Rkm wz. 28
Polish light machine gun derived from the M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle.
The Rkm wz. 28, also called the Browning wz. 28, was a Polish version of the M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle. It served as a light machine gun for the Polish military and Polish resistance groups during World War II. The weapon was selected after a competition among similar designs; FN Herstal adapted the BAR to Polish specifications, and the Państwowa Fabryka Karabinów produced it under license.
After Poland regained independence in 1918, its army used a mix of machine guns from the former partitioning powers, plus French and British weapons that had equipped the Polish Blue Army in World War I. This variety, with each type using a different caliber, complicated training and supply. In 1923, following the Polish-Soviet War, a competition was launched for a standard light machine gun to replace all older models. It ended without a winner. The next year, Poland’s Ministry of War bought twelve examples each of the M1918 BAR, the Lewis gun (called the Lewis wz. 1923), and the Hotchkiss M1909 Benét–Mercié. Tests showed the American design was superior, and in the 1925 competition a Belgian-made FN Browning was chosen. Despite further testing, the Polish army ordered a batch of Belgian BARs modified to its needs. Changes included switching from .30-06 Springfield to the standard Polish 7.92×57mm Mauser round, adding a bipod and mount, and replacing the peephole sight with a v-notch type. The barrel was lengthened for better accuracy, and a pistol grip was added for easier aiming. Along with 10,000 guns ordered from Fabrique Nationale, Poland bought a license to produce the weapon at home. The first wz. 28 light machine guns were officially adopted in 1927, designated *7,92 mm rkm Browning wz. 1928*—Polish for "7.92 mm hand-held machine gun of Browning pattern 1928."
Flaws in the license documents from Belgium delayed domestic production until 1930. By 1939, about 14,000 had been built. Further changes were made during production, such as a smaller rear sight and a "fish tail" shaped buttstock. Work on spare, interchangeable barrels was underway but never finished due to the outbreak of World War II. The rkm wz. 28 also served as the basis for an aircraft flexible machine gun, the karabin maszynowy obserwatora wz. 37, mainly used on PZL.37 Łoś bombers.
During the 1939 German-Soviet invasion of Poland, the rkm wz.
Quick Facts
- Origin
- Poland
- Is Ranged
- yes
- Service
- 1930–1945
- Wars
- Spanish Civil War / World War II
- Designer
- FN Herstal
- Design Date
- 1928
- Manufacturer
- Państwowa Fabryka Karabinów
- Production Date
- 1930–1939
- Variants
- Klo wz.37
- Number
- ~14,000
- Mass
- 9.0 kg (empty)
- Length
- 1110 mm
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
After Poland regained its independence in 1918, the Polish Army was equipped with a variety of machine guns inherited from the partitioners and from French and British sources, each using a different caliber, complicating training and logistics. Following the Polish-Soviet War, a competition for a standard light machine gun opened in 1923 but ended without a winner. In 1924, the Ministry of War purchased 12 specimens each of the M1918 BAR, Lewis gun, and Hotchkiss M1909 Benét–Mercié. Testing showed the superiority of the American design, and in the 1925 competition a Belgian FN-made Browning was selected. Extensive tests continued, and the Polish army ordered a series of Belgian-made BARs modified to Polish needs: the round was changed from .30-06 Springfield to 7.92×57mm Mauser, a bipod and mounting were added, the iron sights were changed from a peephole to a v-notch type, the barrel was lengthened for accuracy, and a pistol grip was added for easier aiming. Poland ordered 10,000 pieces from Fabrique Nationale and also bought a license for domestic production. The first wz.28 LMGs were officially commissioned in 1927. Due to serious flaws in the license documentation from Belgium, production in Poland did not start until 1930. Until 1939 approximately 14,000 pieces were built. Additional modifications during production included replacement of the iron sights with a smaller version and reshaping the butt to a 'fish tail' shape. Work on spare, replaceable barrels was never completed due to the outbreak of World War II. The rkm wz. 28 was the basis for the aerial flexible machine gun karabin maszynowy obserwatora wz. 37, used mainly on the PZL.37 Łoś bombers.
Reader's Guide
During the German-Soviet Invasion of Poland in 1939, the rkm wz. 28 was the standard light machine gun used by almost all Polish infantry and cavalry units. German forces captured a number of Polish-made Brownings and used them until the end of World War II under the designations l.MG 154/1(p) and l.MG 154/2(p) (or lMG 28 (p)). A number were also seized by the Red Army and used during the war. The weapon was supplied in small quantities by the Soviet Union to unspecified users in 1940. It was also bought for the Spanish Civil War and captured from the Republican side. The wz. 28's significance lies in its role as the standard Polish light machine gun during the critical 1939 campaign and its continued use by resistance forces and captured stocks by both Axis and Soviet forces. Its lineage from the M1918 BAR, modified for Polish requirements, made it a reliable and effective support weapon in the interwar and early World War II periods.
Did You Know?
- The rkm wz. 28 was officially designated '7,92 mm rkm Browning wz. 1928', meaning '7.92 mm hand-held machine gun of Browning pattern 1928'.
- Polish production of the wz. 28 was delayed until 1930 due to serious flaws in the license documentation purchased from Belgium.
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