Automatic weapon model 1952

The transformable Automatic weapon model 1952 or AAT-52 replaced the Mac 24/29 and various foreign machine-guns, then in service in the Army French at the beginning of the Années 1960. The transformable term indicates that it can be employed like light Mitrailleuse, or heavy, by simple change of the gun. It drew from the 7,5mm 1929C

History

At the end of the Years 1940, France was armed with machine-guns of German origin (MG34 and MG42), American, British and French. This disparity posed large problems, in particular at the time of the Guerre of Indo-China, because all these machine-guns being barrack rooms in different gauges and requiring specific spare parts. The provisioning of the troops became of an extreme complexity, it was thus decided to launch a programme of design of a French weapon of general employment which should replace all those in service already. It was a solution allowing of great simplifications, that it is on the level of the intendance: more than only one gauge and standard spare parts; and of the industrial production. But also of the training of the men, who did not have any more that to know only one weapon. The development of the new machine-gun, was entrusted to the Munitions factory of Saint-Etienne, this one will use thereafter its experiment and general operation, for the design of FAMAS).

Operation

The AA-52 makes exception among the modern machine-guns by its inner working based on the free retreat, the cylinder head not being locked, during the shooting. The force applied to the cartouche at the time of the shooting is employed to return the cylinder head in back position, where the spring recuperator returns it forwards and makes him introduce a news cartridge. This system functions perfectly well with cartridges of gun on machine pistols, but the use of cartridges of rifle in rifles machine gunners requires something of more rigorous if one wants to preserve a certain safety. The room is indeed likely to open, whereas the pressure of gases is too strong, which can damage the weapon and wound serving it.

To be able to do without a system of locking of the cylinder head, the factory of Saint-Etienne, will innovate while employing, a system of amplification of inertia of the retreat. The AA-52 uses, indeed, a breech-block in two parts, connected by an amplifying lever of inertia. The part before block which closes the tube is braked in its retreat, by the more important mass of the back part, which is, moreover more amplified by the shape of the lever. The cylinder head is certainly not blocked during the shooting but it opens much less quickly than with a traditional cylinder head, there is thus more no risk, in spite of the power of the cartridge.

In order to facilitate the ejection of the struck cases, the room has grooves making it possible gases to be introduced between the room and the cartridge and to avoid stopping, by the blocking of the case in the room. This is why a cartridge drawn by a AA-52 is recognized easily with the higher crushing of the part of the case. The AA-52 can draw with a bipod or a tripod, but, when the tripod is used for a continuous shooting, the machine-gun is equipped with a gun heavy, therefore longer to heat, which allows more constant shootings. In its version light machine gun, the AA-52 is a relatively heavy weapon to carry, and especially if the box of ammunition of 50 cartridges is carried other hand. So the box is often put aside and the bands of cartridges hang freely. An unusual detail of the AA-52 for a machine-gun lies in the presence of a strap fixed under the stick; What perhaps embarrassing at certain times. Another awkward point lies in the change of the gun: normally rather fast, the bipod fixed permanently on the tube can make disassembling very difficult, more especially as the gun does not have any treatment of the room making it possible to reduce the temperature of the tube.

A modernized version: the Automatic weapon model 7,62 NR F1

With fine the end of the year 1960, France decides to adopt the 7,62 NATO for its machine-guns. This decision comes from a ballistic and economic reasoning (to facilitate exports towards the countries constant or close to NATO).

Data sheet

Gauge: 7,5 mm (AAT-52) or 7,62 X 51 mm NATO (YEAR F1)
Capacity of the charger: bands of 50 (FM) - 200 cartridges
Overall length with light/heavy gun: 1080 mm
Length of the gun: 500/600 mm (normal/heavy gun)
Mass with bipod and light gun: 10 kg
Mass with heavy gun and trépier: 23 kg on tripod
Cadence of shooting: 900 blows/min.
Effective range: 600 m

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