NEW CZECHOSLOVAK 7.92 MM (?) LMG, MODEL 52

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00046R000500290006-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 30, 2013
• Sequence Number: 6
• Publication Date: October 26, 1955
• Content Type: REPORT

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr 2013/09/30: CIA-RDP82-00046R000500290006-9
\CA
INFORMATION REPORT
INFORMATION REPORT
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
This material contains information affecting the National Defense of the United States within the meaning of the Espionage Laws, Title
18, U.S.C. Secs. 703 and 794, the transmission or revelation of which in any manner to an unauthorised person is prohibited by law,
COUNTRY Czeohoolovakia
REPORT NO.
50X1
SUBJECT New Czeohoolovek 7.92 mm
(?) LNG, DATE DISTR.
26 October 3955
Mbdel 52
NO, OF PAGES
5.
DATE OF INFO.
REQUIREMENT NO.
RD
50X1
PLACE ACQUIRED
REFERENCES
DATE ACQUIRED
SOURCE EVALUATIONS ARE DEFINITIVE, APPRAISAL OP CONTENT IS TENTATIVE,
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Available for loan at the OI/ Library iN & Mtmory
sketch at the new LMO detoribed in the report.
Diotribution of Attachment (ketch of 1.140)t
003)
CIA _Library
Retention (negative and 2 capita)
LIBRARY SUBJECT 6 AREA CODES (5:0)
3424406 io/55
2.5/742.13_ aza.
.sein- 27M
kb.FORMATION REPORI INI ORMA I ION REPORT
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr 2013/09/30: CIA-RDP82-00046R000500290006-9
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr 2013/09/30: CIA-RDP82-00046R000500290006-9
DX1
COUNTRY Czechoslovakia
SUBJECT
CONFIDENTIAL
New Czechoslovak 7.92 mm (?) LMG, M
DATE OF INFORMATION
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PLACE ACQUIRED
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REPORT NO.
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DATE DISTR. 22 Sept. 1955
1 52 NO.OFPAOis 4
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
SOURCE
Inn
1. In the unit received 12 new 7.92 mm MO's,
50X1 Model 52 to re lace the Oman 7.92 mm, machine gun known to source
by its Cz me "KOSA". These new LMO's were designated for
50X1 the defense. This was common knowledge among base
air ? source also observed that all of the other Air Pone
units stationedl50X1lwere issued new-type LMOts at
the same time at ills own unit.
Classropm Ipstripttoni
2. Two or three months after the arrival of the new weapons, familiari-
zation classes were conducted, alternately by the battalion CO, the
battalion ordnance officer and one of the conscripted platoon
sergeants. These classes covered the functioning, disassembly,
assembly and maintenance of the weapon. They were part of normal
weekly classes of military training and lasted five hours per week
(given on two days a week) over a three-month period.
3. Classroom instruction was based on a secret manual, "Lehky Kulomet
Pouzivany v CS Armade, vzor 52" (Light Maohine Gun Employed in the
Czechoslovak Army, Model 52), Five copies of this manual arrived
50X1 at the Secret Documents Sections i.e., Secret
Control, two or three months after the arrival of the weapontoand
then classroom instruction started.1
a
2WIDEXTUT,
im,,,inecifiori in Part - Sanitized Com/ APproved for Release @ 50-Yr 2013/09/30: CIA-RDP82-00046R000500290006-9
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr 2013/09/30: CIA-RDP82-00046R000500290006-9
CONFIDENTIAL 50X1
- 2 -
Range Firing of New Weapon
4. Source stated that he fired the new LMG approximately eight times
50:0 at the firing range.2 Each time he fired three
single and seven automatic shots at half-silhouette targets from
the prone position and at 300 m. The minimum passing soore,3
source guessed, was 18 points for each of the two firing categories.
This firing was part of the regularly scheduled military training.
Source last fired the new LMG in
Characteristitos
5, Charaoteristios of the
Caliber5
Model
Type of Operation
Type of Fire
Muzzle Velocity
Cyolio Rate of Fire
7.92
Practical Rate of Fire
Range
Weight, empty
Weight Visioning loaded
Length
Barrel Length
Rifling
Type of Muzzle Adapter
Stock
Sights Front
Rear
Feeding Mechanism
Cooling
Ammunition Used
mm LMG, Model 52 were as follows*
7.92 mm
52
Gas, impinging
Semi- and full-automatic
Believed by source to be 900 m
per second
Faster than that gf the Z3-26
7,92 mm Czech 000
Unknown to source
Unknown to source
Approximately four kilograms
Approximately five kilograms
Approximately 1.50 m.
