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Information About

Besa




  Name BESA machine gun
  Type medium machine gun
  Nation UK (Czech)
  Era World War 2
  Platform vehicle
  Date 1936
  Prod Date 1939-1945 ()
  Serv Date 1939-1945
  Operators UK
  Wars World War 2
  Calibre 792 mm
  Barrel 0736 m
  Ammo 792 X 57 Mm Mauser
  Mag belt
  Rof 500/800 round/min
  Weight 2146 kg
  Length 1105 m
  Variant 15 mm


The Machine Gun BESA was a British version of the Czech ZB53 (Model 37) machine gun and used by the UK for tank armament in World War II .


HISTORY

BSA signed an agreement with 'Zbrojovka Brno' in 1936 which allowed them to make the 7.92 mm ZB53. The War Office ordered the weapon in 1938 and production began in 1939. Although it took the 7.92 X 57 Mm Mauser round and the standard British round was the .303 inch (7.7 mm), it was used extensively in British tanks of World War II.

A larger version at 15 mm calibre, also Belt-fed , and weighing 125 lb (57 kg) was developed by BSA again as a vehicle armament. It was able to be fired single shot rather than just full automatic. It was used on the Light Tank Mk VI .