Machine guns "Maxim"

Machine gun of the H. Maxim system, model 1910/30

The Maxim machine gun, model 1910, is a Russian version of the British machine gun, which was modernized at the Tula Arms Plant under the leadership of masters I. Pastukhov, I. Sudakov and P. Tretyakov. The body weight of the machine gun was reduced and some details were changed: the adoption of a cartridge with a pointed bullet of the 1908 model made it necessary to change the sighting devices in the machine gun and remake the receiver so that it would fit the new cartridge. The English wheeled carriage was replaced with a lightweight wheeled carriage by A. Sokolov. In addition, A. Sokolov designed cartridge boxes, a gig for transporting cartridges, and sealed cylinders for boxes with cartridges. Some machine guns had a casing with longitudinal fins, which increased rigidity and increased the cooling surface, but fins had to be abandoned to simplify production. ( S. Fedoseev. Machine gun "Maxim" model 1910)

Maxim machine guns were used during the First World War and the Civil War, they were used as heavy machine guns, installed on armored cars, armored trains and carts. In 1929, a pilot batch with a corrugated casing was produced, according to some sources with a wide neck, but it was not accepted for production. ( S. L. Fedoseev. "Russian machine guns. Heavy fire"). In 1930, the Maxim was modernized in connection with the adoption of a new cartridge with a heavy bullet. A corrugated casing is also introduced to make the machine gun lighter. The modernized machine gun was called the "7.62 heavy machine gun of the Maxim system, model 1910/30."

Main tactical and technical characteristics:

Maxim machine gun body weight with coolant - 24.2 kg

Weight of Sokolov's machine with shield - 43.4 kg
Machine gun body length - 1107 mm
The maximum width of the machine gun is 140 mm
Rate of fire - 500-600 rounds per minute
Maximum bullet range:

heavy model 1930 - up to 5000 m
light model 1908 - up to 3500 m

The Maxim machine gun model 1910/30 belongs to automatic weapon systems with barrel recoil (short stroke). Locking is carried out by a crank-type mechanism (connecting rod and crank). The machine gun's trigger mechanism is designed for automatic fire only and has a safety device against accidental shots. The machine gun is fed with cartridges from a slide-type receiver with a metal or canvas belt for 250 rounds. When firing, the barrel is cooled by a liquid placed in the casing. The machine gun sight is rack-mounted, the front sight has a rectangular top.

By the end of the 30s, the design of the machine gun was considered obsolete for rifle units. The time of the carts had passed, and the machine gun was powerless against tanks. One of the disadvantages was its former advantage, which allowed continuous shooting - water cooling of the barrel. It significantly increased the weight of the weapon, damage to the casing led to water pouring out, a decrease in the speed and accuracy of fire, and after some time led to the failure of the machine gun. The machine gun became especially inconvenient when operating in the mountains and on the offensive. The machine gun with the machine weighed about 65 kg, the weight of the box with cartridge belt was from 9.88 to 10.3 kilograms, the box with spare parts was 7.2 kilograms. Each heavy machine gun carried a combat set of cartridges, 12 boxes with machine gun belts, two spare barrels, one box with spare parts, one box with accessories, three cans for water and lubricant, and an optical machine gun sight. ( From a manual for an infantry fighter. Chapter 12. Service of a heavy machine gun. 1940). This weight significantly reduced the maneuverability of the machine gun during battle, and the protruding shield made camouflage difficult. On the march, the machine gun was serviced by a team of 5-7 people (machine gun squad), during the battle - by 2-3 people.

The need for a link metal tape was recognized. This tape was used in aircraft machine gun PV-1, created on the basis of the Maxim. The fact that this tape was not accepted for ground machine guns is explained by the lack of stamping and pressing equipment allowing its mass production.

To replace the Maxim, on September 22, 1939, a new air-cooled machine gun, the Degtyarev easel model of 1939, was put into service. But the Tula Arms Plant continued to produce Maxims of the 1910/30 model - in 1940, 4049 Maxim machine guns were produced; in terms of orders from the People's Commissariat of Defense for land weapons, 3000 pieces were planned for 1941 ( S. L. Fedoseev. Russian machine guns. Heavy fire). Structurally, the DS-39 machine guns turned out to be unfinished; in June 1941 they were discontinued, and production of Maxims began to increase with the beginning of the war. But already in October 1941, the production of machine guns dropped sharply due to the evacuation of factories.

The main manufacturer of heavy machine guns was the Tula Machine-Building Plant No. 66. In October 1941, due to the approach of Nazi troops to Tula, the equipment of the plant No. 66 was evacuated to the Urals. The production of machine guns declined sharply. During the siege of Tula (November - December 1941), on the basis of the Tula Arms Factory and using equipment collected from other enterprises of the city, among other weapons, 224 Degtyarev heavy machine guns and 71 Maxim system machine guns were assembled. in the last quarter of 1941, instead of the planned 12 thousand Maxim machine guns, the front received 867. For the entire 1941, 9691 Maxim machine guns and 3717 DS machine guns were produced. S. L. Fedoseev. Russian machine guns. Heavy fire).

From October 4 to October 12, 1941, engineers Yu.A. Kozarin and I.E. Lubenets under the leadership of chief designer A.A. Tronenkov at the Tula Arms Plant undertook another modernization of the Maxim machine gun in accordance with new combat, production and economic requirements. To fill the casing with ice and snow, it was equipped with a wide neck with a hinged lid - this solution was borrowed from the Finnish Maxim M32-33, which the Soviet army had to face in 1940. The machine gun was equipped with a simplified sight with one sighting bar instead of two, which were previously replaced depending on the shooting of a light or heavy bullet; the bracket for optical sight, since the latter was not attached to the machine gun.

For using metal and canvas tapes I.E. Lubenets developed a milled receiver; for ease of unloading, it was equipped with a special switch for the upper fingers. But, in order to make maximum use of the significant reserves of canvas tapes, receivers only for them continued to be produced throughout the war. Then, in October, the People's Commissariat of Armaments and the State Autonomous Administration approved design changes, but improvements continued. Since 1942, receivers began to be produced from silumin by injection molding or from broached steel.

In the history of weapons there are examples that have become iconic. The American Colt equalized the rights of the strong and the physically weak. The Shpagin submachine gun (PPSh) is the weapon of a soldier of Victory. The Kalashnikov assault rifle has participated in all military conflicts on the planet since the mid-20th century. The TT pistol is the weapon of killers and bandits of the dashing nineties.

From this series, a participant in two world wars and civil war in Russia - the Maxim machine gun, which changed the tactics of war, a “killing machine” and a “hellish mower”.