Approximately 90 cm.
Six lands with right hand twist
Flash hider
Wooden, Ohoulder firing support
Offset, blade type on right side of
barrel
Radial arm and dram - arm elevated
and depressed vertically - graduated
up to 1,500 me Source remembered
the graduations as being 100, 200,
300, 500, Too, goo, l000, 1,100,
1,200, 1,300, 1,400 and 1,500 in.
Non-disintegrating, So round capacity
metallic belt and a curved box, 25.
round capacity magazine.
Air
Only ball ammunition was used by.
source when he fired the weapons;
CONFIDENTIAL
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr 2013/09/30: CIA-RDP82-00046R000500290006-9
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr 2013/09/30: CIA-RDP82-00046R000500290006-9
Markings
CONFIDENTIAL
, 3 -,
Source believed that on the left side,
the year of manufacture was stamped
(such as "53") and also the factory
trademark and serial number. However,
he did nat remember the latter.
Desarintion
6. Source stated that the new LMG appeared to be similar in design and
operation to the Czech 7.92 mm LMG, Model 1B-26. However, he noted
the follping major differences between the ZE-26 and the new LKG,
Model 52v:
a. The new model incorporated a belt feeding mechanism, in addition
to a 25-round magazine.
b. The gas operating-cylinder and piston-rod had been shortened
considerably.
a. The new model had no cooling fins on the barrel.
d. The new model incorporated two triggers within one. Using the
upper half of the trigger permitted semi-automatic firing,
while the lower half permitted full automatic fire. The same
principle was employed on the German 7.92 mm MG, Model 34.
e. The new model eliminated the cooking handle on the right side
of the receiver. Cooking was accomplished instead by pulling
the entire trigger group to the rear. This method of cocking
appeared to be similar to that of the Czech HMG, Models Z3-50
and 53, in that the pistol grips served to cook the weapon.
f. The new model eliminated the barrel-unlocking lever on the left
side of the receiver. Souroe could not describe fully the
principle of unlocking and looking the barrel, but he stated
that a lever had to be lifted approximately 30 degrees and the
barrel given a turn to the right for removal, The procedure
was reversed for assembly and looking.
g. The new model might be fired from a magazine or belt. When
using the belt magazine, the cover had to be lifted upward,
after which the belt was inserted and the =gamine cover closed,
Source could not describe the belt feed mechanism other than
that a part of some kind would move the bolt from right to left.
%assembly
7. Source described the successive steps of disassembling the new
LNG as follows;
a. The pistol grip was pushed forward to release tension on the
recoil spring.
b. By means of turning a look cover in the butt of the stock, the
recoil spring and rod were removed by pulling them out.
c, To remove the barrel, a lever was lifted pproximately 30
degrees (lever position unknown to source) and the barrel
turned to the right and pulled out,
d. To remove the bolt and slide assembly, the magazine cover was
lifted up and the bolt and slide assembly then grasped and
pulled up and to the rear.
e. Source did not know any further disassembly operations,
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr 2013/09/30: CIA-RDP82-00046R000500290006-9
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CONFIDENTIAL 50X1
_
Aspembly
7. Source stated that assembly was done in reverse order of disassembly.
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5.
6.
range.
for source's knowledge of the LMG manual.
point 16, for source's information on this firing
: Source did not know the maximum possible
e or e er e ree single shots or the seven automatie
shots. However, the target used for this shooting had a bull's-
eye value of 12 for each hit. It is therefore extremely prob-
able that the maximum possible score was 36 for the single shots
and 84 for the automatic shots, as oompared with respective
minimum passing scores of 18 and 18.
cupants This range firing procedure was exactly
the same as that !Of the now Osechoslolvak 7.22 mm HMO which will
be covered in a forthcoming
P? ts The caliber of 7.92 mm given by source
is considered 1:9:1"-e wrong. The ammunition description given
by sourbe tends to indicate that the Czechs have developed a
new round; and a physical specimen of this round which was
obtained was of 7.62 caliber. Source was closely questioned
on this caliber, being shown several rounds and asked to select
the most similar one, but he refused to change his statement.
However, he selected the US T-56 cartridge as that most similar
to the Oesoh LNG one.
(wept! After a discussion on the 23.26 model
lima, the charaAstistics of which are well known, source was
shown one of these weapons which is in Ordnance hands, Me
readily identified it and used it to point olathe,ditiorences
between the new Model 52 and the one before him.
OONPIDDITIAL
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr 2013/09/30: CIA-RDP82-00046R000500290006-9