Brian Keith Posted March 12, 2008 Share #1 Posted March 12, 2008 I was able to inspect a BAR in a county museum in last night. At first glance it is a M1918 BAR, with a bipod similar to the 1918A1, but it is marked “Model 1919-Cal. .30" "Browning Pat. Feb. 4, 1919". It is made by Colt. The serial number starts with a “C” so I think it is probably a Civilian/law enforcement gun. The barrel has no date or marking I could see, and it does not ordnance mark stamped on it like the example in Canfield’s WW I weapons book. Oddly, the museum records indicate it was accessioned in the very early 1920’s, from, if I understand correctly, the Great War “Victory” train, sent from France, loaded with War Souvenirs for local museums. Any body have any info on early BAR’s? I’ll try to get some photo’s this weekend. It is in pretty good shape, other that the places it was horribly assaulted with an electric welder! So sad! BKW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gregory Posted March 12, 2008 Share #2 Posted March 12, 2008 Any body have any info on early BAR’s? In 1925 early BAR won a tender for new machine gun for the Polish Army but it had to be slightly redesigned for 7.92mm ammo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Keith Posted March 12, 2008 Author Share #3 Posted March 12, 2008 I had read that some were sold to other countries military, it is interesting to know it was rechambered for the 7.92mm. Do you know if thay had a bi-pod? The US didn't adopt one until about 1937. Thanks, BKW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gregory Posted March 12, 2008 Share #4 Posted March 12, 2008 Hello Brian, Correct name of your BAR in our military was R.K.M. Browning wz. 28. "R.K.M." is an abbreviation of the Polish wording "ręczny karabin maszynowy". It means "hand-operated machine gun". In American military you have shorter form without this "hand-operated" and all understand that it concerns machine gun for infantry or you have a little other wording "light machine gun". This "wz." is an abbreviation of the Polish word "wzór" which means Model in American military. "Wz. 28" means that weapon entered service in 1928. The Polish BARs were manufactured in co-operation with Belgian FN company but the Poles re-designed several things and corrected gun ergonomics. The grip was added and bipod as well. Polish barrel was a little longer and had 611mm (24.06in). Look please at the links below for various additional info in English and Polish pictorials. English info http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Browning_wz.1928 Polish info http://www.bigredone.pl/albumy/muzeum_wp_2...iejestatwe.html http://militaria.wp.pl/kat,27307,wid,83722...ml?ticaid=15848 http://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karabin_maszy...owning_wz._1928 http://www.wpk.p.lodz.pl/~bolas/main/uzbro...arabiny/rkm.htm http://www.iirp.prv.pl/piechota/rkm/rkm_28...oty_rkm_28.html http://www.wilki.zyrzyn.pl/czym5.html http://www.1939.pl/uzbrojenie/polskie/piec...ning/index.html http://www.wojsko18-39.internetdsl.pl/wrzesien/rkmwz28.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Keith Posted March 12, 2008 Author Share #5 Posted March 12, 2008 Great Links! Thanks! That bi-pod is similar to the one on this gun, but not the same. BKW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milbuf Posted March 12, 2008 Share #6 Posted March 12, 2008 To add to Brian's comments about the BAR. Since I also work with Brian in military history and had the ooportunity to see this BAR. The original model number and Sr numbern appear to have been removed and the new numbers added. one can see faint remains of the previous data. Is it possable that in might have been a reworked M1918 as a prototype ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gregory Posted March 13, 2008 Share #7 Posted March 13, 2008 For me this anti-aircraft Browning wz. 28 has always been very interesting. Did the Americans try to use BAR in AA role? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
45ACP Posted March 22, 2008 Share #8 Posted March 22, 2008 Colt marketed MGs after the war and the M1919 BAR was there first model of there commerical BAR. There farther development lead to the Colt Monitor BAR for the FBIColt MonitorColt made a deal with FN to manufacture and sell Colt's products in Europe. The deal was that Colt would sell in the Americas and FN would sell everywhere else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johan Willaert Posted March 22, 2008 Share #9 Posted March 22, 2008 Michel Detrez' book about the Southern France campaign shows a GI with this Model BAR Will try to scan that picture later Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teufelhund Posted March 22, 2008 Share #10 Posted March 22, 2008 Michel Detrez' book about the Southern France campaign shows a GI with this Model BAR Will try to scan that picture later Could also be a belgian made BAR T Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J_Andrews Posted March 22, 2008 Share #11 Posted March 22, 2008 There were two Belgian BAR types. Before 1940, The M30, largely the same as the Polish WZ.28, was made for Belgium, Chile, China, Argentina and maybe Venezuela, each in the buyers' choice of caliber, i.e. 7.92, 7x57, 7.65. After WWII, it was revived, with a quick-change barrel, in .30-06 for Belgium and 7.92 for Egypt (which also bought SAFN M49 rifles in that caliber). I encountered a beat-up M30 in 7.92 in VN in 1970, Belgian-marked -- but no mags and no 7.92 ammo. BARs got around: Also in VN I encountered a M1918 Winchester BAR (so marked), barrel dated Jan 1918, blued finish, withn a later parkerized flash hider and bipod, overstamped (crudely) "A2", with French leather sling, that the owners (VN police station) insisted was residue of the French Mobile Group 100, that had gotten chewed up badly in the neighborhood, which they had confiscated from a local citizen after Tet 68) (and the citizen had used it for self-defense during Tet). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gregory Posted March 22, 2008 Share #12 Posted March 22, 2008 We have to remember also about the German users. After capitulation of Poland in 1939 a part of the Polish BAR wz. 28s changed an owner. I guess in Belgium as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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