Mousetrap and machine gun

Hiram Stevens Maxim was born in 1840 in the USA. A typical 19th-century inventor, he registered nearly 300 patents in a variety of fields. These included an asthma inhaler, an electric lighting system, and a steam-powered airplane. The spring mousetrap of the Maxim system has survived to this day almost unchanged. Maxim also invented the notorious bicycle - he developed the design of a wheel with spokes.

But his main creation is the famous Maxim system machine gun, the object of curses of pacifists and humanists. The inventor himself called it a “killing machine,” and the soldiers of the First World War came up with the nickname “hell mower.”

Background

Gunsmiths have long been looking for the possibility of creating a weapon capable of firing more than one shot after pressing the trigger. The first working example of such a weapon was the Gatling machine gun. The multi-barreled monster fired 200 rounds per minute, fantastic for those times. Because of large quantity Gatling's invention of fired bullets began to be called grapeshot. But it cannot be called an automatic weapon in the full sense. The barrels were moved and cartridges were reloaded by rotating a handle, reminiscent of a drive for a manual meat grinder.

The need to rotate the handle greatly affected the accuracy of shooting, cumbersome multi-barrel weapon on a heavy carriage worsened mobility and stealth. The fixed magazine, which had to be filled periodically, reduced the actual rate of fire during combat use.

Modern aircraft and ship fire systems use up to 12 barrels, but at that time the single-barrel Maxim machine gun, the design of which was based on a new principle, became a breakthrough in the automation of firearms.

Operating principle of the Maxim machine gun

For a long time, Maxim worked on devices that used the force of steam or gas pressure. It was the recoil energy of the barrel under the action of the powder gases generated during the shot that the inventor decided to use for his machine gun.

When fired, the bullet was pushed forward, the barrel and bolt with the spent cartridge case, acting like a piston, moved back. Having passed 26 mm, the barrel returned with a spring to initial position, and the shutter, having become detached, traveled another 95 mm. The used sleeve fell into the outlet tube, the bolt, having reached the rearmost position, was pulled forward by a spring. While moving, the bolt picked up the next cartridge and drove it into the chamber. There was an explosion powder charge in the sleeve and the process was repeated.

The time between shots was one tenth of a second, and 600 bullets were fired per minute.

How the Maxim machine gun became Russian

Maxim's main activity as a gunsmith took place in England, where he moved in 1881. In the United States, the Maxim machine gun did not arouse interest among the military. In the absence of significant military conflicts as places where the machine gun could be used, its rate of fire was considered unnecessary, and the weapon itself was considered too complex and expensive.

It took 2 years for Maxim to refine his machine gun. The drawings were ready in 1883, and the inventor developed active work for the production and sale of new weapons. Turning out to be a talented marketer, Maxim managed to interest all the leading countries of Europe, many countries in Asia and South America. What is the rate of fire indicated by him in the form of the “number of the Antichrist” - 666! The fame of the “devilish weapon” spread throughout all the armies of the world. The Russian Tsar also became interested in the new product. In 1888, he personally tested the weapon, and several samples were purchased.

In 1910, a modernized Maxim machine gun began to be produced at the arms factory in Tula. The drawings and license were purchased from Sir Maxim's company. The machine gun with wheels was designed by the Russian military engineer Sokolov, the machine gun took on the canonical appearance, familiar to everyone from paintings, photographs and films, dedicated to history Russia and the USSR.

Improvements and upgrades

The first samples of the machine gun had parts made of expensive non-ferrous metals and required a lot of labor and highly qualified gunsmiths. Therefore, one Maxim machine gun, the design of which was very difficult to manufacture, cost as much as a small locomotive. Subsequently, brass and bronze were replaced by steel, Tula gunsmiths found ways to avoid individual fitting of each part, but the machine gun was always a rather expensive product.

Even after numerous upgrades, the machine gun could not avoid significant shortcomings. The water cooling system of the barrel in the form of a characteristic casing made it possible to conduct automatic fire in long bursts without any visible consequences for the weapon. But the need to have a constant supply of water made it difficult to use weapons in combat. Often the casing was damaged even by bullets, especially by fragments of mines and grenades.

The armor shield, together with the water-filled casing and the massive machine, determined the heavy weight of the Maxim, reaching up to 70 kg. In marching formation, the machine gun was carried disassembled by three soldiers, and boxes with ribbons were distributed throughout the company. The high position of the shield made camouflage difficult, which forced them to frequently change position, so the machine gunners often removed the protection.

The cartridge strip was made of either fabric or metal. The fabric tape contaminated the machine gun and quickly became unusable.

But the high combat effectiveness of the machine gun justified the widespread use of Maxim’s invention.

Cavalry Killer

From the first examples of use, the Maxim heavy machine gun had big influence on battle tactics. Fighting the British in suppressing uprisings in the African colonies, Russo-Japanese War showed the futility of massive infantry attacks against machine gun fire.

Military armies of different countries who had uniforms in the past bright colors, changed into modest khaki, less noticeable in a machine gun sight. Maxim’s invention forced armies to bury themselves in the ground, largely predetermining the emergence of the concept of “trench warfare.”

He forced the mounted army units to dismount and put an end to cavalry as the main type of troops. When attacking with lava, machine guns mowed down people and horses almost completely.

Although it was the use of spring carts with machine guns mounted on them that gave rise to the new kind mobile fire weapon. The legendary cart became a symbol of Budyonny’s First Cavalry Army and the units under the command of Father Makhno.

Technical and tactical characteristics

The 1910/1930 model machine gun met the Great Patriotic War as part of the Red Army. Attempts to replace it with similar weapons of the Degtyarev system failed, and the Maxim machine gun, the characteristics of which became obsolete in the early 40s, began to be produced again in large quantities. The production of new machine guns of the Maxim system was finally stopped in 1945.

In different countries of Europe, several varieties of heavy machine guns of the Maxim system were designed and produced: the English Vickers, the German MG-08 and MG-11, etc. Some of them were used as manual ones, there were also large-caliber versions, they were installed on ships and aircraft.

Legendary name

The Maxim machine gun has become a truly iconic weapon. Being English, it became inseparable from the history of Russian and Soviet army period of two world wars, was in service with all warring parties in the civil war.

“Maxim” became the hero of poems and songs, he is depicted in the paintings of battle painters, he was filmed in films in the past and is being filmed now. He is an active participant in battle reconstructions conducted by military history clubs.

Its small-sized layout is available to collectors. A Maxim machine gun with two cartridge boxes, deactivated in a special way, can be bought for an amount equal to approximately 100 thousand rubles.

