Those sentiments are shared by many firearms enthusiasts today.
Ask the follow-up question what made it the worst, and the answers may vary.
It was also too forward thinking for the French government, which truly did everything by committee.
While the Chauchat has a much-maligned reputation, does it really deserve being called the worst machine gun ever?
Innovative Design
Critics of the Chauchat almost always disregard its merits.
Even the Danish-designed Madsen was designed for static defense not forward movement.
TheMG08/15still weighed around 60 lbs.
The French Fusil Mitrailleur Modele 1915 CSRG — also known as the “Chauchat.”
compared to the 20 lbs.
of the French light machine gun.
By contrast, the Chauchat was a weapon that a single Pouli could carry and operate.
It was among the first automatic weapons to feature a pistol grip vertical foregrip.
It utilized a detachable magazine and could be fired from the hip while moving, making it highly adaptable.
And a lot of magazines had a similar problem.
The bigger issue is that American soldiers didnt like it but with good reason.
Note the open magazine design and its unique forward curvature that allowed for low, prone shooting.
This is likely the root of much of the weapons bad reputation.
Then there is the issue of politics.
One was the Lewis Gun, which was designed by U.S. Army Colonel Isaac Newton Lewis.
The Chauchat had a selector switch that allowed it to switch between full- and semi-automatic operation.
The British adopted the Lewis Gun and it was widely employed to great success.
No doubt that fact resulted in resentment among the U.S. troops issued with the Chauchat.
It can also be seen in the direct-to-Amazon filmThe Great War.
Although light enough to be carried easily, the weapon featured a bipod that allowed it be used in a defensive capacity.
This particular example was made by “Sidarme” and it features the letters “CSRG” stamped on the side.
This wasn’t exactly a “refined” firearm, but it was what one might expect from a wartime economy.
A period photo shows a French rifle squad with two men armed with Chauchats to provide fire support.
A still from the made-for-TV filmThe Lost Battalion. The weapon was described in it as a “piece of garbage.” Image: A&E Television
