After Poland regained its independence in 1918, the Polish Army was equipped with all sorts of machine guns inherited from the armed forces of the partitioners, along with equipment from the French and British armies that equipped the Polish Blue Army during the Great War. The large variety of light machine guns used, as well as the fact that each of them used a different caliber, made troop training and logistics a difficult task.
After the Polish-Bolshevik War, in 1923 a competition was opened for a new, standard light machine gun for the Polish army that was to replace all previously used types of LMG. The competition ended without a winner and the following year the Polish Ministry of War purchased 12 specimens of the M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle, Lewis gun ("Lewis wz. 1923") and Hotchkiss M1909 Benét–Mercié each. Testing proved the superiority of the American construction, and during the 1925 competition, a Belgian FN-made Browning was chosen. Although extensive tests were continued, the Polish army ordered a series of Belgian-made BAR machine guns, modified to better suit the Polish needs. The modifications included changing the round from .30-06 Springfield to standard Polish 7.92×57mm Mauser),[1] the construction of a bipod and mounting, and the iron sights (peephole changed to v-notch type). The barrel was lengthened for greater accuracy and a pistol grip was added for easier aiming. Apart from the 10,000 pieces ordered from Fabrique Nationale, Poland also bought a license to producet the weapon domestically.[2] The first wz.28 LMGs were officially commissioned in 1927 and were officially named 7,92 mm rkm Browning wz. 1928, which is Polish for "7.92 mm hand-held machine gun of Browning mark 1928".
A Polish reenactor poses with the wz. 1928 and period-correct uniform.
Due to serious flaws in license documentation purchased from Belgium, production in Poland was not started until 1930. Until 1939 approximately 14,000 pieces were built. Additional modifications were introduced during the production run. Among them was the replacement of the iron sights with a smaller version and reshaping the butt to a "fish tail" shape. There were also extensive works on spare, replaceable barrels for the weapon, which however were never completed due to the outbreak of World War II.
During the German-Soviet Invasion of Poland of 1939, the rkm wz. 1928 was the standard LMG used by almost all Polish infantry and cavalry units. The German armed forces captured a number of Polish-made Browning guns and used them until the end of World War II under the designation of lMG 28 (p).[2] A number were also seized by the Red Army and used during the war.[2]
^Bishop, Chris (1998). The Encyclopedia: Weapons of World War II. New York: Barnes & Noble Inc. ISBN0-7607-1022-8, p. 239
^ abcRobert R. Hodges, Jr., The Browning Automatic Rifle. Weapon Series. Osprey Publishing, 2012, 9781849087612. p. 18
References
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Category:Browning wz. 1928.
Gwóźdź, Zbigniew; Zarzycki, Piotr (1993). Polskie konstrukcje broni strzeleckiej. Warsaw, SIGMA NOT. ISBN83-85001-69-7.
Nowakowski, Tomasz (1996). "Ręczny karabin maszynowy Browning wz. 28". Nowa Technika Wojskowa. 5. ISSN 1230-1655.
Jońca, Adam; Zasieczny, Andrzej (2003). 7,92 mm ręczny karabin maszynowy wz. 1928 Browning. Bellona & CB. ISBN83-11-09687-2.