Half a century in service

The inventor of the first rapid-fire weapon, Richard Gatling, a doctor by profession, naively thought that, horrified by the consequences of the use of the first machine guns, humanity would abandon wars. It is known about Sir Hiram Maxim that he lost his peace of mind while studying reports from the fields of the First World War. It was his invention that was the first to be called a weapon of mass destruction.

An Englishman by birth, he received the Maxim machine gun in Russia given name and, having served faithfully in the army for fifty years, became a legend.

The Maxim machine gun of the 1910 model was a modernized version of the machine gun of the 1905 model. Its serial production was carried out at the Imperial Tula Arms Factory (ITOZ) from May 1905 under a license from Maxim, Vickers and Suns (England). Main role in finalizing the systems of both Maxim models and putting machine guns into production belonged to Guard Colonel Tretyakov and senior class master Pastukhov, who served at ITOZ. The essence of the modernization, which was carried out in 1909, was to create a lighter machine gun. Some parts made of bronze (barrel casing, receiver, handles, etc.) were replaced with steel ones. The sight, parts of the casing and box, the trigger rod, and the butt plate were also changed. The first two machine guns modernized by Tula gunsmiths were submitted for testing on June 15, 1909 (where they became competitors of the new Vickers machine gun). After appropriate modifications, the Tula “light” machine gun was adopted for service, giving it the designation “Maxim heavy machine gun of the 1910 model” with a field wheeled machine gun of Colonel Sokolov. Serial production of the new modification of the Maxim and the machine began in 1911. The 1910 model machine gun was indeed significantly improved compared to the prototype, primarily in technological terms, but it is hardly correct to say that “Russian technicians created, in fact, new machine gun"established in Russian literature.

The machine gun consisted of: barrel; a frame that included a locking mechanism, a drum, a handle and a chain; shutter (lock) with impact mechanism, combat cylinder, lifting and locking levers; trigger pull; box (riveted) with a hinged lid; butt plate with safety catch, trigger lever and control handles; return spring with casing (box); a receiver having a tape feeding mechanism; barrel casing with sleeve and steam outlet tube, drain and fill holes; sighting devices; muzzle

The automatic system implemented a barrel recoil scheme with a short stroke. The barrel bore was locked by a system consisting of two articulated levers. The connecting rod (front lever) was connected to the bolt with a flat hinge, and the crank (rear lever) was also hinged at the rear of the frame, that is, the frame was the receiver. At the right end of the bloodworm axis there was a swinging handle, at the left there was an eccentric (drum) with a Gall chain, which was connected to the return spring. The return spring was mounted in a separate box located on the left wall of the Maxima box. The lock was equipped with a drummer with a double-leaf mainspring. The combat cylinder, which had grips to hold the cartridge case, slid vertically in the grooves of the lock and had a hole for the firing pin to pass through, so the shot could only be fired if the cylinder was in a certain position. The drummer cocked his ankle. At the same time, the upper safety release captured him. The ankle, with its combat platoon, stood on the lower slope.

The trigger lever, which had a finger button, was placed between the control handles and was held in place by a safety lock. A canvas cartridge strip was inserted into the transverse window of the receiver on the right. The tape nests were separated by metal plates fastened with rivets. In this case, the rivets were placed with a slight interference fit, which made it possible to firmly hold the cartridge in the socket. The cartridge box was installed separately from the machine gun. For reliable operation of the feed, the second number supported the tape with his hands in the correct position. The weight of the canvas tape was 1.1 kg. The cutout wall of the left frame of the receiver frame activated the feed mechanism. On the first Maxim machine guns of the 1910 model, a reel was installed on the box, designed to direct the canvas tape to the receiver. Later the coil was moved to the shield.

The shot was fired from a closed bolt. It was necessary to lift the safety and press the trigger lever. At the same time, the trigger rod moved back, pulling the tail of the lower trigger, which released the ankle. The firing pin passed through the hole in the cylinder, breaking the cartridge primer. The lock, under the influence of recoil, tried to move back, transferring pressure to the crank and connecting rod. The crank and connecting rod formed an angle, the apex of which was facing upward, and rested against the protrusions of the frame with their hinge. The barrel and frame with the lock moved backwards. After the movable system had traveled about 20 millimeters, the handle ran onto the fixed roller of the box and rose, turning the crank down. As a result, the lever system straightened and the lock was pressed more closely to the bore. After the bullet had ejected, the powder gases entered the muzzle, pressing on the front section of the barrel, and the moving system received an additional impulse. The design of the Russian-style muzzle was developed by Zhukov and finalized by Pastukhov. The barrel, moving back, opened transverse holes in the muzzle, through which excess powder gases were discharged. By turning, the handle caused the levers to fold down and move away from the lock barrel. The handle acted as an accelerator for the lock, transmitting to it kinetic energy recoil and braking the frame and barrel. The lock cylinder, holding the spent cartridge case by the rim, removed it from the chamber. When lowering the connecting rod, the tube of the locking levers pressed on the tail of the ankle, which, turning, cocked the striker. The lifting levers lifted the larva, capturing the next cartridge from the receiver window (the window was longitudinal). During further movement of the system backwards, curved leaf springs located on inside lids of the box, lowered the larva. Simultaneously with this cranked lever, the slider of the feed mechanism was moved to the right. The slider's fingers jumped for the next cartridge. When the handle was turned, the chain wound around the drum, stretching the return spring. The weight of the barrel was 2.105 kilograms, the moving system - 4.368 kilograms. The rear stroke length of the barrel was 26 millimeters, the lock relative to the barrel was up to 95 millimeters. Coordination of the movement of the lock and the barrel was achieved by adjusting the tension of the return spring.

Operation of the automatic system of the Maxim machine gun

At the end of the rotation, the handle hit the roller with its short shoulder and began a reverse rotation (early samples of the Maxim machine gun had a separate spring for this). The moving system moved forward under the action of the return spring. The lock sent the cartridge into the chamber, and the spent cartridge was sent into the cartridge outlet tube, from where it was pushed out during the next cycle. The crank lever shifted the slide to the left, and it advanced the next cartridge to the receiver window. When turning the crank and connecting rod, the tail of the safety release was raised by the tube of the locking levers. When the combat larva stood opposite the striker with its hole, the upper trigger released the firing pin and, if the trigger lever was pressed, a shot was fired.

The machine gun consisted of 368 parts. The maximum gas pressure in the barrel was about 2850 kg/sq.cm, and the average was about 1276 kg/sq.cm. During training, a blank firing bushing was used, which was screwed into the muzzle. When the mainspring broke, the debris was removed through the bottom of the box.

