SIG KE-7 Light Machine Gun - More Complex Than Most
Light MGs
•
17m
The KE-7 was the product of two Swiss designers, Pal Kiraly and Gotthard End, and was introduced in 1929 by the Swiss manufacturer SIG. It was a recoil operated design and fired from an open bolt. The guns were not adopted by the Swiss military, and were exported primarily to Latin America, Ethiopia, and China, being mostly made in 8mm Mauser. They were tested by many European nations, and were offered in a wide variety of calibers. The rate of automatic fire would vary depending on caliber, but was not less than 550 rpm. Magazines were typically 25 rounds - although this example has a 50-round magazine.
The gun could fire in either single shot or automatic mode. It didn’t use a selector switch, though – pulling the trigger back slightly gave single shots, and a further pull gave automatic fire. This was a relatively common feature of submachine guns at the time, although not seen so much in light machine guns.
Thanks to the Institute of Military Technology for allowing me to have access to this magnificent piece and bring it to you! Check them out at: http://www.instmiltech.com
Up Next in Light MGs
-
Light Machine Guns in Finland: DP-28 ...
Before the Winter War, the standard light machine gun adopted by the Finnish military was the Lahti-Saloranta LS-26. This was a complex and finely built weapon, using a short recoil action and tilting bolt, chambered for the same 7.62x54mm rimmed cartridge as used by Finland's Mosin-Nagant infant...
-
Shooting the Madsen LMG - The First T...
We have looked at a couple different Madsen light machine guns previously, but until today I have not had the chance to do any shooting with a fully automatic example of one. So I am taking this 1924 Bulgarian contract example out to the range wth some ammo!
The Madsen is a really interesting ...
-
Chatellerault M24/29: France's New Wa...
France fought the Great War with an array of weapons which were all sub-par in one way or another - the Lebel rifle was obsolescent by 1914, the Berthier was a cavalry carbine forced into rifle service, the Chauchat was an emergency wartime design optimized for production volume instead of qualit...
