by Liviu & Dora Plavcan
A ZB-30 LMG in the National Military Museum in Bucharest
(picture from Victor Nitu's collection)
I would not lie saying that ZB-30 LMG is one of the best light machine guns ever made. Chambered for the 7.92mm rimless Mauser cartridge (also known as 8mm Mauser), the weapon has a wooden stock, pistol grip and integral bipod mount. It is robust, very accurate and shooting the ZB-30 LMG has been a good and interesting experience.
First I had to check the weapon to make sure that it worked all right. The fire selector (safety) was in vertical "safe" position, the bipod was fixed in a good spot, and the radial tangent rear sight was adjusted correctly. The weapon is fed from the top using a 20-round box magazine. The empty cartridge cases eject downward through the weapon. No left-handed gunner should fire the weapon due to the fact that the sights are offset to the left. After I slid the magazine opening cover all the way forward, I put a full loaded magazine into the top of the receiver. The magazine went in place with a click and it was firmly in position. I drew the bolt handle to the rear and then pushed it forward. I set the weapon for full-automatic fire by pushing the safety forward. I laid flat on my belly, comfortable and relaxed, with the weapon butt tucked into my right shoulder. The weapon was lined up with the target and I had a very good sight picture on the distant target. I was aiming carefully, controlling my breath. In a smooth motion I squeezed the trigger and the weapon began spitting bullets. The recoil was vibrating into my body. When firing the weapon the bolt handle does not move with the bolt. A few quick bursts of the ZB-30 LMG and the magazine was empty. The weapon went silent. Twenty fired, hot brass cartridge cases were on the ground shining in the morning sunlight; 300 meters away the target had been hit by fourteen bullets.
Original Czech cardboard labeled box of fifteen 7.92mm (7.92x57) rimless Mauser cartridges made in 1938.
(photo taken by the authors)
The original design was the Model ZB-26 LMG, first known as Praga Md 24. Some modifications and internal improvements were made and the new models ZB-27 and ZB-30 resulted later. The weapon (ZB-30) was manufactured in Czechoslovakia (by Brno Arms Factory / Zbrojovka Brno), and it also was made in Romania, Iran, Spain, China and Yugoslavia (Model 30 j).
During World War II the Germans used many of the captured weapons especially on the Eastern Front. ZB-30 LMG was used under the title MG 30 (t) or Maschinengewehr 30 (t). These strong and reliable weapons were used in large numbers by the SS units and police.
The gas-operated, air-cooled ZB-30 LMG proved ideal in the modern, mobile warfare and it could mow down very easy enemy troops at far ranges. The weapon could be tripod-mounted for sustained fire at distant targets or on a bipod for squad use.
Cartridge Headstamps (markings stamped on the head / base of the cartridge). Segmented headstamps for two 7.92mm (7.92x57) rimless Mauser cartridges made in Czechoslovakia. Both these impressed headstamps show the same date of production (9th month of the year 1937) but different manufacturer marks (at left - "Sellier & Bellot", at right - "Zbrojovka Brno / Bystrica").
(photo taken by the authors)
ZB-30 LMG is a selective-fire weapon, capable of semi-automatic and full-automatic fire. On the left side of the trigger group there is the fire selector. As we already know, the weapon fires full-automatic fire when the selector is in forward position. For semi-automatic fire the selector must be moved rearward. In the vertical position of the selector, the weapon cannot be fired.
ZB-30 LMG was very well made having an efficient and simple bolt locking system. The recoil spring is contained in the wooden stock. The finned barrel can be changed fast and easy, and this is the first step in field stripping procedure. There is a barrel nut which has to be rotated in order to remove the barrel forward from the receiver. A carrying handle is attached to the barrel which is also used to remove the hot barrel. After removing the retaining pins, the stock and trigger group assembly may be taken out from the receiver. The stainless steel piston, slide and bolt may be removed too from the back of the receiver. The bolt can be taken out from the slide. In the assembly procedure which is in the reverse order, the finned barrel may be put back first.
A distinctive feature of the weapon is its top mounted magazine which can be replaced easier from the prone position. There is a magazine opening cover which protects the magazine opening when a box magazine is not inserted in place. ZB-30 LMG uses a well designed and well made magazine. It is a straight-sided box which holds 20 rounds, having a small width and large front-to-rear dimension to accomodate a staggered double row of 7.92 x 57mm rimless cartridges. The magazine body has three long cartridge guide ribs indented into each side. There is a ridge along the backstrap of the magazine that guides the heavy follower which is machined from solid steel. At the back of the follower there is a long cut down. The feed lips are long and carefully formed in order to prevent the staggered row of cartridges from jamming. The magazine is blued and it has a detachable floorplate.
ZB - 30 LMG disassembled box magazine. With rimless ammunition (7.92 X 57mm) this is a straight-sided box. The magazine holds 20 rounds. Note the 7.92mm cartridge by the magazine feed lips.
(photo taken by the authors)
A well-trained gunner could fire 6 magazines in one minute, as many as 120 rounds. The battle-tested ZB-30 LMG is a very well made weapon, though the limited amount of ammo due to the 20-round magazine capacity is a disadvantage. Many components had to be machined from solid pieces of metal, and the weapon was expensive and hard to manufacture.
For squad use ZB-30 magazine-fed selective-fire LMG gave very good service. Great Britain noticed the weapon and before World War II it was redesigned and converted to the rimmed .303-inch cartridge (the British Army was standardized on the rimmed .303-inch cartridge, 7.7 x 56mmR). The new weapon manufactured at the Royal Small Arms Factory at Enfield (England) became the famous Bren Gun (BR from Brno and EN from Enfield).
Characteristic data:
Bibliography: Ian V. Hogg, John Weeks, "Military Small Arms of the
20th Century", 6th edition, fully revised
SMG Frank A. Moyer, "Foreign
Weapons Handbook", First Printing January 1970
@ Victor NITU 2001-2002