The Maxim machine gun of the 1910 model had a rack-mounted sight mounted on the lid of the box. On the rack there was an aiming bar, which had divisions for aiming at range. On the transverse tube of the clamp, divisions were marked along which the rear sight was installed. The front sight of a triangular cross-section was inserted into a groove on the casing. The length of the aiming line was 911 millimeters. The height of the front sight above the axis of the bore was 102.5 millimeters, so the accuracy of the casing had a great influence on accuracy. The sight was set to a range of up to 3.2 thousand steps (2270 meters), but the effective range did not exceed 1.5 thousand meters.

The capacity of the casing was about 4.5 liters. Some machine guns had casings with longitudinal fins, which increased rigidity and increased the cooling surface, but fins were abandoned in favor of simplifying production. Canvas or rubber hoses used in some armies to vent steam into the atmosphere or into a condenser canister were used in the Russian army only in armored installations.

Armored trains were heavily armed with machine guns. Russian armored train of the Hunhuz type in Galicia, 1916. Both Maxim and captured Schwarzlose machine guns were used to arm such armored trains.

With the help of a crank mechanism, smooth and almost shockless operation of the automation was ensured. The use of a power supply system drive from the frame was rational from the point of view of uniform distribution of recoil energy. The Maxim system had high survivability and reliability, which ensured its exceptional longevity. Despite the fact that the external position of the handle was dangerous for the crew, it facilitated the assessment of the condition, as well as the determination and elimination of delays in firing. The production of a machine gun was quite complex and required not only high-quality steel and skilled workers, but also numerous special equipment. Some equipment was also required for assembly and initial running-in of the units.

Sokolov's machine, which he developed with the participation of Platonov, a master of the St. Petersburg gun factory, consisted of a frame with a trunk, wheels and a table. The rim and spokes of the wheels were made of oak, the tire was made of steel, and the nuts and bushings were made of bronze. The table carried a clamp-type swivel with a clamp, fine and coarse vertical aiming mechanisms, as well as a shield. The machine gun was attached to the swivel by the front eyes of the box. The lower eye connected the machine gun and the head of the lifting mechanism. Rough vertical alignment was carried out by moving the table along the arcs of the frame. In the first version of the machine, the frame had two foldable legs, a seat, and a roller at the end of the trunk. This design made it possible to fire from two positions and roll the machine gun by the strap. When carried, the legs folded back and the trunk forward. Later, the front legs, roller and seat were eliminated, and a small opener was strengthened at the end of the trunk. These changes led to the fact that the maximum elevation angle decreased to 18 degrees (from 27), and the declination - to 19 degrees (from 56); shooting was carried out only from a prone position. The mass of a 6.5-mm shield measuring 505x400 millimeters was 8.0 kilograms (with a reel guiding the tape - 8.8 kilograms). It was believed that the shield would protect the machine gun crew from rifle bullets at a distance of over 50 meters. Although the convenience of a wheeled machine even on slightly rough terrain is questionable, in our country the addiction to them lasted a long time.

Installation of Maxim machine guns in the turrets of the Austin armored car built at the Putilov plant

Before the complete “victory” of Sokolov’s machines in Russia, several installations were used with the Maxim machine gun. The field and fortress wheeled carriages were removed from service before 1914, but the Vickers tripods of the 1904, 1909 and 1910 models remained.

The Vickers tripod of the 1904 model had a mass of 21 kilograms, the height of the firing line was 710 millimeters, the vertical guidance angle was from -20 to +15 degrees, the horizontal guidance was 45 degrees, its modification of the 1909 model, which had a new lifting mechanism, had a mass of 32 kilograms , vertical guidance angle - from 15 to +16 degrees, horizontal guidance - 52 degrees. The 1910 model tripod had a mass of 39 kilograms, the mass of the shield 534x400 millimeters was 7.4 kilograms, the vertical aiming angle was from -25 to +20 degrees, horizontal - 52 degrees, and occupied three fixed positions at the position.

In 1915, the Kolesnikov system, which was easier to manufacture and lighter, was added to the Maxim machine gun. This machine was produced by the Petrograd gun factory, Kyiv, Bryansk and Petrograd arsenals. The Izhevsk and Sormovo factories were engaged in the production of shields. Kolesnikov’s machine had a tubular boom with a coulter and rope loops instead of handles, 305 mm oak wheels with steel tires and hubs and bronze bushings, horizontal and vertical guidance mechanisms, and a shield mount. The disadvantage of the design was that the axis of the barrel bore was too high relative to the axes of the wheel travel and the vertical guidance mechanism. This increased dispersion during shooting. The mass of the machine was 30.7 kilograms, a 7-millimeter shield measuring 498x388 millimeters was 8.2 kilograms, the vertical guidance angle was from -25 to +32 degrees, and the horizontal guidance was 80 degrees. The machine consisted of 166 parts, including knitting needles. During the war, the machine gun and machine gun were painted in a protective color.

To save money during the training of machine gunners, instead of live cartridges, manufactured cartridges with a reduced powder charge were used. A box of live ammunition intended for machine guns was marked with the letter “P” before being sent to the troops.

A large number of proposals were received from foreign companies and domestic inventors regarding sights, as well as devices for conducting “hidden” firing from machine guns. The latter consisted of a periscope sight mounted on the parapet of the trench and an additional trigger lever. Such sights were tested, but not a single sample was accepted for service.

The pressing problem of firing at air targets has given rise to many different options for improvised anti-aircraft installations among the troops. For Sokolov’s machine, for example, they developed a stand with a clip for anti-aircraft shooting. In the fall of 1915, master Kolesnikov made a tripod “machine gun machine for firing at aircraft" The machine, developed in the workshops of the Rifle Range, provided large elevation angles and all-round fire, aiming was free, a clamp was used to fire “at the point,” and a butt could be attached. Titular adviser Fedorov presented an anti-aircraft gun, easily made from scrap materials. The machine gun was mounted on it with a Sokolov machine gun. This installation made it possible to fire at vertical guidance angles from +30 to +90 degrees. The 5th Department of Artcom decided to send descriptions of these installations to the troops, transferring them from “procurement” to their own discretion. The standard anti-aircraft machine gun mount was never transferred to the Russian Army.

Lieutenant General Kabakov, inspector of the rifle unit in the troops, on October 11, 1913, in a note to the Aeronautical Unit of the GUGSh, gave recommendations for converting the Maxim machine guns into aviation ones - although these recommendations were not implemented, however, five years later, similar changes were made by the Germans to the MG machine gun. 08/18.

The procedure for unloading the Maxim machine gun, model 1910: Press your fingers at the bottom of the receiver tray on the right side to remove the tape. Pull it back twice and then release the cocking handle located on the right side of the box. Using a pencil or other object suitable for this purpose, make sure that there is no cartridge or cartridge case in the under-barrel front tube. Raise the safety and press the release lever.

