10.66mm ten barrels Nobel machine gun

 

 

 

 

Bulgarian designation :

десетцевни 10,66 мм картечница “Нобел”

Russian designation :

10-ствольная 4,2-линейная скорострельная пушка обр. 1871 г.

Calibre :

10.66 mm

Weight of the barrel :

163.8 kg

Weight of the carriage :

294.84 kg (4 pdr artillery carriage)

276.5 kg (light carriage)

Weight in marching order :

720 kg (4 pdr artillery carriage)

1104 kg (light carriage)

Gun length :

1524 mm

Barrel length :

826 mm

Number of barrel grooves :

6

Cartridge

weight :

39.5 g

length  :

75 mm

metal :

brass

Bullet

weight :

24.1 g

length  :

27 mm

charge :

5.06 g of black powder

metal :

hardened lead

Muzzle velocity :

430 m/s

Max. range :

1493 m

Elevation :

+ 60° / + 50° (with light carriage)

Traversing angle :

60°

Wheels height :

1.09 m

Rate of fire :

250/300 rounds per minute

Alimentation :

aluminium box with 24 rounds (mod. 1871)

four boxes with 25 rounds each (mod. 1874)

Ammunition :

6048 rounds (with 4 pdr carriage)

6720 rounds (with light carriage)

Transport :

drawn by four horses

Crew :

7 men

Remarks :

Mechanical machine gun (mitrailleur) introduced in the Russian Army in 1871 and manufactured by the firm Ludwig Nobel of Sankt Petersburg. It was based on a 12.7mm six barrels Gatlin machine gun bought in 1862, and on a 10.7mm ten barrels machine gun designed by col. Aleksandr Pavlovich Gorlov, a member of the Russian Artillery Committee. In the machine guns delivered to the Bulgarian Army the barrels were mounted on the carriage of the 4 pdr field gun with an improved iron frame. They fired the same ammunition as the Berdan 2 rifle. At the beginning of the Russo-Turkish War 16 ten and six barrels machine guns were delivered to the Bulgarian National Army. At the beginning of the Balkan War 8 ten barrels machine guns were still in service.

 

 

 

Ten barrel machine gun with light carriage and artillery limber

 

Pictures from Sofia Military Museum