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The
Swedish machineguns before 1950.
Text and pictures by O. Janson
updated
2015-05-10
Kulspruta m/36 (KSP m/1936)
Swedish
Medium Machine Guns - system Browning
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Kulspruta m/1936
arranged for air defence. |
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1936 Sweden accepted
the Browning machinegun U.S. calibre .30 M1917A1. These machineguns were
chambered for either the very powerful Swedish machinegun cartridge in 8x63 mm
m/1932 or the rifle cartridge in 6,5x55 mm m/1894.
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Browning M1917a1 |
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After the
introduction of the 7,62 NATO cartridge ptr 10, these machineguns were adopted
to the new 7,62x51 mm round.
The m/1936 is a water
cooled machinegun with spade-type grips instead of the pistol type grip of the
US Brownings.
These machineguns
where also mounted in twin mounts for anti aircraft especially on vehicles.
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Beltfiller m/1936 |
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The
mechanism is open |
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The
mechanism is partially open |
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The
mechanism is locked and closed. |
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Tripods
Tripod m/1936
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Tripod m/36 at its lowest position. |
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Tripod m/36 at normal position. |
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Removing the machine gun with
the cradle from the
tripod m/36. Note -
the fork grip for the cradle. |
Cradle
m/1936
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Single cradle
for water-cooled Medium Machine Gun m/36. |
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Removing the
machine gun from the cradle. |
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(23)
Double cradle for two MMG m/36 from above |
(24)
Double cradle for two MMG m/36 viewed from under |
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Twin mounted Kulspruta m/36.
Here you can see the double
cradle and a bag to collect empty brass. |
Machinegun m/36 with Schwarzlose
tripod m/14.
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The Swedish MMG
Kulspruta m/36 on the tripod m/14.
Swedish army
instruction manual
from 1963 |
Pictures of nostalgia.
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1939
Ksp m/1914-29 on a lorry. |
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1939
Ksp m/1914-29
Military training. |
Technical information MMG Ksp m/1936:
| Kulspruta m/36, Ksp m/36 |
| Calibre |
6,5×55 or 7,62×51 or 8×63 |
| Accepted |
1936 |
| Ammunition |
6,5 mm m/94; 7,62 mm ptr 10; or
8 mm m/32 |
| V0 |
620 m/s (6,5 mm m/94) |
| 750 m/s (8 mm m/32) |
| Feed |
Canvas belt, 250 rounds |
| Rate of fire |
600 - 720 shots / minute |
| Design |
John Moses Browning |
| Browning M1917A1 |
| Action |
Recoil operated |
| Manufacturer |
Carl Gustaf GF |
| LM Ericson |
| Year of delivery |
1937-1944 |
| Quantity |
≈7600
pieces |
| Barrel |
607 mm |
| Length |
1365 |
| Weight w/o water |
23 kg |
| Weight with water |
26 kg |
| Weight tripod |
25 kg |
| Sights |
6,5 mm: 200-2000 m |
| 8 mm: 300-3000 m |
| Notes |
Ksp m/36 Mark;
used as
support weapon, spade-grips, water-cooled
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| Ksp m/36 Strv V; used in tanks, feed from
left, pistol-grip, air-cooled |
| Ksp m/36 Strv H; used in tanks, feed from
right, pistol-grip, air-cooled |
| Ksp m/36 Strv Dbl; twin mount used in tanks,
pistol-grip, air-cooled |
| Ksp m/36 Lv E; used in AA role, spade-grips,
water-cooled |
| Ksp m/36 Lv Dbl; twin mount used in AA role,
spade-grips, water-cooled |
| Status |
Obsolete in 1995 circa |
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Twin mounted
Medium
water-cooled
Machine Gun
m/36
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"Kulspruta m/36 lv dbl"
Twin mounted
Medium
water-cooled
Machine Gun m/36 - anti
aircraft |
Accessories for Ksp m/36 lv dbl
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A ring
for the mount on a lorry.
Folded
tripod m/1936
Extension for anti aircraft.
Swedish Army manual 1966 |
Technical information MMG Ksp m/1936 twin
mounted:
| Kulspruta m/36 lv dbl, Ksp m/36
lv dbl |
| Calibre |
6,5×55 or 7,62×51 or 8×63 |
| Accepted |
1936 |
| Ammunition |
6,5 mm m/94; 7,62 mm ptr 10; or
8 mm m/32 |
| V0 |
620 m/s (6,5 mm m/94) |
| 750 m/s (8 mm m/32) |
| Feed |
Canvas belt, 250 rounds |
| Rate of fire |
2 x 600 - 720 shots / minute |
| Design |
John Moses Browning |
| Browning M1917A1 |
| Action |
Recoil operated |
| Manufacturer |
Carl Gustaf GF |
| LM Ericson |
| Year of delivery |
1937-1944 |
| Barrel |
607 mm |
| Length |
1365 |
| Sight |
300 - 3000 m |
| Weight with water |
60.5 kg |
| Weight only tripod |
17 kg |
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Twin mounted
Medium Machine Gun m/36.
To the left
on ordinary tripod in high position and
to the right on a lorry.
(picture from Swedish army manual 1966)
This twin mounted MMG was
used by the mechanised units like artillery.