The procedure for partial disassembly of the Maxim heavy machine gun of the 1910 model with the Sokolov machine gun:
1. Before disassembling, drain the coolant from the casing. Separate the shield from the machine. To do this: loosen the nut of the connecting bolt; the tail of the bolt head is turned upward to a horizontal position; the shield is removed upwards.
2. Open the box lid by pushing the clasp forward with your thumbs.
3. The lock is removed. To do this: send the handle forward right hand to failure; With your left hand you take the frame of the lock and lift it up a little; smoothly lowering the handle, the lock rises from the box; the lock turns and is removed from the connecting rod.
4. The firing pin is lowered to release the mainspring. To do this, it is necessary: ​​holding the combat cylinder in the uppermost position, press the tube of the locking levers to the platform; release the hammer from the upper descent; by pressing on the tail of the lower trigger, smoothly release the striker.
5. The receiver is taken with both hands and pulled out upward.
6. The box with the return spring is separated. To do this, the box is moved forward so that the hooks come off the box spikes, after which the drum chain is removed from the return spring hook.
7. The butt plate extends. To do this, you need to squeeze the head of the split pin with your fingers, pulling it to the side; push the butt plate up by holding its handles with both hands (if it is difficult to extend the butt plate, you can use a special lever device).
8. Fold the handle forward, grasping the roller and the bolt, pull the right bolt to the right, grasping the left bolt from both sides from behind and pull it out.
9. The frame with the barrel is removed. To do this: the connecting rod will rise and rest on the crank; grab the handle with your right hand, fixing it (do not let it turn), grab the drum with your left hand, push the frame back; clasp the barrel and the extended end of the left frame with your left hand; remove the frame with the barrel from the box.
10. The barrel is separated from the frame. To do this: with your left hand grasping the end of the left frame and the barrel, with your right hand the right frame is moved to the side and removed from the barrel axle; after this the left frame is removed.
11. The trigger rod is removed. To do this, the rod is applied to itself, lifted upward by the end and removed from the box.
12. By turning to the right, the cap is removed from the muzzle; the bushing is unscrewed from the muzzle using two keys; The muzzle is unscrewed with a drill key.

Machine gun assembly procedure:
1. A rod is inserted into the box. Its hole is put on a spike in the bottom of the box, while the rod spike is inserted into the hole in the bottom of the box; the thrust moves forward all the way.
2. The barrel and frame are connected: take the barrel with the rear seal wound on it in your left hand (the number should be turned upward) and put the frame frame on the barrel axles - the left one, and then the right one.
3. Insert the barrel and frame: place the connecting rod on the crank; carefully slide the barrel into the casing and the frame into the box.
4. Lift the handle to insert the right latch; push in the left one.
5. Insert the butt plate. To do this, hold the buttplate by the handles and slide it onto the box slats using the grooves. In this case, it is necessary that the thrust be in the forward extreme position. Insert a pin on the right side.
6. Attach a box with a return spring. To do this, it is necessary to position the tension screw knob vertically; put the handle in place and put the drum chain on the hook of the spring (the spring is circled from below); holding the machine gun, move the box forward and place the box hooks on the box spikes.
7. Insert the receiver. To do this, the receiver is inserted with grooves into the upper cutouts of the box; The slider should be in the left position.
8. Screw in the muzzle. Wind the front seal onto the muzzle end of the barrel, screw the bushing into the muzzle, insert the muzzle into the hole in the casing, and then screw the muzzle.
9. Place a lock in the box. To do this, the connecting rod is raised, and the firing pin is cocked. After this, holding the lock with its horns forward and the combat cylinder upward, put the tube of the lock levers onto the connecting rod until it stops, turn the lock and place it in the box; While holding the lock, send the handle forward and release it. The lock should fit into the grooves of the frame ribs with its pad.
10. Close the box lid.
11. Raise the safety, press the release lever.
12. Place the cap on the muzzle.

Technical characteristics of the Maxim heavy machine gun, model 1905
Cartridge - 7.62 mm model 1891 (7.62x53);
The weight of the machine gun “body” (without coolant) is 28.25 kg;
The length of the machine gun “body” is 1086 mm;
Barrel length – 720 mm;
Initial bullet speed – 617 m/s;
Sighting range – 2000 steps (1422 m);
Rate of fire – 500-600 rounds/min;
Combat rate of fire – 250-300 per minute;
Belt capacity – 250 rounds.

Technical characteristics of the Maxim heavy machine gun, model 1910:
Cartridge - 62 mm model 1908 (7.62x53);
The weight of the machine gun “body” (without coolant) is 18.43 kg;
The length of the machine gun “body” is 1067 mm;
Barrel length – 720 mm;
Initial bullet speed – 665 m/s;
Rifling – 4 right-hand;
Rifling stroke length – 240 mm;
Initial bullet speed – 865 m/s;
Sighting range – 3200 steps (2270 m);
The longest firing range is 3900 m;
The maximum flight range of a bullet is 5000 m;
Direct shot range – 390 m;
Rate of fire – 600 rounds/min;
Combat rate of fire – 250-300 rounds/min;
Belt capacity – 250 rounds;
Weight of the loaded belt – 7.29 kg;
Tape length – 6060 mm.

Technical characteristics of the Sokolov machine:
Weight with shield – 43.5 kg;
Vertical guidance angle – from -19 to +18 degrees;
Horizontal guidance angle – 70 degrees;
The height of the firing line is about 500 mm;
Maximum length machine gun with machine – 1350 mm;
Stroke width – 505 mm;
The distance from the center of gravity to the coulter is 745 mm.

Based on materials: S. Fedoseev - Machine guns in the First World War

In the history of weapons there are examples that have become iconic. The American Colt equalized the rights of the strong and the physically weak. The Shpagin submachine gun (PPSh) is the weapon of a soldier of Victory. The Kalashnikov assault rifle has participated in all military conflicts on the planet since the mid-20th century. The TT pistol is the weapon of killers and bandits of the dashing nineties.

From this series, a participant in two world wars and the civil war in Russia is the Maxim machine gun, which changed the tactics of war, a “killing machine” and a “hellish mower”.

Mousetrap and machine gun

Hiram Stevens Maxim was born in 1840 in the USA. A typical 19th-century inventor, he registered nearly 300 patents in a variety of fields. These included an asthma inhaler, an electric lighting system, and a steam-powered airplane. The spring mousetrap of the Maxim system has survived to this day almost unchanged. Maxim also invented the notorious bicycle - he developed the design of a wheel with spokes.

