BESA Machine Gun
Birmingham Small Arms Company · Machine Gun · Out Of Production · 1939
Also known as: BESA, Gun, Machine, 7.92mm, BESA
Overview
The BESA was a British air-cooled, gas-operated, belt-fed machine gun used as the primary coaxial and hull weapon in British and Commonwealth tanks and armoured vehicles during World War II. It was a licensed adaptation of the Czechoslovak ZB-53 (vz. 37) produced by the Birmingham Small Arms Company, whose name combines BSA and Czech maker ZB. Unusually for a British weapon it retained the German 7.92x57mm Mauser cartridge rather than being rechambered to .303 British, and its differential-recoil action gave exceptionally smooth firing.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 21650 g (763.7 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1100 mm (43.31") |
| Barrel Length | 740 mm (29.13") |
| Height | 740 mm (29.13") |
| Action Type | Gas Operated |
| Firing Mechanism | Open Bolt |
| Trigger Type | Full Auto Only |
| Magazine Capacity | 225 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Belt |
| Muzzle Velocity | 823 m/s (2700 fps) |
| Rate of Fire | 750 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Rifling Twist | 240 mm (9.45") |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
Calibers
- 7.92x57mm Mauser · primary — also known as 8mm Mauser, 8x57mm IS, 7.92x57mm
Features
- Firing modes: Full Automatic
- Feed systems: Non Disintegrating Metal Link Belt
- Features: Air Cooled, Belt Fed, Differential Recoil, Selectable Rate Of Fire, Vehicle Mounted
Variants
- BESA Mark I — Early Selectable Rate
- 15mm BESA — Heavy
Service history
Operators
- British Army · adopted 1940 · as Gun, Machine, 7.92mm, BESA
- Australian Army
- Canadian Army
Conflicts
- World War II (1939-1945)
- Korean War (1950-1953)
Production
Estimated total produced: 39,332 · Production years: 1939-1950s
7.92mm BESA: ~39,332 (Wikipedia) to ~59,332 (militaryfactory); 15mm BESA: 3,218 units. Figures conflict across sources.
Origin
Country of origin: United Kingdom
Designer: Vaclav Holek
Notes
Parent design is the ZB-53 / vz. 37 (not vz. 53). Early marks had selectable high/low cyclic rates; later fixed-rate marks served into the 1960s. Production figures conflict: ~39,332 (Wikipedia) to ~59,332 (militaryfactory) for the 7.92mm gun.
Background
The BESA was unusual among British weapons in keeping the German 7.92x57mm Mauser cartridge rather than being rechambered to .303 British - a logistics oddity accepted because it was a dedicated tank gun and rechambering would have delayed production.