CODE – 04-037-915

NAME – Chauchat Rifle, Model of 1915

NAME (NATIVE) – Fusil Mitrailleur Chauchat Suterre Riberolle Gladiator Modele 1915

COMMON NAMES – Rifle, C.S.R.G, Chauchat Machine Rifle, Sho-sho

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN – France

DATE OF MANUFACTURE – 1915

CALIBER – 8x50mmR (8mm Lebel)

OVERALL LENGTH – 116.1 cm (45.7 in) with flash hider)

BARREL LENGTH – 44.5 cm (17.50 in)

RIFLING (TYPE & TWIST) – 4 Groove, Left-hand twist

LOAD – 1886 Balle D Bronze bullet

BULLET DIAMETER – 8.33 mm (0.328 in)

BULLET WEIGHT – 12.80 g (197.6 grains)

MUZZLE VELOCITY – (2080 fps)

MUZZLE ENERGY – 2574 j (1899 ft/lb)

WEIGHT (EMPTY) – 8.33 kg (18 lb 6 oz)

WEIGHT (LOADED) – 9.18 kg (20 lb 3.8 oz) with 20 rounds

WEIGHT (MOUNTED) – 9.52 kg (20 lb 15.8 oz) with 20 rounds and bipod

TYPE OF MOUNT – Folding bipod

WEIGHT OF MOUNT – 0.34 kg (12 oz)

SIGHTS – Open, Iron, Adjustable, Front sight – Blade, Rear sight – V-notch tangent, adjustable for range, 200 to 2000 meters in 200 meter increments (219 to 2187 yards in 219 yard increments)

EFFECTIVE RANGE – 200 m (219 yards)

OPERATION – Long recoil with gas assist, fires from open bolt

TYPE OF FIRE – Selective, Semi and Full automatic

RATE OF FIRE – 40 rpm Semi, 80 to 100 rpm Full

CYCLIC ROF – 250 rpm

FEED DEVICE – 20 round curved removable box magazine, Single column, Single feed

FEED DEVICE WEIGHT (EMPTY) – 0.30 kg (10.6 oz)

FEED DEVICE WEIGHT (LOADED) – 0.85 kg (1 lb 14 oz)

BASIC AMMUNITION LOAD – Eight 20-round magazines (160 rounds)

LOAD WEIGHT – 6.8 kg (15 lb)

MANUFACTURER – Gladiator Cycle Company, Le-Pré-Saint-Gervaise, Seine

STATUS – Obsolete

SERVICE – French and US Military during WWI, post war commercial sales to Belgium, Finland, Greece, Italy, Russia, Serbia, Spain, and Poland

Design was finalized in 1909 as one of the first light machine guns, or machine rifle, as it was known then. The C.S.R.G. is one of the more common designations of the Chauchat and it stands for the names of the inventors and manufacturer, Col. Chauchat, Capt. Suter, Mr. Ribeyrolles, and the Gladiator factory. In May and June of 1918, solid-sided Chauchat magazines were testing in the field. The new magazine greatly improved the performance of the weapons but were issued too late to make any impact on combat with the weapon. A US Manual on the weapon states that the magazine works best when only loaded with 18 rather than 20 rounds.