Lahti-Saloranta M/26

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Lahti-Saloranta M/26 LMG
A Lahti-Saloranta M/26 LMG with a 20-round magazine
Type	Light machine gun
Place of origin	Finland
Service history
In service	1930–1970s
Wars	Winter War Second Sino-Japanese War Continuation War Lapland War
Production history
Designer	Aimo Lahti & Arvo Saloranta
Designed	1925
Manufacturer	Valtion kivääritehdas
No. built	> 6200
Variants	LS-26-31 (able to accommodate the 75-round drum magazine)
Specifications
Mass	9.3 kg (20.5 lbs)
Length	1,109 mm
Barrel length	500 mm
Cartridge	7.62×53mmR & 7.92×57mm
Action	Short-recoil operation
Rate of fire	450 to 550 round/min
Muzzle velocity	800 m/s (2,624 ft/s)
Effective firing range	400 m
Feed system	20-round box and 75-round drum magazine

The Lahti-Saloranta M/26 (alternatively LS/26) is a light machine gun which was designed by Aimo Lahti and Arvo Saloranta in 1926. The weapon was able to fire in both full automatic and semi-automatic modes. Both 20-round box and 75-round drum magazines were produced, but the Finnish Army seems to have only used the smaller 20-round magazine.

In the Winter War, there were two squads in each platoon that provided covering fire for two ten-man rifle squads. In each squad, there was one M/26 gunner, one assistant and the rest of the men carrying rifles. Soldiers found it would jam when magazine was loaded to capacity. Often they would take a round out of the magazine and hope an officer did not inspect it.