CODE – 04-062-932

NAME – Type 92 Ground Model

NAME (NATIVE) – Kyūni-shiki nana-miri-nana kijū [Type 92 7.7mm machine gun]

COMMON NAMES – Type 92 Lewis

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN – Japan

DATE OF MANUFACTURE – 1932

CALIBER – 7.7x56mmR (7.7mm Japanese Rimmed)

OVERALL LENGTH – 110 cm (43.3 in) with Spade-grip handle

BARREL LENGTH – 61 cm (24 in)

RIFLING (TYPE & TWIST) – 5-Grooves, Right-hand twist, 1 turn in 25.4 cm (1 turn in 10 in)

LOAD – Composite Jacketed Spitzer

BULLET DIAMETER – 7.90 mm (0.311 in)

BULLET WEIGHT – 11.21 g (173 grains)

MUZZLE VELOCITY – 735 m/s (2411 fps)

MUZZLE ENERGY – 3028 j (2233 ft/lb)

WEIGHT (EMPTY) – 11.79 kg (26 lb) with Spade-grip handle

WEIGHT (LOADED) – 13.74 kg (30 lb 5 oz) with Spade-grip handle, loaded with 47 rounds ball

WEIGHT (MOUNTED) – 41.41 kg (91 lb 5 oz) on tripod, with Spade-grip handle, loaded with 47 rounds ball

TYPE OF MOUNT – Tripod

WEIGHT OF MOUNT – 27.67 kg (61 lb)

WEIGHT OF SPADE-GRIP – 0.5 kg (1 lb 2 oz)

WEIGHT OF BUTTSTOCK – 0.68 kg (1 lb 8 oz)

SIGHTS – Open, iron, adjustable, Front sight – Blade, Rear sight, Vertical leaf with aperture, Calibrated from 0 to 1,700 m (0 to 1,859 yards)

EFFECTIVE RANGE – 457 m (500 yards)

OPERATION – Gas, fires from open bolt

TYPE OF FIRE – Full automatic

RATE OF FIRE – 120-150 rpm

CYCLIC ROF – 600 rpm

FEED DEVICE – 47 or 97-round pan-type drum magazine

FEED DEVICE WEIGHT (EMPTY) – 47-round – 0.79 kg (1 lb 12 oz), 97-round – 1.70 kg (3 lb 12 oz)

FEED DEVICE WEIGHT (LOADED) – 47-round – 1.95 kg (4 lb 5 oz) loaded with 47 rounds Ball, 97-round – 4.10 kg (9 lb 1 0z) loaded with 97 rounds Ball

BASIC AMMUNITION LOAD – Six – 47-round magazines (282 rounds)

LOAD WEIGHT – 11.7 kg (25 lb 13 0z)

MANUFACTURER – Toyokawa and Yokosuka  Naval Arsenals

STATUS – Obsolete

SERVICE – Japanese Navy

     This is a licensed, near exact duplicate, of the British Mark I Lewis gun. It was manufactured by the Japanese in two versions, the Ground Gun version with the radiator casing and forced-air cooling system on the weapon, and in a lightweight Aircraft version that had no barrel casing. In either configuration of the Type 92, it was normally seen with the Spade-grip attached. A wooden buttstock was available, but not often seen.  Replacing the Spade grip with the Buttstock increases the overall length of the weapon by 17.8 cm (7 in) and adds 0.28 kg (10 oz) to the overall weight. Though the ground gun version of the Type 92 Lewis could be fed from the 97 round drum magazines, they were normally reserved for the weapons actively serving on aircraft. The tripod of the Type 92 Lewis could be easily and quickly converted to an Antiaircraft version. Additionally, the feet of the tripod had holes in them that could be used to secure the mount on board the wooden deck of a ship.