But his main creation is the famous Maxim system machine gun, the object of curses of pacifists and humanists. The inventor himself called it a “killing machine,” and the soldiers of the First World War came up with the nickname “hell mower.”

Background

Gunsmiths have long been looking for the possibility of creating a weapon capable of firing more than one shot after pressing the trigger. The first working example of such a weapon was the Gatling machine gun. The multi-barreled monster fired 200 rounds per minute, fantastic for those times. Due to the large number of bullets fired, Gatling's invention began to be called a grapeshot. But it cannot be called an automatic weapon in the full sense. The barrels were moved and cartridges were reloaded by rotating a handle, reminiscent of a drive for a manual meat grinder.

The need to rotate the handle greatly affected the accuracy of shooting; the bulkiness of a multi-barreled weapon on a heavy carriage impaired mobility and stealth. The fixed magazine, which had to be filled periodically, reduced the actual rate of fire during combat use.

Modern aircraft and ship fire systems use up to 12 barrels, but at that time the single-barrel Maxim machine gun, the design of which was based on a new principle, became a breakthrough in the automation of firearms.

Operating principle of the Maxim machine gun

For a long time, Maxim worked on devices that used the force of steam or gas pressure. It was the recoil energy of the barrel under the action of the powder gases generated during the shot that the inventor decided to use for his machine gun.

When fired, the bullet was pushed forward, the barrel and bolt with the spent cartridge case, acting like a piston, moved back. Having traveled 26 mm, the barrel was returned by a spring to its original position, and the bolt, having become disconnected, traveled another 95 mm. The used sleeve fell into the outlet tube, the bolt, having reached the rearmost position, was pulled forward by a spring. While moving, the bolt picked up the next cartridge and drove it into the chamber. The powder charge in the cartridge case was detonated and the process was repeated.

The time between shots was one tenth of a second, and 600 bullets were fired per minute.

How the Maxim machine gun became Russian

Maxim's main activity as a gunsmith took place in England, where he moved in 1881. In the United States, the Maxim machine gun did not arouse interest among the military. In the absence of significant military conflicts as places where the machine gun could be used, its rate of fire was considered unnecessary, and the weapon itself was considered too complex and expensive.

It took 2 years for Maxim to refine his machine gun. The drawings were ready in 1883, and the inventor became active in the production and sale of new weapons. Turning out to be a talented marketer, Maxim managed to interest all the leading countries of Europe, many countries of Asia and South America. What is the rate of fire indicated by him in the form of the “number of the Antichrist” - 666! The fame of the “devilish weapon” spread throughout all the armies of the world. The Russian Tsar also became interested in the new product. In 1888, he personally tested the weapon, and several samples were purchased.

In 1910, a modernized Maxim machine gun began to be produced at the arms factory in Tula. The drawings and license were purchased from Sir Maxim's company. The machine with wheels was designed by the Russian military engineer Sokolov, the machine gun took on the canonical appearance, familiar to everyone from paintings, photographs and films dedicated to the history of Russia and the USSR.

Improvements and upgrades

The first samples of the machine gun had parts made of expensive non-ferrous metals and required a lot of labor and highly qualified gunsmiths. Therefore, one Maxim machine gun, the design of which was very difficult to manufacture, cost as much as a small locomotive. Subsequently, brass and bronze were replaced by steel, Tula gunsmiths found ways to avoid individual fitting of each part, but the machine gun was always a rather expensive product.

Even after numerous upgrades, the machine gun could not avoid significant shortcomings. The water cooling system of the barrel in the form of a characteristic casing made it possible to conduct automatic fire in long bursts without any visible consequences for the weapon. But the need to have a constant supply of water made it difficult to use weapons in combat. Often the casing was damaged even by bullets, especially by fragments of mines and grenades.

The armor shield, together with the water-filled casing and the massive machine, determined the heavy weight of the Maxim, reaching up to 70 kg. In marching formation, the machine gun was carried disassembled by three soldiers, and boxes with ribbons were distributed throughout the company. The high position of the shield made camouflage difficult, which forced them to frequently change position, so the machine gunners often removed the protection.

The cartridge strip was made of either fabric or metal. The fabric tape contaminated the machine gun and quickly became unusable.

But the high combat effectiveness of the machine gun justified the widespread use of Maxim’s invention.

Cavalry Killer

From the first examples of use, the Maxim heavy machine gun had a great influence on combat tactics. The military actions of the British in suppressing uprisings in the African colonies and the Russo-Japanese War showed the futility of massive infantry attacks against machine gun fire.

The military armies of different countries, who in the past had uniforms of bright colors, changed into modest khaki, less noticeable in a machine gun sight. Maxim’s invention forced armies to bury themselves in the ground, largely predetermining the emergence of the concept of “trench warfare.”

He forced the mounted army units to dismount and put an end to cavalry as the main type of troops. When attacking with lava, machine guns mowed down people and horses almost completely.

Although it was the use of spring carts with machine guns mounted on them that gave birth to a new type of mobile fire weapon. The legendary cart became a symbol of Budyonny’s First Cavalry Army and the units under the command of Father Makhno.

Technical and tactical characteristics

The 1910/1930 model machine gun met the Great Patriotic War as part of the Red Army. Attempts to replace it with similar weapons of the Degtyarev system failed, and the Maxim machine gun, the characteristics of which became obsolete in the early 40s, began to be produced in large quantities again. The production of new machine guns of the Maxim system was finally stopped in 1945.

In different countries of Europe, several varieties of heavy machine guns of the Maxim system were designed and produced: the English Vickers, the German MG-08 and MG-11, etc. Some of them were used as manual ones, there were also large-caliber versions, they were installed on ships and aircraft.

Legendary name

The Maxim machine gun has become a truly iconic weapon. Being English, it became inseparable from the history of the Russian and Soviet armies during the two world wars, and was in service with all warring parties in the civil war.

“Maxim” became the hero of poems and songs, he is depicted in the paintings of battle painters, he was filmed in films in the past and is being filmed now. He is an active participant in battle reconstructions conducted by military history clubs.

Its small-sized layout is available to collectors. A Maxim machine gun with two cartridge boxes, deactivated in a special way, can be bought for an amount equal to approximately 100 thousand rubles.

Half a century in service

The inventor of the first rapid-fire weapon, Richard Gatling, a doctor by profession, naively thought that, horrified by the consequences of the use of the first machine guns, humanity would abandon wars. It is known about Sir Hiram Maxim that he lost his peace of mind while studying reports from the fields of the First World War. It was his invention that was the first to be called a weapon of mass destruction.

