CODE – 04-040-917
NAME – Gast Model 1917
NAME (NATIVE) – Gast-Gewehr, GAST – Fliegermaschinengewehr Modell 1917 [Aircraft Machine Gun Model 1917]
COMMON NAMES – Gast Gun
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN – Germany
DATE OF MANUFACTURE – 1917
CALIBER – 7.92x57mm
OVERALL LENGTH – 147 cm (57.87 in)
BARREL LENGTH – 72 cm (28.35 in)
RIFLING (TYPE & TWIST) – 4-Grooves, Right-hand twist, 1 turn in 24 cm (9.45 in)
LOAD – S. Patronen Pointed (Spitzer) Full Metal jacket
BULLET DIAMETER – 8.2 mm (0.323 in)
BULLET WEIGHT – 9.91 (153 grains)
MUZZLE VELOCITY – 874 m/s (2866 fps)
MUZZLE ENERGY – 3784 j (2791 ft/lb)
WEIGHT (EMPTY) – 18.5 kg (40 lb 13 oz)
WEIGHT (LOADED) – 35.66 kg (78 lb 10 oz) loaded with two drums, 360 rounds
SIGHTS – No integral sights
EFFECTIVE RANGE – 1,000 m (1,094 yards)
OPERATION – Recoil, fires from closed bolt
TYPE OF FIRE – Full automatic
RATE OF FIRE – 720 rpm
CYCLIC ROF – 1,600 rpm
FEED DEVICE – 180-round (each) right and left hand dual vertical drum magazine (360 rounds)
FEED DEVICE WEIGHT (EMPTY) – 4.35 kg (9 lb 10 oz) each
FEED DEVICE WEIGHT (LOADED) – 8.58 kg (18 lb 15 oz) each, 17.16 kg (37 lb 13 oz)
BASIC AMMUNITION LOAD – Ten drums [5 pairs] (1,800 rounds)
LOAD WEIGHT – 85.8 kg (189 lb 3 oz)
MANUFACTURER – Vorwerk & Co., Barmen, Germany
STATUS – Obsolete
SERVICE – German military, no known field use
