to be highly satis- ment wheel mechanism attached to machine gun, so too was the M1917A1 built in 1901 and in 1910. The basic Ordnance Captain S.C. Stanley attached to the socket. The pintle is factory. No adverse criticism has been the worm gear and replaced with a tripod an improvement of the M1917 improvements were lightening the total best described the M1917 tripod by the center member of the tripod and received except in JOURNALregard to the stops tear-shaped cover over the resulting tripod. weight by cutting spaces in the left and writing, “The Browning Machine Gun carries the cradle clamp and travers- and slow motion mechanism.” hole. An original, as manufactured, Approximately 20,000 M1917 tri- right tripod cradle side plates and refin- Tripod, Model of 1917, consists of four ing stop pin. The cradle is attached M1917 Browning machine guns M1917 tripod is an extremely rare col- to the top of the pintle and is used to were upgraded and modified to A1 lectable accessory. allow a quick elevation or depression BOTTOM LEFT: Right side view of the M1917 cradle where it attaches to the tripod head. Seen is the large clamping of the gun. It carries at its rear end handle to provideSMALL gross adjustments of elevation arc andARMS gross elevation marks on the cradle. The gun attaches directly BROWNING MODEL 1917 the elevating mechanism which allows to the cradle on the M1917. Also note the location on the tripod head just forward and above the rear leg attachment a micrometer adjustment of the gun Caliber: .30-06 clamp of the M1917 traversing worm dial for fine adjustment of the worm gear for traversing. One of the two traverse in elevation. It has a 360 degree free stops can also be seen by the marked brass traversing dial ring located horizontally on the tripod head. BOTTOM RIGHT: Weight of gun without water: 30 pounds traverse graduated on an adjustable On the left side of the M1917 tripod head can be seen the worm gear traversing unlocking and gross adjustment knob just Weight of gun with water: 36.75 pounds dial at 20 mil intervals for 6,400 mils; below the brass traversing dial ring. This disengages the worm gear completely to allow for large traversing movement. a clamping feature on the pintle simi- Water jacket capacity: 7 pints Also seen is the left side traversing stop on the brass traversing dial ring and the bracket to hold the ammunition box. lar to that used on the British (Vickers) Length of gun: 38.5 inches Mark IV Tripod; a slow traversing worm Length of barrel: 24 inches mechanism graduated in 2 mil inter- vals and traversing stops adjustable to Method of operation: Short recoil a single mil both having a quick throw Operation: Full automatic only off to allow for free traverse; an elevat- Cyclic : 500 rounds per minute ing mechanism of 125 mils capacity and graduated to 1 mil on an adjust- Feed: 250-round fabric belt able dial; a cradle construction on the Weight of loaded belt: 15.25 pounds pintle which allows a quick elevation Front sights: Protected blade or depression of 30 degrees each way Rear sights: Peep, adjustable leaf with graduation marks at 12-1/2 mil in- tervals. The weight is approximately graduated to 2,800 meters the same as the British (Vickers) Mark Weight of tripod: 53 pounds IV Tripod, that is, 50 pounds.”

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