Almost Infamous
The Madsen is hardly among the more famous machine guns from history.
Though it was pioneering in its design, it was still largely overshadowed by the Maxim,VickersandHotchkiss designs.
Though their rifle was only a marginal success, it caught the attention of arms designer Theodor Schouboe.
These Indonesian soldiers fighting with troops from the Netherlands during the Indonesian War for Independence are armed with the Madsen LMG (left) and a Mannlicher M1895 rifle.
Due to how quickly the powder fouled the action, the design was improved to fire a smokeless powder.
It proved highly effective, yet it was also Schouboes only successful firearms design.
In fact, today his name is little more than a footnote in the history of the inventive firearm.
The Madsen was introduced in 1902 and became the first true “light machine gun.” Image: Author’s photo
In addition, instead of a bulky tripod, it featured a rifle-style stock and bipod.
Yet, its mode of operation has garnered much attention from firearms historians.
A separate extractor, driven by a cam on the barrel now extracts and ejects the cartridge case.
On display during World War I are a German MG 08 (left) and the Madsen machine gun without a magazine. Image: Royal Engineers No.1 Printing Company
Extraction, feeding and ramming are all performed by separate pieces of the mechanism.
Rimmed cartridges presented minor issues, but rimless cartridges presented few problems provided good-quality ammunition was used.
Those Musketan Battalions went into action in the Champagne sector in September 1915 armed with the LMG.
A Madsen machine gun captured by the U.S. Army during World War I. Image: NARA
Instead, the weapon had to fire over the propeller an issue with those monoplanes.
Norways army also employed the Madsen against the Germans in the Norwegian Campaign.
As with the captured weapons employed by Nazi Germany, the Japanese forces used those firearms with second-line troops.
The magazine is offset to the left, while the charging handle is on the right side. Image: Author’s photo
A greater issue for the Japanese was the supply of ammunition.
These features were copied by the Germans with the MG34/MG42 Lafette tripods.
It was an innovative firearm that featured a unique action that was seen in no other firearm.
A Danish Madsen machine gun that has been disassembled into its major components, circa 1918. Image: NARA
A German-used Madsen from the First World War in the collection of the National World War I Museum in Kansas City, Missouri. Image: Author’s photo
The tripod could fold up nearly flat and while it weighted more than the actual weapon, it was still far lighter than contemporary machine gun tripods. Image: Author’s photo
The magazine is offset to the left, while the charging handle is on the right side. Image: Author’s photo
Equally as innovative as the actual firearm was the tripod, which the Danish military developed during the interwar era. It was the first such tripod to feature “soft recoil.” Image: Author’s photo
A close of the remote trigger mechanism and the selector switch for safe, semi-automatic, and full-automatic fire. Image: Author’s photo
A view of the monopod that held the rear of the light machine gun in place and the grip for the remote trigger. Image: Author’s photo
A scene from 2015 Danish-made filmApril 9, which chronicled the Danish Army’s brief attempt to halt the Nazi invasion on April 9, 1940. A Danish soldier is armed with the Madsen. Image: Nordisk Film
