Re: Somebody knows thier history! (Was FN F2000)

[MathesonT@xxxxxxx]

In a message dated 7/4/2001 11:09:18 AM Pacific Daylight Time, 
salamndr@3web.net writes:


> For those of you who don't know (like me), the Chauchat was considered the 
worst 
> MG to ever serve with any country, it was rare to fire off a 20rd magazine 
> without a stoppage occurring. And then you most likely had to disassemble 
> the weapon! 

The Chauchat has a probably undeseved reputation, especially in America.  
Fact of the matter is that it was the most used light machinegun in WW1 and 
comments were usually pretty high.  The America units that were first issued 
with French Chauchats really liked them.  Unfortunately, when the US decided 
to adopt the Chauchat we decided that it needed to be in .30-06.  Though 
changes were made, the simple fact is the gun was not up to that powerful a 
round.  It tended to shake itself apart.

The open magazine requires regular maintenance for proper functioning.  In 
the early, more mobile, stages of the war there are very few complaints 
related to the open magazine.  US officers generally praised the concept.  It 
was only after the war bogged down into the trenches that problems became 
common.  In those conditions I think any repeating weapon would have troubles.

If the Chauchat has a major downfall, it was that the construction process 
was such that parts were not interchangeable between guns.  Your barrel would 
not wrok in my gun.  This made field maitenance a nightmare.

I have had the honor of shooting a Chauchat and found it most enjoyable.  For 
me it was a better handling weapon than the BAR.

Rob