Breda 38

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Breda Modello 38
Type	Tank Machine Gun
Place of origin	Kingdom of Italy
Service history
In service	1938-1943
Used by	Kingdom of Italy
Wars	World War II
Production history
Manufacturer	Breda Meccanica Bresciana
Specifications
Weight	33⅞ lbs
Length	35½ in
Barrel length	23 in

Cartridge	8x59mm RB Breda
Action	Gas operated
Rate of fire	600 rounds/min
Feed system	24-round vertical box magazine

The Breda 38 was an Italian tank-pattern machine gun used in World War II. It was able to fit on the available tanks: the Fiat L6/40, the Fiat M11/39, and the Fiat M13/40. It was also adapted as infantry machine gun.

Development

The Italians have also adapted it for use as an infantry machine gun. For this purpose the gun is mounted on a machine-gun tripod by means of an adapter, and is fitted with a temporary rear sight on the right of the body and a temporary front sight on the right of the barrel at the muzzle. These temporary open sights take the place of the optical sight used when the gun is tank-mounted.

Design details

The gun is air-cooled, gas-operated, and magazine-fed, and has a quick-change barrel. Its operational features are simple, and it is extremely easy to field-strip or disassemble completely. The barrel is sufficiently heavy (9⅞ pounds) to enable it to fire a large number of rounds in quick succession without overheating.

External links

Breda Model 38 Variant

v t e Italian firearms and light weapons of World War II

Side arms	Beretta M1923 Beretta M1934 Beretta M1935 Roth-Steyr M1907 Steyr M1912 Glisenti M1910 Bodeo Model 1889

Rifles and carbines (fucili e moschetti)	Fucile da Fanteria Mod. 1891 Moschetto Mod. 91 da Cavalleria Moschetto per Truppe Speciali Mod. 91 Fucile Mod. 1938 Fucile Armaguerra Mod. 39

Submachine guns	Beretta 1918 MAB 38 Onorati OVP FNAB-43 TZ-45

Machine guns and other larger weapons	Fiat-Revelli Mod. 1914 Fiat Revelli Mod. 1935 SAFAT M1926 Breda-SAFAT Breda Mod. 1930 Breda Mod. 1937 Breda Mod. 1938 Solothurn S-18/1000

Mortars (mortai)	Mortaio Brixia Mod. 35 Mortaio da 81/14 Mod. 35

Cartridges used by the Italian Army during World War II	.32 ACP .380 ACP 6.5×52mm Mannlicher-Carcano 7.35×51mm Carcano 8×57mm IS 8×59mm RB Breda 9×19mm Glisenti 9×19mm Parabellum 20×138mmB

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