The Hotchkiss Heavy: Shooting the Great War's Modele 1914
France
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4m 34s
The Hotchkiss was the primary heavy machine gun for the French and American forces in World War One, and this 1918-production example was just begging to be given a workout. So we took it out to the range to run a few strips of ammunition through it. Compared to my previous shooting experience with Vickers and Maxim guns, it was rather nice to not have water or seals to deal with...and the tripod made for almost boringly easy shooting. These guns were absolute workhorses, and while they don't get the recognition or respect of the Maxim and its derivatives today, they are fantastic pieces of engineering.
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