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Maxim gun
Polish Legions picnic, Łódź October 2014 08.jpg
Maxim M1910 variant
Type Heavy machine gun
Place of origin United Kingdom
Service history
In service 1886 – present
Used by See Users
Wars
Production history
Designer Sir Hiram Stevens Maxim
Manufacturer Maxim Gun Company, Vickers
Variants Vickers machine gun, MG08, PM M1910, M32-33, M/09-21
Specifications
Mass 27.2 kg (60 lb)
Length 107.9 cm (42.5 in)
Barrel length 67.3 cm (26.5 in)
Crew 4
Cartridge
  • 7x57mm Mauser
  • .303 British
  • .30-06 Springfield
  • 7.92x57mm Mauser
  • .577/450 Martini–Henry
  • 7.62x54mmR
Action Recoil-operated
Rate of fire 550–600 rounds/min
Muzzle velocity 744 m/s
Feed system 250-round canvas belt
Sights Iron sights

The Maxim gun was the world's first fully automatic machine gun. It was invented in 1884 by Hiram Stevens Maxim. This powerful weapon changed how wars were fought.

Historian Martin Gilbert called the Maxim gun "the weapon most associated with imperial conquest." It was used a lot by European countries during the "Scramble for Africa." This was a time when European powers took control of large parts of Africa.

The Maxim gun was also used in many other conflicts. These include the Russo-Japanese War, World War I, and World War II. Even today, some versions are still seen in conflicts. The Maxim gun greatly influenced how machine guns developed. Many later machine guns were based on its design.

How the Maxim Gun Works

Machinegun Maxim drawingB86 483-1
An illustration of the Maxim Gun

The Maxim gun used a smart system called recoil-operation. This means the energy from each shot helped load the next bullet. When a bullet was fired, the gun's barrel moved back (recoiled). This movement was used to push out the empty shell. Then, it would load a new bullet into the chamber.

Earlier fast-firing guns, like the Gatling gun, needed someone to crank a handle. The Maxim gun did not need this. It was much more efficient and easier to use.

The Maxim gun also used water cooling. This meant it could fire many shots without getting too hot. A water jacket around the barrel kept it cool. This allowed it to shoot for a long time without stopping. However, this made the gun heavy and harder to move.

Tests showed the Maxim gun could fire 600 bullets every minute. Compared to modern machine guns, it was big and heavy. One soldier could fire it, but a team of 4 to 6 people usually operated it. This team helped reload, find targets, and carry ammunition and water. Moving the heavy gun also needed several people.

Who Made the Maxim Gun?

Hiram Maxim started the Maxim Gun Company. He got money from Albert Vickers, whose father owned a steel company. The first factory where Maxim invented the gun was in London. You can still see a special blue plaque there today.

Albert Vickers became the company's leader. Later, Maxim's company joined with a Swedish company called Nordenfelt. They formed the Maxim Nordenfelt Guns and Ammunition Company. Eventually, this company became part of the larger Vickers company. This led to the creation of the Maxim-Vickers gun. Later, Vickers redesigned it into the famous Vickers machine gun.

History of the Maxim Gun

Early Development (1883–1884)

Hiram Maxim first received patents for his gun in 1883. He showed the first working version to people in October 1884.

Use in Colonial Wars (1886–1914)

Maxim machine gun Megapixie
A Maxim gun from 1895, mounted on a tripod
USSVixenMaximMachineGun.1898.ws
A large Maxim gun on the USS Vixen around 1898

A prototype of the Maxim gun was taken on the Emin Pasha Relief Expedition in Africa (1886–1890). This trip was led by Henry Morton Stanley. The gun was meant to impress people and prevent fights. It was used a few times, mainly to scare away attackers.

One of the first times British forces used the Maxim gun was in the 1887 Yoni Expedition. The same gun was later used by Frederick Lugard in Africa. It helped him establish the Uganda Protectorate.

The German government also used one of the first Maxim guns in 1888. It helped them stop the Abushiri Revolt in German East Africa.

The Maxim gun was used a lot in the First Matabele War in Rhodesia. In one battle, 700 soldiers fought 5,000 Matabele warriors. They used only five Maxim guns. This showed how powerful the gun could be. It played a big part in the "Scramble for Africa." The gun was very effective against old-fashioned charging attacks.

