Colt 1895 Automatic Machine Gun

John Browning firing the 1895. His first machine gun design

Colt 1895 machine gun .30-40 Krag

John Browning's first machine gun design. Demonstrated for the U.S. Navy in January 1896 by John Browning personally. It was a success and the Navy ordered fifty of the guns from Colt. This was the first purchase of an automatic weapon by the U.S. government. This weapon was used by the U.S. Marines in the Boxer Rebellion as well as in the Philippines during the insurrection after the U.S. seized the islands from Spain in the Spanish-American War (1898). The 1895 was used by other armies across the globe and there are photos of it being used in the Spanish Civil War in the 1930's. The 1895 was also used by the British Merchant Marine, in the early days of WWII, on their freighters. The British received hundred of the 1895 from the United States as part of the Lend-Lease program. It was available in many calibers to include 30-40 Krag, 7mm Mauser, 6mm Lee and 30-06. Later Marlin also manufactured the 1895. The gun was nicknamed "The potato digger" because of it's odd operating mechanism when it was fired.

Specifications

(1895 - ????)

• Type: Machine Gun

• Caliber(s): 6mm Lee Navy, 7x57mm Mauser, .30-40 Krag, .30-06 Springfield, .303 British, 7.62x54mmR

• Weight: 35 lbs (16 kg)

• Length: 41 in (104 cm)

• Barrel length(s): 28 in (71.1 cm)

• Capacity: Belt Fed

• Fire Modes: Full-Auto

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Film

Title	Actor	Character	Notation	Date
Storm Over Asia		British soldiers and Red partisans		1928
If War Comes Tomorrow (Esli zavtra voyna)		Enemy troops		1938
Viva Zapata!	.	Mexican soldiers	.	1952
The Wind and the Lion	.	United States Navy landing party	Mounted on a wheeled carriage	1975

Television

Show Title/Episode	Actor	Character	Notation	Air Date
Rough Riders	James Parks	William Tiffany		1997
Rough Riders	Mark Moses	Woodbury Kane		1997
Lock 'n Load With R. Lee Ermey	R. Lee Ermey	Himself	.	2009

See Also

• Colt's Manufacturing Company - A list of all firearms manufactured by Colt.