WW1 LEWIS AUTOMATIC MACHINE RIFLE (LEWIS GUN), 1916

Designed in 1911 by U.S. Army Colonel Isaac Newton Lewis, on initial work carried out by Samuel Maclean. The Americans did not adopt the rifle and Lewis had to go to the Belgium's for help, it was manufactured here before the 1st World War but as Belgium was invaded in 1914, production was moved to B.S.A. in England, having been already adopted by the British Army before the war.
It uses the standard British .303 round and fires 550rpm.
The weapon was eventually made by the Savage Arms Company USA in 1917, known as the M1917 being 0.300 inch calibre.
Although being lighter than the Vickers gun it still requires two men to handle it, one to carry the magazines and one the weapon. The weapon was withdrawn from service in 1946.

A0385