Schwarzlose

     Notes:  This weapon is the only blowback machinegun to see serious use by any country.  This would normally lead to a fast, uncontrollable rate of fire; however, the Schwarzlose used a very heavy breech block and a toggle lever to create an actual mechanical disadvantage to dramatically slow the rate of fire.  The first models, the M/05 and M/07, used an oil pump to lubricate the cartridges as they were loaded into the chamber (as the gun had no positive extraction feature); by 1912 and the M/07/12, improvements made this unnecessary, and a little more weight was added to the breech block to force dry rounds into the action.  One advantage to the blowback system is that it is mechanically simple; the disadvantage in a machinegun is that it is heavy.  The Austro-Hungarians used the weapon in 8mm Austrian Service chambering.  The Germans also used the Schwarzlose in World War 1, chambered for 8mm Mauser; the Greek and Dutch armies also used the Schwarzlose, the Greeks in 6.5mm Greek Service, and the Dutch in 6.5mm Dutch Mannlicher.  The Hungarians and Italians used it as late as 1945, in 8mm Mauser.

Skoda M1909

     Notes: The Skoda M1909 was manufactured in Austria-Hungary and used by that country during the First World War.  It is a belt-fed derivative of the Salvator Dormus M1893. It was not as reliable as the Schwarzlose and saw service primarily with reserve and Home Guard units, freeing the superior Schwarzlose for use by front-line units, but it was of use by units that might not otherwise be equipped with machineguns. It is a very heavy weapon, and normally used from a sledge, wheeled, tripod, or pintle mount. The M1909 has a trigger within a rudimentary grip/trigger guard and the M1909 also has a rudimentary folding stock consisting of metal struts. The cocking lever is large and mounted on the right side. Like most machineguns of its time period, its barrel is enclosed in a large water-filled cooling jacket; the M1909 can theoretically fire almost indefinitely, though its lesser reliability may impact on this.