The mashineguns used were the same as in the infantry. In the fifties a replacement was wanted in the form of a generalpurpose mashinegun that could replace the older designs as well as the automatic rifles, the Kg:s. The alternatives were either one of the new foreign designs, a modified MG 42, a modified Ksp m/42, a beltfed automatic rifle or the Lundins design. After thourough testing the FN MAG was chosen as the Ksp m/58. A very good choise indeed.
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The Ksp m/36 is a weapon of the Browning design that is watercooled and beltfed. The belts contained 250 rounds. It was heavy but with excellent endurance. The photo shown the gun in a dug out position in the fifties. Calibre was either the 8mm ammo or the 6,5 mm ammo. The only difference was in the barrels. The weapon was mounted on a tripod or on AA mounting on trucks or the early APC Kp-bil m/42 in doublemounts providing awesome firepower at groundtargets. The weapon has been heavily used by static defence units after its retiring from the field units and the territorial defence. |
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The Ksp m/42 was an aircooled version of the Ksp m/36. Its cousin the Ksp m/39 is almost identical but used in AFVs only. It weighed 14 kg and the belts were the same as in the m/36 and m/39. Initially it was mounted on the tripod in the picture but later a strangelooking bipod was attached at the muzzleend and an even weirderlooking shoulderrest on the buttend. A carrying handle was attached on the mantlet as well. The weapon has served in home guard units after the retiring from the field army and the territorial defence. |