Type 3 Heavy Machine Gun

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Type 3 Heavy Machine Gun
Weapon: Type 3 Heavy Machine Gun
Type: Heavy Machine Gun
Country of Origin: Japan
Year Adopted: 1914
Caliber: 6.5 Arisaka
Action: Gas Operated Fully Automatic
Overall Length (mm): 1120.0
Weight (kg): 52.00
Effective Range (m): 2000

The Type 3 Heavy Machine Gun was a Japanese machine gun developed in the early 20th century. Based on the French Hotchkiss M1914, it was chambered in the 6.5x50mm Arisaka cartridge and was designed for use by the Imperial Japanese Army. It featured a gas-operated mechanism and was primarily used for defensive positions.

Adopted in 1914, the Type 3 saw extensive use during World War I, the Second Sino-Japanese War, and World War II. It was mainly employed as a stationary weapon in fortified positions or on vehicles due to its size and weight. The gun's robust design made it reliable in various battlefield conditions, though its rate of fire was slower compared to other heavy machine guns of the era.

Though it was eventually replaced by more modern machine guns like the Type 92, the Type 3 played a significant role in Japan's early 20th-century conflicts. Its design influenced later Japanese machine guns, and it remains an important part of Japan's military history.


Related Weapons: Hotchkiss M1909 Hotchkiss M1914

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