Vickers machine gun
| Vickers machine gun | |
|---|---|
A Vickers machine gun mounted on a tripod. This example is at York Castle Museum. | |
| Type | Heavy machine gun |
| Place of origin | United Kingdom |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1912–1968 |
| Used by | See § Users |
| Wars | See § Conflicts |
| Production history | |
| Designed | 1912 |
| Manufacturer | Vickers |
| Unit cost |
|
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 33–51 lb (15–23 kg) all-up |
| Length | 3 ft 8 in (1,120 mm) |
| Barrel length | 28 in (710 mm) |
| Crew | 3 |
| Cartridge | .303 British For other cartridges, see § Foreign service |
| Action | Recoil with gas boost |
| Rate of fire | 450–500 rounds/min |
| Muzzle velocity |
|
| Effective firing range | 2,187 yd (2,000 m) |
| Maximum firing range | 4,500 yd (4,115 m) indirect fire (.303 Mk. VIIIz ball) |
| Feed system | 250-round canvas belt |
The Vickers machine gun or Vickers gun is a water-cooled .303 British (7.7 mm) machine gun produced by Vickers Limited, originally for the British Army. The gun was operated by a three-man crew, but typically required more men to move and operate it: one fired, one fed the ammunition, the others helped to carry the weapon, its ammunition, and spare parts. It was in service from before the First World War until the 1960s, with air-cooled versions of it on many Allied World War I fighter aircraft.
The weapon had a reputation for great solidity and reliability. Ian V. Hogg, in Weapons & War Machines, describes an action that took place in August 1916, during which the British 100th Company of the Machine Gun Corps fired their ten Vickers guns to deliver sustained fire for twelve hours. Using 100 barrels, they fired a million rounds without breakdowns. "It was this absolute foolproof reliability which endeared the Vickers to every British soldier who ever fired one. It never broke down; it just kept on firing and came back for more."