Weight – 28 lbs (13 kg)
Length – 50.5 inches (1,280mm)
Barrel Length – 26.5 inches (670mm)
Cartridge – .303 British, .30-06 Springfield, 7.92x57mm Mauser
Action – Gas Operated
Rate of Fire – 500-600 rounds per minute
Feed System – 47, or a 97 round pan magazine, and a 30 round detachable Bren magazine
Battlefield 1 Game Hype
With Battlefield 1 still being the hype in the video game industry, we are going to talk about another gun that is going to be in the game, the Lewis Gun!
Made In Belgium: USA Design
In 1911 US Army colonel Isaac Newton Lewis invented the gun based off Samuel McClean’s design. Having difficulties getting the firearm in production inside the United States because of political opposition, Lewis himself opened up a manufacturing facility in Belgium in 1913.
Relocated to England
After Imperial German advancement, Lewis relocated his plant to England, which led the English to adopted his gun for their military at the start of World War I. He had the rifle chambered in .303 British and the design was officially approved for combat service on October 15, 1915. No Lewis Guns were developed in Belgium during the war.
Savage Arms
When the United States committed to the war in 1917, Savage Arms manufactured the Lewis Gun in the .30-06 caliber. Changing the caliber on the gun made it function differently than the .303 British Lewis Gun. This required the magazine, feed mechanism, bolt, barrel, extractors and gas operation systems to be modified to work with the .30-06.
Anti-Tank Rifle
The Lewis Gun was designed as an anti-tank rifle, (remember that the tanks at the beginning of the 20th century were not sturdy like they are today) and was equipped in airplanes, tanks, motorcycles, and infantry alike.