Villar-Perosa M1915
Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino (FIAT) · Machine Gun · Out Of Production · 1915
Also known as: Pistola Mitragliatrice Villar Perosa, FIAT-Revelli Modello 1915, FIAT Mod. 1915
Overview
The Villar-Perosa M1915 was a twin-barrel, pistol-caliber automatic weapon designed by Bethel Abiel Revelli and built by FIAT's Officine di Villar Perosa subsidiary. Originally conceived as a lightweight aircraft observer's gun firing the 9mm Glisenti cartridge, it consisted of two independent simple-blowback, open-bolt actions mounted side by side, each fed by a 25-round top-mounted box magazine and fired via thumb-button paddle triggers on spade grips. Its combined cyclic rate of roughly 3,000 rounds per minute was so extreme that a gunner emptied both magazines in about a second. Issued to Alpini mountain troops on bipods, tripods and chest harnesses, it is widely regarded as the first submachine gun to see military service.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 6520 g (230.0 oz) |
| Overall Length | 533 mm (20.98") |
| Barrel Length | 318 mm (12.52") |
| Action Type | Blowback |
| Magazine Capacity | 25 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 366 m/s (1201 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 410 J (302 ft·lbf) |
| Rate of Fire | 3000 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
Calibers
- 9x19mm Glisenti · primary — also known as 9mm Glisenti, 9x19mm Glisenti
Features
- Firing modes: Full Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine
- Features: Twin Barrels, Open Bolt, Spade Grips, Thumb Button Triggers, Folding Bipod, Top Mounted Magazines, Air Cooled
Variants
- OVP M1918 — Single Barrel Shoulder Smg
Service history
Operators
- Royal Italian Army · adopted 1915 · as Pistola Mitragliatrice Villar Perosa
- Austro-Hungarian Army · as Sturmpistole M.18 (copy)
Conflicts
- World War I (1914-1918)
Production
Estimated total produced: 14,564 · Production years: 1915-1918
Approximately 14,564 'pistol machine guns' delivered during WWI; ~350 in the first year
Origin
Country of origin: Italy
Designer: Bethel Abiel Revelli
Discontinued: 1918
Notes
Rate of fire shown is the combined twin-barrel cyclic rate (~1200-1500 rpm per barrel). Many surviving twin units were later cut down to build the single-barrel OVP M1918 and contributed receivers to the Beretta Model 1918. Production rights were sold to Canadian General Electric in 1918.
Background
Designed to spray enemy aircraft, the Villar-Perosa flopped in the air because the feeble 9mm Glisenti round could not down a plane, so the Italians strapped it to bipods, tripods, harnesses and even bicycles, accidentally inventing the submachine gun. Its ~3,000 rpm combined rate emptied both 25-round magazines in roughly one second, requiring an assistant gunner who did nothing but feed fresh magazines.