Title
Colt-Vickers M1915 Machine Gun Ammunition and Belt Fragments
Subject
Colt Manufacturing, Connecticut Firearm manufacturing in World War I
Description
Ammunition fragments from Colt Vickers machine gun in World War I. Shown in this image are intact, battle used ammunition fragments from the Colt-Vickers M1915 machine gun. While production of the gun was slow at first, many Vickers machine guns reached the lines by late 1917.
According to The United States in the First World War: An Encyclopedia, the belt alone weighed over twenty-two pounds when carrying ammunition.
Setting itself apart from the British Vickers machine gun, the Colt Vickers M1915 used .30-06. caliber rounds, as opposed to the British Vickers which used .303 caliber bullets. Because of this, the Colt Vickers gun and belt were often painted a different color, to differentiate it from the British Model (Wikipedia).
The Colt Vickers and artifacts such as this belt and ammunition fragments are extremely rare, as most Colt Vickers M1915's were destroyed after the war. According to The Standard Catalog of Colt Firearms, "many of those (Vickers) were destroyed after the war. Therefore, original Colt-Vickers ground guns are very rare and quite desireable" (James Tarr). While many gun enthusiasts and gun shows display replicas of this celebrated World War I weapon, few possess the original model.
According to The United States in the First World War: An Encyclopedia, the belt alone weighed over twenty-two pounds when carrying ammunition.
Setting itself apart from the British Vickers machine gun, the Colt Vickers M1915 used .30-06. caliber rounds, as opposed to the British Vickers which used .303 caliber bullets. Because of this, the Colt Vickers gun and belt were often painted a different color, to differentiate it from the British Model (Wikipedia).
The Colt Vickers and artifacts such as this belt and ammunition fragments are extremely rare, as most Colt Vickers M1915's were destroyed after the war. According to The Standard Catalog of Colt Firearms, "many of those (Vickers) were destroyed after the war. Therefore, original Colt-Vickers ground guns are very rare and quite desireable" (James Tarr). While many gun enthusiasts and gun shows display replicas of this celebrated World War I weapon, few possess the original model.
Creator
Colt Manufacturing Co.
Source
Missouri History Museum
Publisher
Digital Public Library of America
Date
1913-1923
Contributor
James Annunziato
Rights
Public domain
Format
.jpg
Type
Ammunition
Identifier
2007-056-0011