An Englishman by birth, the Maxim machine gun received its own name in Russia and, having served faithfully in the army for fifty years, became a legend.

), Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945), Great Patriotic War, Korean War, Donbass War

Maxim machine gun model 1910(GAU index - 56-P-421) - an easel machine gun, a variant of the British Maxim machine gun, widely used by the Russian and Soviet armies during the First World War and the Second World War. The machine gun was used to destroy open group targets and enemy fire weapons at a distance of up to 1000 m.

Encyclopedic YouTube

1 / 5

✪ Russian version of the Maxim machine gun. Design and principle of operation.

✪ Maxim machine gun

✪ Russian Machine Gun MAXIM PM 1910

✪ Maxim machine gun

✪ Shocking discoveries of WWII part 10

Subtitles

Story

After a successful demonstration of the machine gun in Switzerland, Italy and Austria-Hungary, Hiram Maxim came to Russia with a demonstration example of a .45 caliber (11.43 mm) machine gun.

In 1887, a Maxim machine gun chambered for a 10.67 mm Berdan rifle cartridge with black powder was tested.

Vickers, Sons & Maxim began supplying Maxim machine guns to Russia. The machine guns were delivered to St. Petersburg in May 1899. The Russian navy also became interested in the new weapon; it ordered two more machine guns for testing.

To increase the reliability of the automatic operation of the 7.62 mm machine gun, a “muzzle accelerator” was introduced into the design - a device designed to use the energy of powder gases to increase recoil force. The front of the barrel was thickened to increase the muzzle area and then a muzzle cap was attached to the water casing. The pressure of the powder gases between the muzzle and the cap acted on the muzzle of the barrel, pushing it back and helping it roll back faster.

In 1901, the 7.62-mm Maxim machine gun on an English-style wheeled carriage was put into service ground forces During this year, the first 40 Maxim machine guns entered the Russian army. Overall, during -1904 years 291 machine guns were purchased.

The machine gun (the mass of which on a heavy carriage with large wheels and a large armored shield was 244 kg) was assigned to the artillery. The machine guns were planned to be used for the defense of fortresses, to repel massive enemy infantry attacks with fire from pre-equipped and protected positions.

• this approach may cause bewilderment: even during the Franco-Prussian war, French mitrailleuses, used in an artillery manner, that is, with batteries, were suppressed by Prussian counter-artillery fire due to the obvious superiority of artillery over small-caliber weapons in terms of range.

In March 1904, a contract was signed for the production of Maxim machine guns at the Tula Arms Plant. The cost of production of the Tula machine gun (942 rubles + 80 pounds sterling commission to the Vickers company, about 1,700 rubles in total) was cheaper than the cost of acquisition from the British (2,288 rubles 20 kopecks per machine gun). In May 1904, serial production of machine guns began at the Tula Arms Plant.

At the beginning of 1909 the main thing artillery department announced a competition for the modernization of the machine gun, as a result of which in August 1910 a modified version of the machine gun was adopted for service: the 7.62-mm Maxim machine gun of the 1910 model, which was modernized at the Tula Arms Plant under the guidance of masters I. A. Pastukhov, I. A. Sudakova and P. P. Tretyakova. The weight of the machine gun body was reduced and some details were changed: a number of bronze parts were replaced with steel, sighting devices were changed to match the ballistics of a cartridge with a pointed bullet mod. 1908, they changed the receiver to fit the new cartridge, and also widened the hole in the muzzle sleeve. The English wheeled carriage was replaced with a lightweight wheeled carriage by A. A. Sokolov, and the English-style armor shield was replaced with an armor shield of reduced size. In addition, A. A. Sokolov designed cartridge boxes, a gig for transporting cartridges, and sealed cylinders for boxes with cartridges.

Maxim machine gun mod. 1910 with the machine weighed 62.66 kg (and together with the liquid poured into the casing to cool the barrel - about 70 kg).

Mechanism

The automatic machine gun operates on the principle of using the recoil of the barrel.

The design of the Maxim machine gun: the barrel is coated on the outside with a thin layer of copper to protect it from rust. A casing is placed on the barrel, filled with water to cool the barrel. Water is poured through a tube connected to the casing by a pipe with a tap. To release water there is a hole closed with a screw cap. The casing has a steam outlet pipe through which steam escapes from it when firing through a hole in the muzzle (closed with a plug). A short, movable tube is placed on the tube. At elevation angles, it lowers and closes the lower hole of the tube, as a result of which water cannot enter this latter, and the steam accumulated in the upper part of the casing will enter through the upper hole into the tube and then exit through the tube to the outside. The opposite will happen at declination angles. To wind the front and rear oil seals, twisted asbestos thread impregnated with gun grease is used.

In 1915, they adopted and began production of a simplified machine gun of the Kolesnikov system model 1915.

Combat use in the Civil War

During the Civil War, the Maxim machine gun mod. 1910 was the main type of machine gun of the Red Army. In addition to machine guns from the warehouses of the Russian army and trophies captured during the fighting, in 1918-1920 at arms factories Soviet Russia 21 thousand new machine guns mod. were produced for the Red Army. 1910, several thousand more were repaired

In the 1920-1930s in the USSR

In the 1920s, based on the design of the machine gun, new types of weapons were developed in the USSR: the Maxim-Tokarev light machine gun and the PV-1 aircraft machine gun.

In 1928, an anti-aircraft tripod mod. 1928 system of M. N. Kondakov. In addition, in 1928, the development of quad Maxim anti-aircraft machine gun mounts began. In 1929, an anti-aircraft ring sight mod. 1929.

In 1935, new staff levels of the Red Army rifle division were established, according to which the number of Maxim heavy machine guns in the division was slightly reduced (from 189 to 180 units), and the number light machine guns- increased (from 81 pcs. to 350 pcs.)

In 1938, a machine gun mount was developed for installing a Maxim machine gun into the body of an onboard vehicle, which consisted of a welded structure made of metal pipes bolted to the body and a wooden table on shock-absorbing springs, on which a Maxim machine gun mod. 1910/30 on an infantry wheeled machine. In December 1938, after completion of the tests, the machine gun mount was recommended for use in armored units of the Red Army (but when converting a truck into the back of a car, it was recommended to install seats for the machine gun crew).

The cost of one Maxim machine gun on a Sokolov machine (with a set of spare parts) in 1939 was 2,635 rubles; the cost of a Maxim machine gun on a universal machine (with a set of spare parts) is 5960 rubles; the cost of a 250-cartridge belt is 19 rubles

In the spring of 1941, in accordance with the staff of the RKKA rifle division No. 04/400-416 dated April 5, 1941, the standard number of Maxim heavy machine guns was reduced to 166 pieces, and the number of anti-aircraft machine guns was increased (to 24 pieces 7 ,62-mm complex anti-aircraft machine guns and 9 pieces of 12.7-mm DShK machine guns).

