Engineering:Breda 38
| Mitragliatrice Breda cal. 8 mod. 38 per carri armati | |
|---|---|
 A Breda Mod 38 at display at the Forte di San Leo | |
| Type | Tank machine gun |
| Place of origin | Italy |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1938–1943 |
| Used by | Italy Portugal |
| Wars | World War II Portuguese Colonial War |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | Breda Meccanica Bresciana |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 16.3 kg (36 lb)[1] |
| Length | 897.5 mm (35.33 in)[1] |
| Barrel length | 600 mm (24 in)[1] |
| Cartridge | 8×59mm RB Breda 7.92×57mm Mauser |
| Action | Gas-operated |
| Rate of fire | 550 rds/min theoretical, 350 rds/min practical[1] |
| Muzzle velocity | 770 metres per second (2,500 ft/s)[1] |
| Effective firing range | 300 m (330 yd)[1] |
| Feed system | 24-round vertical box magazine |
The Mitragliatrice Breda calibro 8 modello 38 per carri armati was an Italian tank-pattern machine gun used in the Second World War on the Fiat L6/40, the Fiat M11/39 and the Fiat M13/40. It was also adapted as infantry machine gun. The M38 is based upon the Breda M37. The Breda 38 received the German identification code Kampfwagen-Maschinengewehr 350(i).
Development
The Italians have also adapted it for use as an infantry machine gun.[2] For this purpose the gun is mounted on a machine-gun tripod...by means of an adapter, and is fitted with a temporary rear sight on the right of the body and a temporary front sight on the right of the barrel at the muzzle. These temporary open sights take the place of the optical sight used when the gun is tank-mounted.
Design details
The gun is air-cooled, gas-operated, and magazine-fed, and has a quick-change barrel. Its operational features are simple, and it is extremely easy to field-strip or disassemble completely. The barrel is sufficiently heavy (4,5 kg) to enable it to fire a large number of rounds in quick succession without overheating.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Pignato, p. 43.
- ↑ U.S. Military Intelligence Service (June 3, 1943), Italian 8-mm Breda Machine Gun, Model 38, WWII Tactical and Technical Trends, No. 26, http://www.lonesentry.com/articles/ttt07/italian-breda-machine-gun.html, retrieved 6 October 2015
- Pignato, Nicola (1978) (in it). Armi della fanteria italiana nella seconda guerra mondiale. Ermanno Albertelli Editore.
External links
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