Hotchkiss Mle 1929
Hotchkiss et Cie · Machine Gun · Discontinued · 1930
Also known as: Hotchkiss M1929, Hotchkiss Mle 1930, Mitrailleuse de 13,2 mm Hotchkiss, Hotchkiss 13.2 mm
Overview
The Hotchkiss Mle 1929 is a French gas-operated, air-cooled heavy machine gun chambered in the powerful 13.2x99mm Hotchkiss cartridge. Developed by Hotchkiss et Cie as an enlarged derivative of the Hotchkiss Mle 1922 light machine gun, it was intended for anti-aircraft and anti-armor work. Fed by a 30-round box magazine or rigid metal strips and firing at roughly 450 rounds per minute, the gun was deployed on infantry tripods as well as twin (CAD) and quadruple (CAQ) naval anti-aircraft mounts. Its 13.2mm cartridge influenced the Japanese Type 93 and several other heavy machine gun programs of the era.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 37500 g (1322.8 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1490 mm (58.66") |
| Barrel Length | 992 mm (39.06") |
| Action Type | Gas Operated |
| Firing Mechanism | Open Bolt |
| Magazine Capacity | 30 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 800 m/s (2625 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 16320 J (12037 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 2000 m (2187 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 7200 m (7874 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 450 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- 13.2x99mm Hotchkiss · primary — also known as 13.2mm Hotchkiss, 13.2x99 Hotchkiss, 13.2 mm Hotchkiss
Features
- Firing modes: Full Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine, Metal Strip
- Features: Air Cooled, Finned Barrel, Anti Aircraft Role, Anti Armor Role, Tripod Mounted
Variants
- Hotchkiss Mle 1930 - Improved Model
Service history
Operators
- French Army · adopted 1930 · as Mitrailleuse de 13,2 mm Mle 1929
- French Navy · adopted 1929 · as CAD/CAQ Mle 1929
- Imperial Japanese Navy · adopted 1933 · as Type 93
Conflicts
- World War II (1939-1945)
- Second Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945)
Production
Production years: 1929-1940s
Produced in France by Hotchkiss et Cie and under license in Japan as the Type 93; exact totals undocumented
Origin
Country of origin: France
Designer: Hotchkiss et Cie
Notes
Often referred to interchangeably with the Mle 1930. The bare gun weighs roughly 37.5-40 kg; the full infantry tripod added around 57 kg. Quadruple CAQ Mle 1929 naval mounts were widely used aboard 1930s-1940s French warships.
Background
Designed around a 13.2mm cartridge derived from a scaled-up version of American .50 caliber ammunition, the Hotchkiss 13.2 mm became one of the most widely copied heavy machine gun concepts of the interwar period, spawning licensed and derivative designs in Japan, Italy and elsewhere.