March 05, 2023
browning, 1928, browning, 1928, polish, version, m1918, light, machine, used, polish, during, world, browning, 1928typeautomatic, riflelight, machine, gunplace, originpolandservice, historyin, service1930, 1945used, bysee, userswarsspanish, civil, warworld, ii. The Browning wz 1928 is a Polish version of the M1918 BAR It was a light machine gun used by the Polish During World War II Browning wz 1928TypeAutomatic rifleLight machine gunPlace of originPolandService historyIn service1930 1945Used bySee UsersWarsSpanish Civil WarWorld War IIProduction historyDesigned1928ManufacturerPanstwowa Fabryka KarabinowProduced1930 1939No built 24 000Variantswz 37SpecificationsMass5 9 kg 13 lb empty Length1 110 mm 44 in Barrel length611 mm 24 1 in Cartridge7 92 57mm MauserCaliber7 92 mmActiongas operatedRate of fire600 round minMuzzle velocity853 m s 2 800 ft s Feed system20 rounds Contents 1 History 2 Variants 3 Users 4 Notes 5 ReferencesHistory EditAfter Poland regained its independence in 1918 the Polish Army was equipped with all sorts of machine guns inherited from the armed forces of the partitioners along with equipment from the French and British armies that equipped the Polish Blue Army during the Great War The large variety of light machine guns used as well as the fact that each of them used a different caliber made troop training and logistics a difficult task Firing mechanism Polish partisan member of Home Army unit Jedrusie with wz 1928 After the Polish Bolshevik War in 1923 a competition was opened for a new standard light machine gun for the Polish army that was to replace all previously used types of LMG The competition ended without a winner and the following year the Polish Ministry of War purchased 12 specimens of the M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle Lewis gun Lewis wz 1923 and Hotchkiss M1909 Benet Mercie each Testing proved the superiority of the American construction and during the 1925 competition a Belgian FN made Browning was chosen Although extensive tests were continued the Polish army ordered a series of Belgian made BAR machine guns modified to better suit the Polish needs The modifications included changing the round from 30 06 Springfield to standard Polish 7 92 57mm Mauser 1 the construction of a bipod and mounting and the iron sights peephole changed to v notch type The barrel was lengthened for greater accuracy and a pistol grip was added for easier aiming Apart from the 10 000 pieces ordered from Fabrique Nationale Poland also bought a license to producet the weapon domestically 2 The first wz 28 LMGs were officially commissioned in 1927 and were officially named 7 92 mm rkm Browning wz 1928 which is Polish for 7 92 mm hand held machine gun of Browning mark 1928 A Polish reenactor poses with the wz 1928 and period correct uniform Due to serious flaws in license documentation purchased from Belgium production in Poland was not started until 1930 Until 1939 approximately 14 000 pieces were built Additional modifications were introduced during the production run Among them was the replacement of the iron sights with a smaller version and reshaping the butt to a fish tail shape There were also extensive works on spare replaceable barrels for the weapon which however were never completed due to the outbreak of World War II During the German Soviet Invasion of Poland of 1939 the rkm wz 1928 was the standard LMG used by almost all Polish infantry and cavalry units The German armed forces captured a number of Polish made Browning guns and used them until the end of World War II under the designation of lMG 28 p 2 A number were also seized by the Red Army and used during the war 2 Variants EditThe RKM wz 28 was a basis for development of an aerial flexible machine gun designated karabin maszynowy obserwatora wz 37 used mainly by the Polish PZL 37 Los bombers Users Edit Republic of China Supplied in small quantities by the Soviet Union in 1940 Kingdom of Greece Germany Captured in 1939 Poland Soviet Union Captured in 1939 Spanish Republic Bought for Spanish Civil War Spanish State Captured from Republican sideNotes Edit Bishop Chris 1998 The Encyclopedia Weapons of World War II New York Barnes amp Noble Inc ISBN 0 7607 1022 8 p 239 a b c Robert R Hodges Jr The Browning Automatic Rifle Weapon Series Osprey Publishing 2012 9781849087612 p 18References Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Category Browning wz 1928 Gwozdz Zbigniew Zarzycki Piotr 1993 Polskie konstrukcje broni strzeleckiej Warsaw SIGMA NOT ISBN 83 85001 69 7 Nowakowski Tomasz 1996 Reczny karabin maszynowy Browning wz 28 Nowa Technika Wojskowa 5 ISSN 1230 1655 Jonca Adam Zasieczny Andrzej 2003 7 92 mm reczny karabin maszynowy wz 1928 Browning Bellona amp CB ISBN 83 11 09687 2 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Browning wz 1928 amp oldid 1137552895, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
