Marlin-Rockwell M1917
Marlin-Rockwell Corporation · Machine Gun · Out Of Production · 1917
Also known as: Marlin Aircraft Gun, Marlin Model 1917, Marlin-Rockwell Gun
Overview
The Marlin-Rockwell M1917 was a radical redesign of the Colt M1895 "Potato Digger", replacing the swinging gas lever with a conventional linear gas piston running parallel to and beneath the barrel. This let the action sit low and run reliably as a synchronized aircraft gun. Aluminium radiator fins aided cooling, and by the final months of World War I nearly half of the SPAD XIII fighters in France had their Vickers guns swapped for Marlins.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 10200 g (359.8 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1016 mm (40.00") |
| Barrel Length | 711 mm (27.99") |
| Action Type | Gas Operated Long Stroke |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Type | Belt |
| Muzzle Velocity | 853 m/s (2799 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 3540 J (2611 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 800 m (875 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 2000 m (2187 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 600 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Rifling Twist | 254 mm (10.00") |
| Number of Grooves | 4 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .30-06 Springfield · primary — also known as 7.62x63mm, .30 Gov't '06, .30 M1906
Features
- Firing modes: Full Automatic
- Feed systems: Fabric Belt, Metallic Link Belt
- Features: Linear Gas Piston, Aluminum Radiator Fins, Air Cooled, Synchronization Gear Compatible, Closed Bolt
Variants
- Marlin-Rockwell M1918 — Tank
Base model
Service history
Operators
- United States Army Air Service · adopted 1917 · as M1917
- Russian Empire · adopted 1916
- United States Tank Corps · adopted 1918 · as M1918
- French Army · adopted 1918
Conflicts
- World War I (1917-1918)
- Russian Civil War (1917-1922)
Production
Estimated total produced: 38,000 · Production years: 1917-1919
Combined aircraft and tank production by Marlin-Rockwell Corporation
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Designer: Carl Swebilius
Discontinued: 1919
Notes
The M1918 variant was adapted for tank and vehicle use. Roughly 38,000 Marlin guns were produced for aircraft, tank and ground use combined; about 14,800 of the earlier 1914 pattern went to Imperial Russia.
Background
The Marlin started life as a sporting-rifle maker's wartime contract; its designer reworked Browning's clunky digging lever into a tidy piston that could fire through a spinning propeller, making it one of America's first true aircraft machine guns.