A larger version of the Maxim gun was made. It fired a one-pound shell. This gun was known as the Pom-Pom during the Second Boer War in South Africa. It got its name from the sound it made.

At first, many armies were slow to adopt the Maxim gun. Soldiers often didn't trust machine guns because they jammed a lot. However, the Maxim was much more reliable than other guns of its time. An early problem was the smoke it produced, which gave away its position. But the invention of smokeless powder helped solve this.

The British Army adopted the gun thanks to Sir Garnet Wolseley. He was the Commander-in-Chief of the British Army. He ordered 120 Maxim guns in 1888. Wolseley was known for trying new military ideas. Other European countries also bought and used the Maxim gun.

Russo-Japanese War (1904–1905)

In 1895, the Imperial Japanese Army bought some Maxims. They tested them during the invasion of Taiwan. But they later chose a different machine gun. The Imperial Russian Army bought 58 Maxim guns in 1899. They also made a deal to build them in Russia. During the Russo-Japanese War, Russia used the Maxim gun in battles. They quickly ordered 450 more guns from other countries.

World War I (1914–1918)

By World War I, many armies had better machine guns. The British Vickers machine gun was an improved Maxim. It was used by the British Army from 1912 until 1968. Germany's Maschinengewehr 08 and Russia's Pulemyot Maxim were also direct copies of the Maxim.

The Maxim gun was also used during the Russian Civil War. This war happened after the Russian Revolution of 1917. Pictures from that time show a Maxim gun mounted on a tachanka. This was a horse-drawn carriage. The gunner would fire backwards at enemy soldiers.

  • BASA-1221K-1-61-14

    Austro-Hungarian soldiers with a captured Maxim gun, around 1916

  • Red army soldiers, end of 1920s-beginning of 1930s

    Red Army soldiers with a Maxim gun, around 1930

American Use of the Maxim Gun

111-SC-24660 - NARA - 55208931
A photo of a M1904 Maxim gun
U.S. Army 1911 maneuvers in Texas- Maxim machine gun & crew LCCN2003653480
American troops with a M1904 machine gun in Texas, 1911

The United States Army became interested in the Maxim gun in 1887. They tested different models for many years. Finally, in 1904, they adopted it as the Maxim Machine Gun, Caliber .30, Model of 1904. This was their first standard heavy machine gun.

The first 50 guns were made in the U.K. by Vickers, Sons & Maxim. Colt's Manufacturing Company was chosen to make them in the U.S. But there were delays. By the time Colt started making them in 1908, Vickers had made 90 M1904s. In total, 287 M1904 Maxims were made. The U.S. Army later got other machine guns, like the Browning M1917.

M1904 Maxims were given to infantry and cavalry units. Each company had four guns. They also had tripods, ammunition, and 20 mules to carry the heavy equipment. The M1904 was used in the Philippines, Hawaii, Mexico, and other parts of America. However, it did not see much combat. During World War I, it was used for training in the U.S.

Modern Use in Ukraine

The Maxim gun, specifically the PM M1910 model, is still used today. Both sides in the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian War have used it. Many Maxim guns have been updated for modern warfare. Some are put on trucks or have red dot sights. A Ukrainian soldier told BBC News in 2023 that the Maxim gun "only works when there is a massive attack going on...then it really works. So we use it every week."

Different Types of Maxim Guns

7.5mm MG Maxim
A Swiss Maxim machine gun from 1894

The Maxim gun led to many other machine gun designs:

  • Vickers machine gun: This was an improved and lighter version of the Maxim. It was made for many different bullet sizes.
  • MG 01 and MG 08: These were German versions made by Deutsche Waffen und Munitionsfabriken (DWM). The MG 08 was widely used by Germany in World War I.
  • Type 24 heavy machine gun: A Chinese version of the MG 09.
  • Maschinengewehr Modell 1911: A Swiss version of the MG 09.
  • Pulemyot Maxima PM1910: This was the Russian and Soviet version. Lighter versions like the Maxim–Tokarev were also made.
  • Maxim M/09-21 and M/32-33: These were Finnish versions.
  • American M1904: The version used by the United States Army.
  • Romanian 6.5 mm version: A few of these were made and used by Romania in World War I.
  • MG 18 TuF: A special anti-tank and anti-aircraft gun.

Who Used the Maxim Gun?

Many countries and groups around the world used the Maxim gun. Here are some of them:

Related Weapons

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