It was adopted in August 1910 and was derived from
Hiram Maxim's
Maxim gun, chambered for the standard Russian
7.62×54mmR rifle cartridge. The M1910 was mounted on a wheeled mount with a
gun shield.[4]
In 1918–1920, 21,000 new Maxim 1910 machine guns were manufactured in the Soviet Union for the Red Army.[1]
In 1930, a modernized version 1910/30 was adopted by the Red Army.[4] M1910/30 can be equipped with
optical sight.[7]
In May 1942, an order was given to begin the development of a new machine gun to replace the Maxim 1910/30. On May 15, 1943, the
SG-43 Goryunov was adopted and since summer 1943 Maxim guns were replaced in Soviet service by the SG-43, which retained the wheeled and shielded carriage. However, production of the Maxim did not end until 1945.[4]
In addition to the main infantry version, there were aircraft-mounted and naval variants. Some were fitted with a tractor radiator cap fitted on top of the water jacket to allow handfuls of snow to be packed in to melt while firing.
"Maxim's machine gun model 1910 on a wheeled Sokolov's mount" (Пулемёт Максима обр. 1910 года на колёсном станке А. А. Соколова обр. 1910 года)[2]
"Maxim's machine gun model 1915 on a wheeled Kolesnikov's mount" (Пулемёт Максима обр. 1910 года на колёсном станке Колесникова обр. 1915 года)[2]
Soviet Union
"Maxim's machine gun model 1910 on an antiaircraft tripod" (Пулемёт Максима образца 1910 года на зенитной треноге М. Н. Кондакова обр. 1928 года)[2]
"Maxim's machine gun model 1910/30 on a wheeled Vladimirov's mount" (Пулемёт Максима образца 1910/30 года на колёсном станке С. В. Владимирова обр. 1931 года)[2]
First Czechoslovak Republic - In January 1942 first twelve Soviet Maxim 1910/30 machine guns were given from USSR to 1st Czechoslovak Independent Infantry Battalion, later additional quantity was given to other units of the
1st Czechoslovak Army Corps.[12]
Nazi Germany - In September 1939 a quantity of Polish wz. 1910 and wz. 1910/28 was seized by the
Wehrmacht. After June 22, 1941, a quantity of Soviet machine guns was seized by German troops during
Axis invasion in USSR, they were used as schweres Maschinengewehr 216(r)[14]
Ukraine: in August 2011, 35 000 ex-Soviet Maxim machine guns were stored in the warehouses of the
Ministry of Defense of Ukraine[17] although at least four of them were written off and scrapped later.[18][19] They were used during the
war in Donbas by Ukrainian troops. In December 2016 they were officially adopted by the
Armed Forces of Ukraine.[20] The Maxim has been used in combat following the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine,[21][22] proving useful for defending Ukrainian positions against Russian mass infantry assaults by permitting continuous fire without overheating. Ukrainian forces have been seen using a Maxim gun equipped with modern accessories like optics and a
suppressor.[22]
Gallery
Soviet troops receiving instruction on the M1910/30.
^
abcdefghiПулемёты // Гражданская война и военная интервенция в СССР. Энциклопедия / редколл., гл. ред. С. С. Хромов. — 2-е изд. — М., «Советская энциклопедия», 1987. стр.490-491
^
abcdefСемён Федосеев. Столетие легендарного "Максима" // журнал "Мастер-ружьё", № 11 (164), ноябрь 2010. стр.40-46
^
abJowett, Philip (20 Nov 2013). China's Wars: Rousing the Dragon 1894-1949. General Military.
Osprey Publishing. pp. 129, 147.
ISBN9781782004073.
^
abcdefg"На вооружении Советской Армии состояли станковые пулемёты Максима образца 1910, модернизированные в 1930 и 1941" Пулемёты // Великая Отечественная война 1941 - 1945. Энциклопедия. / редколл., гл. ред. М. М. Козлов. М., "Советская энциклопедия", 1985. стр.594-595
^
abLugosi, József (2008). "Gyalogsági fegyverek 1868–2008". In Lugosi, József; Markó, György. Hazánk dicsőségére: 160 éves a Magyar Honvédség. Budapest: Zrínyi Kiadó. p. 382-383.
ISBN978-963-327-461-3.
^Terry Gander, Peter Chamberlain. Enzyklopädie deutscher Waffen 1939–1945. Handwaffen, Artillerie, Beutewaffen, Sonderwaffen. Motorbuch Verlag, 2008.
^Сведения штаба Московского военного округа о материальном обеспечении 1-й румынской пехотной дивизии, 1 апреля 1944 г. // Освободительная миссия Советских Вооружённых Сил в Европе во второй мировой войне: документы и материалы. М., Воениздат, 1985. стр.87-88
^Andrzej Konstankiewicz. Broń strzelecka i sprzęt artyleryjski formacji polskich i Wojska Polskiego w latach 1914-1939. Warszawa, 2003. str.113