CODE – 04-132-915
NAME – US Model 1915 Vickers
NAME (NATIVE) – U.S. Army Cal. .30 Vickers Machine Gun Model 1915
COMMON NAMES – Model 1915 Vickers
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN – USA
DATE OF MANUFACTURE – 1915
CALIBER – 7.62x63mm (30-06)
OVERALL LENGTH – 108.7 cm (42.8 in)
BARREL LENGTH – 71.1 cm (28 in)
RIFLING (TYPE & TWIST) – 4 Grooves, Right-hand twist, 1 turn in 25.4 cm (10 in)
BULLET TYPE – M1906 Full jacketed Pointed Spitzer
BULLET DIAMETER – 7.82 mm (0.308 in)
BULLET WEIGHT – 9.72 g (150 grains)
MUZZLE VELOCITY – 847 m/s (2780 fps)
MUZZLE ENERGY – 3491 j (2575 ft/lb)
WEIGHT (EMPTY) – 14.74 kg (32 lb 8 oz)
WEIGHT (LOADED) – 26.19 kg (57 lb 12 oz) with 7.5 pts water, 250-round belt in ammunition case
WEIGHT (MOUNTED) – 48.87 kg (103 lb 5 oz) On Mk IV tripod, with 7.5 pts water, 250-round belt in ammunition case
TYPE OF MOUNT – Mark IV Tripod
WEIGHT OF MOUNT (Mk IV) – 22.68 kg (50 lb)
WEIGHT OF WATER – 3.55 L (7.5 Pts) – 3.4 kg (7 lb 8 oz)
WEIGHT OF WATER BOX (Full) – 11.94 kg (26 lb 5 oz)
STEAM CONDENSING DEVICE – 0.54 kg (1 lb 3 oz)
WEIGHT OF SPARE BARREL – 1.20 kg (2 lb 10 oz)
SIGHTS – Open, iron, adjustable, Front sight – inverted V, adjustable for windage, Rear sight – Rotating, adjustable aperture on vertical ladder, graduated from 91 to 2,377 m in 91 m increments (100 to 2,600 yards in 100 yard increments)
A replacement rear sight was produced and issued in May 1918. The change was in graduating the sights from 100 to 2,400 meters in 100 meter increments (109 to 2,625 yards in 109 yard increments)
EFFECTIVE RANGE – 914 m (1,000 yards)
OPERATION – Recoil with muzzle gas booster
TYPE OF FIRE – Full automatic
RATE OF FIRE – 200 rpm
CYCLIC ROF – 500 rpm
FEED DEVICE – 250 round cloth (flax) belt
FEED DEVICE WEIGHT (EMPTY) – 0.23 kg (8 oz)
Ammunition case (empty) for one – 250 round belt – 1.13 kg (2 lb 8 oz)
FEED DEVICE WEIGHT (LOADED) – 6.92 kg (15 lb 4 oz)
Ammunition case with one – 250 round belt – 8.05 kg (17 lb 12 oz)
BASIC AMMUNITION LOAD – Five 250-round belts in ammunition boxes (1,250 rounds)
LOAD WEIGHT – 40.25 kg (88 lb 12 oz)
MANUFACTURER – Colt’s Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company, Hartford, Connecticut
STATUS – Obsolete
SERVICE – US Army
This weapon is a licensed copy of the British Vickers Mk I produced in the United States and chambered for the US 7.62x63mm (30-06) round.
