Vickers-Berthier Mk IIIB
Vickers Limited · Machine Gun · Out Of Production · 1936
Also known as: VB Mk 3B, Vickers-Berthier Mark IIIB, Vickers-Berthier Mk 3B
Overview
The Vickers-Berthier Mk IIIB is the final and most refined service variant of the British Vickers-Berthier light machine gun, a gas-operated, air-cooled weapon derived from a design by the French engineer Andre Berthier and manufactured by Vickers-Armstrong. Chambered in .303 British and fed from a top-mounted 30-round detachable box magazine, it fires from an open bolt using a long-stroke gas piston and a vertically tilting bolt. Building on the Mk III, the Mk IIIB introduced an improved gas system for enhanced reliability while retaining the quick-detachable barrel, carrying handle and integral bipod. It served as the standard light machine gun of the British Indian Army through the Second World War and was produced both by Vickers-Armstrong in the United Kingdom and at the Ishapore Rifle Factory in India.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 9400 g (331.6 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1180 mm (46.46") |
| Barrel Length | 607 mm (23.90") |
| Action Type | Gas Operated Long Stroke |
| Firing Mechanism | Open Bolt |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Capacity | 30 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 745 m/s (2444 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: Semi Automatic, Full Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety
- Features: Top Mounted Magazine, Quick Detachable Barrel, Carrying Handle, Integral Bipod, Tilting Bolt, Improved Gas System, Air Cooled
Base model
Service history
Operators
- British Indian Army · adopted 1936 · as Vickers-Berthier Mk 3B
- United Kingdom
- Bolivia
Conflicts
- World War II (1939-1945)
Production
Production years: 1936-1945
Produced by Vickers-Armstrong in the UK and at the Ishapore Rifle Factory in India for the British Indian Army
Origin
Country of origin: United Kingdom
Designer: Andre Berthier
Discontinued: 1945
Notes
The Mk IIIB refined the Mk III chiefly through an improved gas system for greater reliability; most physical dimensions are shared with the Mk III. Sources disagree on empty weight, ranging from roughly 9.4 kg (modernfirearms.net) to about 11.1 kg for the series (militaryfactory.com). Served alongside the Bren gun across the British Empire, the Berthier equipping the Indian Army while British troops fielded the Bren.
Background
While the British Army adopted the Czech-derived Bren, India stuck with the home-grown Vickers-Berthier, and the Mk IIIB - with its reworked gas system - became the Indian Army's standard light machine gun, so the two rival guns fought the Second World War side by side across the Empire.