World War II Database

Country of Origin	Czechoslovakia
Type	Machine Gun
Caliber	7.920 mm
Capacity	225 rounds
Length	1.095 m
Barrel Length	736.000 mm
Weight	19.000 kg
Rate of Fire	500 rounds/min
Muzzle Velocity	790 m/s

Contributor: C. Peter Chen
Additional Contributions By: Alan Chanter

ww2dbaseThe ZB-53 vz. 1937 machine guns were of Czechoslovakian design, a joint venture by Václav Holek and Miroslav Rolcík of the Zbrojovka Brno works. 500 examples of the initial prototypes were completed in 1935 and were deployed for testing under the designation of vz. 35. The production variant was completed in 1937, and were deployed under the designation of TK vz. 37. They were used as standard tank machine guns for LT-35 and LT-38 tanks, or used by the infantry on mobile tripods or stationary bunkers. They were air cooled and gas pressure operated, and a switch allowed them to fire either at the standard 500 rounds per minute to an accelerated 800 rounds per minute. They were exported to Romania, Yugoslavia (1,000 examples between Mar and Apr 1940), Argentina, Afghanistan, Iran, and China (in large quantities). After Germany occupied Czechoslovakia, large quantities of the weapon were captured by the Wehrmacht and used during the war under the designation of MG 37(t), and they remained in production until 1942 when the plants retooled for German-designed weapons.

Prior to the war, in 1938, the United Kingdom War Office decided that this weapon was the most suitable gun for use in tanks and the manufacturing rights were purchased. Production began in 1939. These weapons were designated Besa Machine Guns, named after their manufacturer, the Birmingham Small Arms Company (BSA). Since time was short it was decided not to convert from 7.92-millimeter rimless Mauser ammunition to 0.303-inch rimmed ammunition, which was a difficult task, but retain the 7.92-millimeter calibre and arrange for the manufacture of suitable ammunition in Britain. The BESA tank gun was unusual in that, as well as being gas operated, the barrel also recoiled, and the mechanism was so arranged that the round was fired while the barrel was still moving forward, which reduced the recoil blow. The first models were exactly as the Czechoslovakian original, but BSA later modified the design in order to simplify production and in the process did away with the adjustable rate of fire, setting the rate at 800 rounds per minute. The BESA machine gun was used extensively by the armed forces of United Kingdom during the Second World War as a mounted machine gun for tanks and other armoured vehicles as a replacement for the heavier, water-cooled Vickers machine gun. It was appreciated for its accuracy and reliability and remained in service until replaced by the 0.30-caliber Browning gun in the 1950s.

BSA later license-built the 15-millimeter ZB-60 design, which was generally considered a simple enlargement of the 7.92-millimeter ZB-53 vz. 37 design. Although they used a different ammunition, the 15-millimeter weapons were similarly named BESA Machine Gun.

Sources:
Ian V. Hogg, The illustrated Encyclopedia of Firearms (New Burlington Books. 1978)
Wikipedia ww2dbase

Last Major Revision: Feb 2023

Photographs

See all 8 photographs of ZB-53 vz. 37 Machine Gun

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