Maxim MG08

Details

Title	Maxim MG08
Description	Maxim MG08 (Maschinengewehr 08) machine gun. Sir Hiram S. Maxim developed the original design of this gun in 1884, which the German Army later adopted in 1908. The Maxim machine gun required a four man crew for operation. A cloth belt of 250 rounds was fed into the right side and the weapon fired automatically until the trigger was released. It had an effective range of almost 2,200 yards and could fire 400 to 450 rounds per minute. Rapid firing caused extreme heat in the barrel which was cooled by a gallon of water in a jacket. Machine guns like the Maxim led to a bloody stalemate on the Western Front during World War I.
Contributing Institution	Missouri State Museum
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