Dror
Israel Military Industries (Ta'as) · Machine Gun · Out Of Production · 1948
Also known as: Dror Light Machine Gun
Overview
The Dror is an Israeli light machine gun developed by the Haganah's clandestine arms industry and Israel Military Industries (Ta'as) during the late 1940s. Closely based on the American Johnson M1941 light machine gun, it used a short-recoil action and fed from a side-mounted detachable box magazine. Initial production was chambered in .303 British to match the ammunition then in widest use by Israeli forces; later examples were reworked for 7.92x57mm Mauser. The design proved sensitive to dust and sand and was produced only in small numbers before being withdrawn in favor of more reliable foreign machine guns.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 7500 g (264.6 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1066 mm (41.97") |
| Barrel Length | 508 mm (20.00") |
| Action Type | Short Recoil |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Automatic |
| Magazine Capacity | 20 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 744 m/s (2441 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 3120 J (2301 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 600 m (656 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 600 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .303 British · primary — also known as .303 Mk VII, 7.7x56mmR, .303 Enfield
Features
- Firing modes: Full Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety
- Features: Quick Change Barrel, Side Mounted Magazine, Bipod, Select Fire
Service history
Operators
- Israel Defense Forces · adopted 1948
Conflicts
- 1948 Arab-Israeli War (1948-1949)
Production
Production years: 1948-1952
Produced in limited numbers; withdrawn after persistent reliability issues in field conditions
Origin
Country of origin: Israel
Designer: Yehuda Linder
Discontinued: 1952
Notes
Reliability problems in the dusty conditions of the 1948 Arab-Israeli War limited the Dror's service life. Many sources cite both .303 British and 7.92x57mm Mauser chamberings across its short production run.
Background
Derived from Melvin Johnson's M1944 LMG, the Dror (Hebrew for 'Liberty') was one of the young state of Israel's first attempts at an indigenous automatic weapon, born of the need to arm its forces during the 1948 war when foreign supply was uncertain. Several of Johnson's own engineers are said to have sympathized with the cause and aided the technology transfer.