ZB vz. 33
Zbrojovka Brno · Machine Gun · Discontinued · 1933
Also known as: ZB-30J, ZB vz. 30J, Puskomitraljez M.30J
Overview
The ZB vz. 33 is a Czechoslovak gas-operated, magazine-fed light machine gun developed by Zbrojovka Brno as an export evolution of the ZB vz. 30. Chambered in 7.92x57mm Mauser, it fed from a 20-round top-mounted detachable box magazine and fired from an open bolt with a quick-change finned barrel. Its defining improvement was an adjustable gas regulator and a heavier, more robust gas system, allowing reliable operation with both light and heavy ball ammunition. Marketed to foreign buyers, it was supplied to Yugoslavia and other states, and captured examples were pressed into German service during the Second World War.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 9580 g (337.9 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1204 mm (47.40") |
| Barrel Length | 672 mm (26.46") |
| Action Type | Gas Operated Long Stroke |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Capacity | 20 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 750 m/s (2461 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 3600 J (2655 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 1000 m (1094 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 2000 m (2187 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 550 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Number of Grooves | 4 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- 7.92x57mm Mauser · primary — also known as 8mm Mauser, 7.92x57mm, 8x57mm IS
Features
- Firing modes: Full Automatic, Semi Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety
- Features: Quick Change Barrel, Top Mounted Magazine, Integral Bipod, Carrying Handle, Adjustable Gas Regulator, Selective Fire
Base model
Service history
Operators
- Royal Yugoslav Army · as Puskomitraljez 7.9mm M.30J
- Nazi Germany (Wehrmacht) · adopted 1941 · as MG 30(t)
Conflicts
- World War II (1939-1945)
Production
Production years: 1933-1945
Built as part of the wider ZB vz. 26/30 family; over 120,000 guns of the family were produced and exported to more than two dozen countries.
Origin
Country of origin: Czech Republic
Designer: Vaclav Holek
Discontinued: 1945
Notes
Frequently catalogued as the ZB-30J. Closely related to the ZGB vz. 33, the .303 British prototype that was further developed into the British Bren light machine gun.
Background
The ZB light machine gun line so impressed British observers that a .303-calibre derivative, the ZGB vz. 33, was selected at Brno in 1933 and licence-built in Britain as the Bren gun, one of the most celebrated infantry weapons of the 20th century.