It was
twin mounted to increase the firepower due to the rather slow cyclic rate of
fire.
The
double machinegun was very nice to shoot with and very easy to hit with.
When you had it in this position and shot with it sustained fire without
feeling any vibrations and saw the tracers going towards the target - that
made your hart feel nice
J.
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Twin mounted
Medium Machine Gun m/36 in action
Picture
courtesy of Hakan Spuhr
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MMG - Kulspruta m/42 (B)
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Above Ksp m/42B. |
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Above: Swedish
Medium Machinegun Ksp m/42 (black)
and Ksp m/42B (green) closest to the camera. |
| An air-cooled variation
of machine gun m/1936
was accepted and it was
modified 1942 and called m/1942.
It fires the same calibres. It is similar to the U.S. Model 1919A4. It has black
matte finish and similar tripod as Ksp m/36.
There is also a bipod variation with shoulder stock painted in green anti-IR
colour. This variation is similar to U.S. Model 1919A6 in Sweden designated Ksp m/1942B |
Swedish soldier in service of UN during
the Congo Crises with MMG m/42B.
The soldier behind aims with a Swedisk SMG m/45B with a long bayonet m/1914
attached.
The MMG gunner has also a bayonet m/1914 at his hip.
Technical information MMG m/1942(B):
| Kulspruta
m/42(B), Ksp m/42(B) |
| Calibre |
6,5×55 or 7,62×51 or 8×63 |
| Accepted |
1942 |
| Ammunition |
6,5 mm m/94 or 7,62 mm ptr 10 or 8 mm
m/32 |
| Feed |
Canvas belt, 250 rounds |
| Rate of fire |
600 - 720 shots / minute |
| Design |
John Moses Browning |
m/42 similar to Browning M1919A4;
m/42B similar to Browning M1919A6 |
| Action |
Recoil operated |
| System |
Air-cooled, spade-grip |
| Manufacturer |
Carl Gustaf GF |
| Quantity |
≈1400
pieces |
| Barrel |
607 mm |
| Length |
1351 mm |
| Weight |
16 kg |
| Sights |
6,5 mm: 100-1800 m |
| 8 mm: 100-2000 m |
| Notes |
Ksp m/42; Black matte finish.
Similar tripod as Ksp m/36 Mark |
Ksp m/42 B; improved. Green.
With bipod and sholder stock. |
| Status |
Converted to Ksp m/39 |
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Browning M1919A4 |
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MMG - Kulspruta KSP
m/39C
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MMG - Kulspruta KSP
m/39C for the vehicles CV
90 and Centurion MBT's |
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1939
Sweden let Carl Gustaf GF make a machine gun based on the Browning M1919 for
the tanks.
Later
when they were worn out about 1 000 of Ksp m/42B were converted to Ksp m/39
as armament for vehicles.
This
machinegun was recently used as secondary armament for the vehicles CV 90
and Centurion MBT's and then they were called 7,62 mm KSP m/39C.
Loading firing, field
stripping and functioning of these machineguns are similar to their US
counterparts.
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| Kulspruta m/39 Strv, Ksp
m/39 Strv |
| Calibre |
6,5×55 or 7,62×51 or 8×63 |
| Accepted |
1939 |
| Ammunition |
6,5 mm m/94 or 7,62 mm ptr 10 or 8 mm m/32
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| Feed |
Canvas belt, 250 rounds |
| Rate of fire |
600-720 shots /minute |
| Design |
John Moses Browning |
| Browning M1919A1 |
| Action |
Recoil-operated |
| Manufacturer |
Carl Gustaf GF |
| Year of delivery |
1939-1944 |
| Quantity |
≈2500 (Ksp m/39 Strv V) |
| ≈500 (Ksp m/39 Strv H) |
| Barrel |
607 mm |
| Length |
1160 mm |
| Weight |
14 kg |
| Sights |
6,5 mm: 200-2000 m |
| 8 mm: 300-3000 m |
| Miscellaneous |
Ksp m/39 Strv V; Used in tanks, feed from
left, spade-grip, aircooled |
| Ksp m/39 Strv H; Used in tanks, feed from
right, spade-grip, aircooled |
| Status |
In service |
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Ammunition for the Swedish Machine Guns
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Here are the Swedish machine gun cartridges
From left to right:
- 6,5x55 m/1894
- 6,5x55 m/1894 prj m/1941
- 6,5x55 m/1894 prj m/1941 drill round
- 8x63 mm m/1932
- 8x63 mm m/1932 drill round
- 7,62x51 mm ptr 10
- 7,62x51 mm ptr 10 drill round.
Here is a box with for 8 mm m/1932 cartridges on a canvas belt
for MG.
Note the label on the side.
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| The belts were loaded by
belt filling equipment "BANDFYLLARE m/36" |
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References: Smith &
Smith: Small arms of the world, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Ian Hogg Military small arms of the 20th century.
Alm: Eldhandvapen II
Stockholm 1934
Vapenmuseet, Eskilstuna.
Swedish army manual - Ammunitionsregister 1960 and 1964 F1092-065000
Swedish army manual - KULSPRUTA m/36 lv dbl, 1966
Swedish army manual - KULSPRUTA m/36 mark, 1963
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