Maxim machine gun mod. 1910/1930

During combat use Maxim's machine gun, it became clear that in most cases fire was fired at a distance of 800 to 1000 meters, and at such a range there was no noticeable difference in the trajectory of light and heavy bullets.

In 1930, the machine gun was again modernized. The modernization was carried out by P. P. Tretyakov, I.A. Pastukhov, K.N. Rudnev and A.A. Tronenkov. The following changes were made to the design:

The modernized machine gun was called the “7.62 heavy machine gun of the Maxim system, model 1910/30.” In 1931, a more advanced universal machine gun model 1931 of the S. V. Vladimirov system and a PS-31 machine gun for long-term firing points were developed and put into service.

By the end of the 1930s, the design of the machine gun was obsolete, primarily due to heavy weight and size.

On September 22, 1939, the “7.62-mm machine gun mod. 1939 DS-39, which was intended to replace Maxim machine guns. However, the operation of the DS-39 in the army revealed design flaws, as well as unreliable operation of the automation when using cartridges with brass sleeve(for reliable operation of the automation, the DS-39 required cartridges with a steel sleeve).

During Finnish war 1939-1940 combat capabilities Not only designers and manufacturers tried to improve the performance of the Maxim machine gun, but also directly in the troops. IN winter time the machine gun was mounted on skis, sleds or drag boats, on which the machine gun was moved through the snow and from which they fired, if necessary. In addition, in the winter of 1939-1940, cases were noted when machine gunners mounted on the armor of tanks installed Maxim machine guns on the roofs of tank turrets and fired at the enemy, supporting the advancing infantry.

In 1940, in the barrel water cooling casing for quick water changes, the small diameter water filling hole was replaced with a wide neck. This innovation was borrowed from the Finnish Maxim ( Maxim M32-33) and made it possible to solve the problem of the crew’s lack of access to coolant in winter; now the casing could be filled with ice and snow.

After the outbreak of the Great Patriotic War, in June 1941, the DS-39 was discontinued and enterprises were ordered to resume the curtailed production of Maxim machine guns.

In June 1941, at the Tula Arms Plant, under the leadership of chief engineer A. A. Tronenkov, engineers I. E. Lubenets and Yu. A. Kazarin began the final modernization (in order to improve the manufacturability of production), during which the Maxim was equipped with a simplified sighting device(with one sighting bar instead of two, which were previously replaced depending on whether a light or heavy bullet was fired), the mount for the optical sight was removed from the machine gun machine.

Maxim machine gun as a means of military air defense

Based on the design of the machine gun, single, twin and quad anti-aircraft machine gun mounts were developed, which were the most common weapon in army air defense. For example, the quad M4 anti-aircraft machine gun mount of the 1931 model differed from the conventional Maxim machine gun in the presence of a forced water circulation device, a larger capacity of machine gun belts (for 1000 rounds instead of the usual 250) and an anti-aircraft ring sight. The installation was intended for firing at enemy aircraft (at altitudes up to 1400 m at speeds up to 500 km/h). The M4 unit was widely used as a stationary, self-propelled, ship-mounted unit, and was installed in car bodies, armored trains, railway platforms, and on the roofs of buildings.

Twin and quad mounts of Maxim machine guns were also successfully used to fire at ground targets (in particular, to repel enemy infantry attacks). So, during the Finnish war of 1939-1940, units of the 34th tank brigade The Red Army, encircled in the Lemitte-Uomas area, successfully repulsed several attacks by Finnish infantry, using two twin Maxim anti-aircraft machine gun mounts mounted on a lorry as mobile firing points.

Application in the Great Patriotic War

The Maxim machine gun was actively used in the Great Patriotic War. It was in service with infantry and mountain troops, border guards, and the navy, and was installed on armored trains, Willys and GAZ-64 jeeps.

In May 1942, in accordance with the order of the People's Commissar of Armaments of the USSR D.F. Ustinov, a competition was announced for the development of a new design of an easel machine gun for the Red Army (to replace the Maxim machine gun model 1910/30.

On May 15, 1943, the Goryunov SG-43 heavy machine gun with air system barrel cooling, which began to be supplied to the troops in June 1943. But the Maxim machine gun continued to be produced until the end of the war at the Tula and Izhevsk factories, and until its end it was the main heavy machine gun of the Soviet Army.

Operating countries

• Russian empire Russian empire
• Germany Germany: captured machine guns were used during the First World War.
• USSR USSR
• Poland Poland: in 1918-1920, a number of Russian Maxim machine guns mod. 1910 (under the name Maxim wz. 1910) was in service Polish army; after the 7.92×57 mm cartridge was adopted as standard rifle-machine-gun ammunition in 1922, a number of machine guns were converted to this cartridge, they received the name Maxim wz. 1910/28.
• Finland Finland: after the declaration of Finnish independence in 1918, up to 600 7.62 mm Maxim machine guns mod. 1910 entered service with the emerging units Finnish army, another 163 were sold by Germany; they were used under the name Maxim m/1910, in the 1920s, machine guns were purchased abroad (for example, in 1924, 405 units were purchased in Poland); in 1932 it was adopted for service upgraded machine gun Maxim M/32-33 powered by a metal belt, some of the machine guns installed in pillboxes were equipped with forced water cooling of the barrel. By the winter of 1939, Maxim machine guns of various modifications still made up the bulk of the heavy machine guns of the Finnish army. They were used in the Soviet-Finnish war of 1939-1940. and the “Continuation War” 1941-1944.
• in 1918-1922 a number of Russian Maxim machine guns mod. 1910 entered service with paramilitary forces in China (in particular, Zhang Zuolin received them from white emigrants who retreated to northern China)
• Bulgaria Bulgaria: in 1921-1923 a number of Russian 7.62 mm Maxim machine guns mod. 1910 came into the possession of the Bulgarian army after the disarmament of units of Wrangel’s army that arrived in Bulgaria.
• Second Spanish Republic Second Spanish Republic : After the outbreak of war in Spain in 1936, 3221 machine guns were purchased by the government of the Spanish Republic.
• Mongolian People's Republic Mongolian People's Republic
• Germany Germany: trophy Soviet machine guns Maxima (under the name MG 216(r)) were used by the Wehrmacht and entered service with paramilitary and security police forces in the occupied territory of the USSR.
• Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia: in January 1942, the first 12 Maxim machine guns were received by the 1st Czechoslovak separate infantry battalion, and later by other Czechoslovak units.
• Poland