Forums at The Military Horse

An off list query comes to us about the M1919A2 machinegun.

The M1919A2 was standardized for cavalry use on a limited basis in the 1930s.

Does anyone know the year?

By the way, I believe there's some nice photos of M1919A2s in use by a cavalry unit at Pole Mountain Wyoming in one of the threads.

Photograph previously supplied by John Moore:

John Moore wrote:Late 30s, at Pole Mountain.

The "Standard Catalogue of Military Firearms" says it was introduced in 1931."Small Arms of the World" does not give a date.
Above is another pic from pole Mtn. of the 4th Cav Machine Gun troop.
John

john wrote:[img][img]http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u283 ... 2003-1.jpg[/img]
The "Standard Catalogue of Military Firearms" says it was introduced in 1931."Small Arms of the World" does not give a date.
Above is another pic from pole Mtn. of the 4th Cav Machine Gun troop.
John[/img]

That's an excellent one.

That barrel is shorter than the 30 cal Browning (we called them three O Browning and five O Browning) we used on vehicles.

Tom

Tom Muller wrote:That barrel is shorter than the 30 cal Browning (we called them three O Browning and five O Browning) we used on vehicles.

Tom

It's short all right.

The M1919A2 was a cavalry specific machinegun. There was also a cavalry specific BAR, which was termed a "machine rifle".

It's interesting in part because it demonstrates that cavalry was not regarded as an anachronism in the US Army in the 20s and 30s. It was receiving new equipment designed to reduce the pack weight, and to make it more efficient. New pack saddles, a new machinegun and a new machine rifle all came in during this time frame. Cavalry was being updated as much as, and perhaps more than, the other arms.

Thanks Pat,

very interesting about the Cavalry.

Tom

The US Militaria Forum has a couple of good photos of this machine gun. Go to usmilitariaforum.com. Scroll down to the section on firearms, click on the entry entitled show machine guns or something like that. Scroll down for a ways and there will be a color photo of the M1919A2 and a black & white photo of the gun packed on a saddle.
Dallas

Dallas,

will do, thanks.

Tom

The photos at the militaria website are interesting but the clor pic on top is not a 1919A2.It is similar but the side plate is marked Valkyrie Arms and the barrel and rear sight location are not quite right.Front soght should be mounted forward near end of bbl not on rcvr and the tripod is not the prescribed lt wt specifically for the A2.
Valkyrie may have made a near replica for a display?

The packed photo is the same one used in "Small Arms of the World".
John

Bump.