Old Tom Posted 3 December , 2004 Share Posted 3 December , 2004 Some time ago I posed a question about the Pom-Pom, I hope I managed to thank all who came up with information. I have come across a reference to the automatic as an infantry battalion weapon in a Canadain book on technology. It also refers to a Chauchat automatic rifle of which 8 were held by each French Company at Verdun. Has anyone any information on the Chauchat please? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcderms Posted 3 December , 2004 Share Posted 3 December , 2004 Did a quick Google for you and came up with this Comment On Another Board and ths chap Here who will sell you one. Appears that it was a lousy weapon, never used in combat. There are some images of WW1 automatic weapons at the REME Museum Page and I believe it looked like the Chauchat Machine Rifle. If you need anymore info, you can buy "Proud Promise French Autoloading Rifles, 1898 - 1979 -- by Jean Huon" Here.. Enjoy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Posted 4 December , 2004 Share Posted 4 December , 2004 It was by all accounts porly made and unreliable but as far as Iknow it was used in combat by the French Army and the Americans as well. It was cheaply made out ofmetal pressings and used teh 8mm Lebel cartridge which was rimmed soit had to have the semicircular magazine which fed very poorly Greg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveDocDavies Posted 4 December , 2004 Share Posted 4 December , 2004 McDerm: thanks for the link to the REME page with photos. OldTom: I'm currently away from my book collection, so cannot provide a specific reference name. I recall the US Marines were asked to turn in their Lewis guns and Browning auto rifles for the Chauchat upon arrival in France ... purportedly due to ammunition availability. The reports I recall state the Chauchat was in two "generations" the older being the more reliable of the two. The nickname listed is the "polite" one for family readers. The photo at the website above shows a box magazine which I had not heard of previously. The semi-circular magazine was supposed to provide a good volume of suppresive fire; however, the magazine was of open construction which permitted debris to interfere with feeding reliability. Armourers report reliability was predominantly dependent upon fastidious cleanliness and avoiding soiling the magazines by the loader. [i believe the Osprey Man-at-Arms series volume covering the US Marine Corps World War I has a coloured plate illustrating one.] Doc D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Dunlop Posted 6 December , 2004 Share Posted 6 December , 2004 Here are some threads on the Chauchat, including pics in the second link: http://1914-1918.org/forum/index.php?showt...517&hl=chauchat http://1914-1918.org/forum/index.php?showt...384&hl=chauchat Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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