ZB vz. 26

ZB vz. 26
vz. 26 at the Great Patriotic War Museum, Smolensk
Type	Light machine gun
Place of origin	Czechoslovakia
Service history
In service	1926 – Present
Used by	See Users
Wars	Second Sino-Japanese War Constitutionalist Revolution Chaco War Spanish Civil War Second Italo-Ethiopian War Dersim rebellion Sudeten German uprising World War II Ecuadorian–Peruvian War[1] Chinese Civil War Korean War Indochina War Vietnam War Laotian Civil War Biafran war Insurgency in Aceh[2] South African Border War Soviet–Afghan War Yugoslav Wars[3]
Production history
Designer	Václav Holek
Designed	1924
Manufacturer	Zbrojovka Brno, Zastava Arms[4]
Produced	1924–1953
Variants	See Variants
Specifications
Mass	9.65 kg (21.27 lb)[5]
Length	1,161 mm (45.7 in)[5]
Barrel length	672 mm (26.5 in)[5]
Cartridge	7.92×57mm Mauser
Action	Gas-operated, tilting breechblock
Rate of fire	500 rounds/min[5]
Muzzle velocity	764 m/s (2,507 ft/s)[5]
Effective firing range	1,000 m (1,100 yd)
Feed system	20- or 30-round detachable box magazine[5]
Sights	Front blade, rear leaf sight

The ZB vz. 26 was a Czechoslovak light machine gun developed in the 1920s, which went on to enter service with several countries. It saw its major use during World War II, and spawned the related ZB vz. 27, vz. 30, and vz. 33. The ZB vz. 26 influenced many other light machine gun designs including the British Bren light machine gun and the Japanese Type 97 heavy tank machine gun. The ZB-26 is famous for its reliability, simple components, quick-change barrel and ease of manufacturing. This light machine gun in the Czechoslovak army was marked as the LK vz. 26 ("LK" means lehký kulomet, light machine gun; "vz." stands for vzor, Model in Czech). ZB vz. 26 is incorrect nomenclature because "ZB-26" is a factory designation (Československá zbrojovka v Brně), while "vzor 26" or "vz. 26" is an army designation.