The Pulyemyot Maksima PM1910 (Russian: Пулемёт Максима образца 1910 года, romanized: Pulemyot Maksima obraztsa 1910 goda, lit. 'Maxim's machine gun Model 1910'), or PM M1910, is a heavy machine gun that was used by the Imperial Russian Army during World War I and the Red Army during the Russian Civil War and World War II. Later the gun saw service in the Korean War, the Vietnam War and the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.
| Pulyemyot Maksima PM1910 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | Heavy machine gun |
| Place of origin | Russian Empire[1] |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1910–present |
| Used by | See Users |
| Wars | World War I[2] Russian Revolution Russian Civil War[1] Turkish War of Independence Polish–Soviet War Finnish Civil War Estonian War of Independence Warlord Era[3] Spanish Civil War Winter War Chinese Civil War World War II[4] Second Sino-Japanese War Korean War Vietnam War Syrian Civil War[citation needed] War in Donbas[5] 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine[6] |
| Production history | |
| Designed | 1909–1910[2] |
| Produced | 1910–1939 1941–1945 |
| No. built | at least 176,000[citation needed] |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 62.66 kg (138.1 lb)[1] |
| Length | 1,067 mm (42 in) |
| Barrel length | 721 mm (28.4 in) |
| Cartridge | 7.62×54mmR[4][1] |
| Action | Short recoil, toggle locked |
| Rate of fire | 600 round/min[1] |
| Muzzle velocity | 740 m/s (2,427 ft/s) |
| Feed system | 250-round belt[1] |
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 1941, the gun was modernized once again.[4]
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.
After World War II, the Maxim was phased out of service, but was still sent in some quantities to the Korean War and Vietnam War. In 2014 during the war in Donbas, some Maxims in stock were captured by the Pro-Russian separatists while others were taken from storage to be used by the Ukrainian Armed Forces.[5] A number were used by the Ukrainian military during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine due to their reputation for accuracy and reliability.[8]
Austria-Hungary – seized during World War I,[10]
Kingdom of Bulgaria,[11]
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]
North Korea,[13]
Finland,[9]
German Empire – a quantity of machine guns was seized during World War I,
Kingdom of Hungary – after June 22, 1941, a quantity of machine guns was seized by Hungarian troops during Axis invasion in USSR. Since 1945, Soviet Maxim 1910/30 machine guns were given from USSR to People's Republic of Hungary,[10]
Mongolian People's Republic,
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]
People's Republic of China,[13]
Republic of China,[3]
Russian Empire,[1]
Russian separatist forces in Donbas,[5]
Soviet Union,[1][4]
Kingdom of Romania – at least several machine guns were captured during the Allied intervention in the Russian Civil War and disarmament of retreating armed anti-Soviet groups crossing the Romanian border in 1917 - 1920s. After June 22, 1941, an additional quantity was seized by Romanian troops during Axis invasion in USSR. In 1944 several Soviet Maxim 1910/30 machine guns were given from USSR to Romanian 1st Volunteer Infantry Division.[15] After 23 August 1944 coup d'état additional Maxim 1910/30 machine guns were transferred from USSR to the Romanian Army,
Second Polish Republic – Maxim wz. 1910 and Maxim wz. 1910/28,[16]
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 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]
