Yet it was the British Army and not the U.S. Army that made good use of it.
Lewis had serious differences with General William Crozier, chief of the Ordnance Department.
Rate of fire was near to 600 rounds per minute and comparable to that of the Maxim.
The Lewis Gun has an iconic look and filled a gap in trench warfare. Yet, its importance is often overlooked when discussing World War I.
It gave mobility that few guns of the era offered.
That is likely the biggest of the misconceptions.
In fact, the shroud held no water.
The Lewis Gun was used in both World Wars, but it was during the First World War that it proved to be a reliable weapon for trench warfare.
However, it certainly gave the weapon its iconic look.
It was unlike drum magazines where the rounds were mechanically indexed and held in place.
Dirt and grime often gathered in the open spaces, causing some jamming issues.
Men of the 28th Battalion of the 2nd Australian Division practicing with the Lewis Gun.
The two guns were similar, but parts werent generally interchangeable.
It is unclear whether those were made by BSA or Savage, however.
An aircraft version was also produced, lacking the aforementioned barrel shroud.
A common misconception is that the Lewis Gun was water-cooled. It wasn’t and instead an aluminum barrel-shroud caused the muzzle blast to draw air over the barrel and cool it.
Instead the Lewis Gun had to be mounted above the propeller.
However, the guns proved more effective when used as a defensive weapon on British airships.
However, by that point the weapon was largely relegated to a secondary role.
The pan magazine didn’t have a bottom cover – and that proved to be a problem in the trenches as dirt and grime could cause jamming issues.
Savage Arms is known to have made Lewis Guns in .30-06 for U.S. troops, in addition to .303 British for export.
The Lewis Gun proved itself to be powerful, capable and effective.
The first “close up” on a Lewis Gun occurred in the 1918 filmHearts of the World, which was directed by the infamous D.W. Griffith.
Tom Selleck fires an aircraft version of the Lewis Gun in the 1983 filmHigh Road to China. Image: City Films
In the first season of the TV seriesPeaky Blindersa cache of stolen Lewis Guns are a major plot point and carried by these very Original Gangsters. Image: BBC
