Hotchkiss Model 1922 LMG.

**HARRY THE MOLE** · 06-07-2015, 06:08 PM

The latest addition to my collection is this rather nice Hotchkiss Model 1922, one of the so-called 'Turkish Contract' guns. Most of the one's which have been on offer in the past have been absolute dogs, very few seemed to be available in anything even approaching what you could reasonably call good condition. But I chanced upon this one the other day. Although there is some scattered pitting, it is in quite good condition for a now scarce model of a light machine gun. feed for this particular model was supplied by metal strips as in the Model 1914 and the British portative model. There appeared to be three different types of barrel, the first having shallow cooling rings, the second as in this example, and the third with a much heavier sustained fire barrel.

There were also other variations which were magazine fed from the top as in the Bren. These models had a different top cover plate. System operation closely followed that of the Lewis gun and other gas operated light machine guns where the bolt slotted on top of the piston. In the case of the Hotchkiss it was held captive by a pin. The Hotchkiss Model 1922 was widely exported, one customer being Czechoslovakia. The possibility is that this gun just might have influenced their system of operation in the ZB 26 - the forerunner of the Bren.

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**Gunny Hartmann** · 06-07-2015, 06:32 PM

I love it, where did you pick that up mate?......

**harryamb2** · 06-07-2015, 07:26 PM

that's very nice.

**HARRY THE MOLE** · 06-07-2015, 09:28 PM

Gunny... It came from Antiques Storehouse at Portsmouth. After a token show of haggling, I got it for two thirds the price of one being sold much closer to home. Antiques Storehouse have one left, but that is the heavy barrelled model, its welded solid, and more than half as much again as this one. There should be a (very basic) carrying handle on the barrel and a wooden vertical grip underneath. But from what I have seen, most of the guns being offered had poor quality modern copies fitted by the seller (except Ryton Arms).

They really are a scarce item now. I purchased one over two years ago from a reputable dealer. I was given a description over the phone which said there was a little pitting to the left side of the receiver which had been 'touched up' with paint. When it arrived the gun was almost seized solid, badly pitted all over, and covered in thick black paint. It was taken back to them for a full refund when they put in an appearance at the last arms fair held near the Trafford centre in Oct 2012.

Since the pictures were taken of this weapon I have stripped the butt and pistol grip of an awful brown tinted varnish, repaired three cracks to the woodwork, treated with linseed oil, stripped and cleaned the mechanism - and stopped my three-year-old grandson from using it as a step.

Something worth noting... The gun is from the Turkish contract and dated on the left of the receiver as 1926 (in Arabic script) Have a look at the picture of the rear sight, the numbers should be Arabic - but they are not! The gun has been re-finished quite a long time ago - probably arsenal re-finish. Perhaps the rear sight points to the gun being re-issued outside Turkey. Anyone any opinions on that? In the mean time, a few more pictures...