Anti-tank Rifles and Rangefinder
Moderator: berlin1945
Re: Anti-tank Rifles and Rangefinder
Were there anything around that fired 50BMG/12,7x99 during WW1??
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Hans Gowert
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Re: Anti-tank Rifles and Rangefinder
nothing of production value 
Re: Anti-tank Rifles and Rangefinder
So at the end of the day Mauser made 15820 of their 13mm design late WW1.
When did the first weapon that use the 50BMG/12,7x99 cartridge come? If the Browning .50 BMG was the first it entered service in 1921 (or 1923).
When did the first weapon that use the 50BMG/12,7x99 cartridge come? If the Browning .50 BMG was the first it entered service in 1921 (or 1923).
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Hans Gowert
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Re: Anti-tank Rifles and Rangefinder
i think the first design and testing of the .50 Browning was in 1914,
same with the M1917, it was designed and tested in the early part of 1900-1910.
The 13mm mauser was the first of its kind, leading to many rifle designs which are still used today.
but the 12.7mm round and the browning is also first of its kind.
same with the M1917, it was designed and tested in the early part of 1900-1910.
The 13mm mauser was the first of its kind, leading to many rifle designs which are still used today.
but the 12.7mm round and the browning is also first of its kind.
Re: Anti-tank Rifles and Rangefinder
The M1917 was the basis for the .50 Browning. So the .50BMG was far from being ready it seems. Anyway, as we do not have any proof at the moment and my gun books are within a cubic meter of books I rarely use we are back to square one. What facts remain are that the 13mm Mauser round with rifle was made in quite large quantities during WW1 and that Browning did not have a design ready before WW1 was over. As a design the 13mm Mauser rifle was nothing new. A Gewehr 98 on steroids, 
The 13 mm round was actually made by Polte and work on this really got a lot of attention when the british tanks became a threath. A modified version of the Maxim machine gun was put into production but just a few were made before WW1 ended and the production stopped. A question here is if the .50BMG was a descendant of the 13mm 
I am quite sure it is a modification of it.
The 13 mm round was actually made by Polte and work on this really got a lot of attention when the british tanks became a threath. A modified version of the Maxim machine gun was put into production but just a few were made before WW1 ended and the production stopped. A question here is if the .50BMG was a descendant of the 13mm I am quite sure it is a modification of it.-
GD Chaindog
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Re: Anti-tank Rifles and Rangefinder
For the fellas in Ireland there is a very mint conditioned 13mm anti-tank Mauser sitting in the Gardas crime lab collection in Dublin.
They were kind enough to show it to me along with their incredible collection of German WW1 and 2 small arms when I took a tour there a year and a half ago.
I was almost in tears when I found a very nice imperial marked luger in their to be destroyed pile.
Needless to say as much as I tried I could not persuade the Director to allow me to help myself to a gift or two.
They were kind enough to show it to me along with their incredible collection of German WW1 and 2 small arms when I took a tour there a year and a half ago.
I was almost in tears when I found a very nice imperial marked luger in their to be destroyed pile.
Needless to say as much as I tried I could not persuade the Director to allow me to help myself to a gift or two.
Re: Anti-tank Rifles and Rangefinder
Only 4632 of the 13mm rifles produced actually ended up in the front line formations and I guess they were available for those with cash/connections in the turmoil after WW1.
Seeing things that are to be destroyed can sometimes hurt a bit. A friend of mine told me that some years ago our navy phased out some of the german ww2 naval optics. They just made a row of them all and one guy went with a small hammer and cracked all the lenses. Especially thinking of the naval 20° 10x80's is horrifying. And noone were allowed to take anything. Another chap told me when they got a shredder that litterarly tears the weapon into small bits. The computer chose an old .45 (or pistole 657(n) ) to test it. These were on their way out. Specimen chosen was one that he had done a trigger job on as it was in such a nice condition. All as from factory and perfect.
Seeing things that are to be destroyed can sometimes hurt a bit. A friend of mine told me that some years ago our navy phased out some of the german ww2 naval optics. They just made a row of them all and one guy went with a small hammer and cracked all the lenses. Especially thinking of the naval 20° 10x80's is horrifying. And noone were allowed to take anything. Another chap told me when they got a shredder that litterarly tears the weapon into small bits. The computer chose an old .45 (or pistole 657(n) ) to test it. These were on their way out. Specimen chosen was one that he had done a trigger job on as it was in such a nice condition. All as from factory and perfect.