Marlin Model 1914 (Marlin Gun / M1917)

Air-Cooled, Belt-Fed Machine Gun [ 1914 ]

The Marlin Model 1914 was an improved form of the original Colt Model 1895 - the Potato Digger - and produced in around 25,000 examples.

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 08/21/2019 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site.

Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.

VIEW SPECIFICATIONS [+]

The original Colt-Browning Model 1898 was developed by famed American gunsmith John Moses Browning and Matthew S. Browning over the period spanning 1889-1895. Affectionately named the "Potato Digger", it was one of the earliest forms of automatically-operated machine guns in circulation anywhere in the world and the first to be adopted by the United States military. The gun would go on to see extensive combat actions in many far-reaching and localized conflicts for its time, ranging from the Spanish-American War (1898) and World War 1 (1914-1918) to World War 2 (1939-1945). Some rare examples are still being encountered on the modern battlefield today.

The Model 1895/14 variant (also "Model 1914") was a progressive evolution of the line and appeared in 0.30-08 Springfield chambering while being manufactured by the Marlin Arms Corporation (Marlin Rockwell) of New Haven, Connecticut and Colt. Combined with Colt's contribution, some 25,000 units were eventual made and its widespread adoption made it a commercial success for its time. The gun was also given a low-profile tripod for prone firing with aided tactical flexibility lacking in competing, water-cooled designs of the period.

This new incarnation of the gun was available in time for the fighting of World War 1 and taken into service at various levels by the British, Canadian, French, and Russians in local cartridges. For the British this meant the .303 British rifle round and, for the Russian Empire, this was the 7.62x54mmR rifle round. The latter took delivery of some 14,800 total units before the end.

Internally, the gun operated from a gas-impingement system under full-automatic fire mode, releasing upwards of 400 rounds-per-minute at the target area. Because of Browning's expertise in manually-operated lever-action guns for the Winchester concern, the same principle was applied to the function of the machine gun to enact an automatic (hands-off), repeating internal function. Furthermore, the gun was air-cooled and made lighter in weight while being less complex, maximizing portability and simplicity when compared to contemporary water-cooled designs of the day. The primary side-effect of all this, however, was the relatively low rate-of-fire of 400 rpm.

Nevertheless, with the arrival of The Great War in the summer of 1914, greater attention was given to the gun as any and all weapons of war were sought by all sides of the conflict. At this point, Colt rejoined the production effort to meet demand and capitalized on the growing, years-long war ahead - though their involvement would end in 1916 to which point Marlin lines took on the bulk of demand. Canadian forces fielded the machine gun in .303 British and their use lasted until the more effective Vickers Machine Gun could be had in quantity - the remaining ex-Canadian stocks were redistributed to allied Belgian Army units for the remainder of the fighting. As for the American Army, which eventually found its way to European battlefields in 1917-1918, the Marlin Model 1914 was already considered obsolete and more modern forms were actively sought.

In time, the Marlin Model 1895/17 succeeded the Model 1914 design and brought with it such features as a detachable barrel assembly and improved accessibility. Different forms of this version then followed to satisfy vehicle- and aircraft-mounted requirements but the battlefield success of the competing water-cooled Browning M1917 (and subsequent air-cooled M1919) in .30 caliber soon rendered many of the in-service Marlin machine guns second-rate or obsolete as a frontline solution for the Americans. Despite this, some Marlin guns managed to reappear in service at the time of the Second World War with desperate forces looking to shore up demand for repeat-fire weapon systems.©MilitaryFactory.com

Note: The above text is EXCLUSIVE to the site www.MilitaryFactory.com. It is the product of many hours of research and work made possible with the help of contributors, veterans, insiders, and topic specialists. If you happen upon this text anywhere else on the internet or in print, please let us know at MilitaryFactory AT gmail DOT com so that we may take appropriate action against the offender / offending site and continue to protect this original work.

Specifications

Marlin Arms Corporation - USA
Manufacturer(s)

Imperial Russia; United States
Operators

1914
Service Year

United States
National Origin

FIRE SUPPORT
Capable of suppressing enemy elements at range through direct or in-direct fire.

SPECIAL PURPOSE
Special purpose weapon for a specially defined battlefield role.

1,016 mm
(40.00 inches)
Overall Length

711 mm
(27.99 inches)
Barrel Length

22.49 lb
(10.20 kg)
Empty Weight

Gas-Operated; Closed-Bolt; Lever-Actuated
Action

GAS-OPERATED
Gas-operated system is featured, typically involving a gas cylinder and rear-driven piston directing energy to the bolt component.

.30-06 Springfield; 7.62x54mmR
Caliber(s)
May not represent an exhuastive list; Calibers may be model-specific dependent; Always consult official manufacturer sources.

240-round fabric belt.
Rounds

Iron.
Sights

Material presented above is for historical and entertainment value and should not be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation - always consult official manufacturer sources for such information.

400
Rounds-per-Minute
Rate-of-Fire

2,800 ft/sec
(853 m/sec)
Muzzle Velocity

Model 1914 - Base Series Designation.

Model 1895/14 - Alternative Designation.

Model 1917 - Alternative Designation.

"Marlin Gun" - Alternative Name.

Military lapel ribbon for the American Civil War

Military lapel ribbon for pioneering aircraft

Military lapel ribbon for the Korean War

Military lapel ribbon representing modern aircraft

Military lapel ribbon representing special forces

Military lapel ribbon for the Ukranian-Russian War

Military lapel ribbon for the Vietnam War

Military lapel ribbon for the World War 1

Military lapel ribbon for the World War 2

Images

1 / 1

Image of the Marlin Model 1914 (Marlin Gun / M1917)

Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.

Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Cookies

2024 Military Pay Chart Military Ranks DoD Dictionary Conversion Calculators Military Alphabet Code Military Map Symbols

The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® U.S. trademarks protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws. All written content, illustrations, and photography are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and not for reuse/reproduction in any form. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value only and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation. We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory AT gmail.com. No A.I. was used in the generation of this content; site is 100% curated by humans.

Part of a network of sites that includes GlobalFirepower, a data-driven property used in ranking the top military powers of the world, WDMMA.org (World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft), WDMMW.org (World Directory of Modern Military Warships), SR71blackbird.org, detailing the history of the world's most iconic spyplane, and MilitaryRibbons.info, cataloguing military medals and ribbons. Special Interest: RailRoad Junction, the locomotive encyclopedia.

©2023 www.MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • Content ©2003-2023 (20yrs)