Vickers-Berthier
Vickers Limited · Machine Gun · Out Of Production · 1928
Also known as: VB, Vickers-Berthier LMG, VB Mk 3
Overview
The Vickers-Berthier is a British gas-operated light machine gun based on a design by the French engineer Adolphe Berthier, refined and manufactured by Vickers-Armstrong. Chambered in .303 British and fed from a top-mounted 30-round detachable box magazine, it used a long-stroke gas piston driving a tilting breechblock. Although the British Army ultimately selected the Czech-derived Bren gun for general service, the Vickers-Berthier was adopted by the British Indian Army as its standard light machine gun, replacing the older Lewis and Hotchkiss guns, and was produced at the Ishapore Rifle Factory in India.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 11100 g (391.5 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1180 mm (46.46") |
| Barrel Length | 607 mm (23.90") |
| Action Type | Gas Operated Long Stroke |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Capacity | 30 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 747 m/s (2451 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 3120 J (2301 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 730 m (798 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 2000 m (2187 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 500 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Number of Grooves | 5 |
| 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: Top Mounted Magazine, Integral Bipod, Tilting Breechblock, Carrying Handle
Variants
- Vickers-Berthier Mark 1 — Early Production
- Vickers-Berthier Mark 3 — Indian Service
- Vickers-Berthier Mark 3B — Improved
Service history
Operators
- British Indian Army · adopted 1933 · as Vickers-Berthier Mk 3
- United Kingdom
- Bolivian Army
Conflicts
- World War II (1939-1945)
Production
Production years: 1928-1945
Primary production at the Ishapore Rifle Factory, India, for the British Indian Army
Origin
Country of origin: United Kingdom
Designer: Adolphe Berthier
Discontinued: 1945
Notes
Frequently confused with the related Vickers K (Vickers Gas Operated) aircraft gun, which shared the Berthier mechanism but fired at a much higher cyclic rate. The Indian Army's Mark 3 served through World War II and into the post-independence era.
Background
Britain ran the Vickers-Berthier head-to-head against the Czech ZB design that became the Bren - the home army chose the Bren, but India adopted the Vickers-Berthier, so the two rival light machine guns ended up serving side by side across the British Empire.