Type 91 6.5 mm Tank MG:
九一式車載重機関銃
Kuichi shiki shasai kikanju
Weapon with mounted bipod
Since the Type 3 heavy machine gun could be used as a tank machine gun, among other things because of the cumbersome ammunition supply through fixed loading strips from the side had not proven successful, was The light machine gun type Taisho 11 is a special version for use in an armored vehicle.
The Type 91 Panzer-MG differed mainly in the larger Ammunition feeders. This could hold 9 ammunition frames of 5 shots each, so 15 rounds more than that of the Type 11 MG. For reasons of space, the Shoulder stock was omitted and a 1.5 X 30° scope could be attached to the weapon. on the left. The ammunition was supplied from the left. After Introduction, it was shown that the lack of a shoulder stock increased the accuracy of the weapon. Therefore, a smaller shoulder rest for the used as secondary armament and a larger one for use as Main armament developed and introduced in light vehicles. These have been each screwed to the handle of the weapon.
Type 91 MG as turret armament and mounted in the standard anti-aircraft mount
In battle, the weapon could be mounted with bayonet bolts quickly and easily removed and equipped with a bipod for close defense outside the tank can be used. The ammunition used was the normal type Meiji 38 6.5 mm infantry ammunition which also consists of the type Meiji 38 and type Meiji 44 rifles/carbines and type Taisho 11/Type Taisho 3 machine guns.
After the tank weapon was converted to 7.7 mm caliber, the Type 91 MG gradually discarded and, with shoulder rests and bipoded, used in infantry combat. Overall, some over 2000 examples of this weapon manufactured in the Nagoya Army Arsenal
Data:
| Calibre: | 6.5X50.5 mm semi-rim |
|---|---|
| Length: | 838 mm |
| Tube length: | 488mm |
| Trains: | 4 |
| Weight: | 10,15 kg, with scope 12.56 kg |
| Firing range: | 2000 m |
| Use Distance Max: | 600 m |
| Rate of fire theoretically: | 500 mm Shots/min |
| Practical speed of fire: | 80 - 120 rounds/min |
| Swirl direction: | right |
| Muzzle velocity: | 721 m/sec |
| Ammunition supply: | Ammunition frames of 5 rounds each |