This is the third volume in author Dolf Goldsmith's monumental series on the Browning machine gun. Volume I, subtitled Rifle Caliber Brownings in U.S. Service, published in 2005, covers the invention, development and manufacturing history of all models of rifle caliber Brownings in the United States, and their use by U.S. forces in two World Wars and Korea. Volume II, Rifle Caliber Brownings Abroad, published in 2006, covers the offshore production and use of rifle caliber Brownings in 35 other countries.

However, the gun itself was only a part of the total picture, as a great deal of auxiliary equipment was needed to keep it in action. The development work that went into these many accessories and ancillaries, here meticulously researched by a well-known machine gun collector, lifelong shooter and ex-U.S. Army armorer, is as interesting as that of the gun, and in some cases even more so, yet up to now it has scarcely been documented anywhere, except for basic descriptions found in military manuals.

Volume III contains in-depth coverage on component nomenclature and theory of operation; ground, vehicle and aircraft mounts; sights and sighting equipment; flash hiders; ammunition; ammunition boxes, belts and links; belt filling machines and link loaders; cooling equipment; transport equipment; canvas accessories; training devices (including .22 caliber guns and conversion kits); tools and gauges; caliber conversions; manuals, handbooks and other instructions.

In some ways this book is even more engrossing than Volume I, as it describes and illustrates in considerable detail the many variations on the basic Browning which were manufactured and/or used by over twenty countries, in virtually every corner of the world, in both World Wars, in Korea and in Vietnam.

Of particular interest is the focus on the aircraft Browning, beginning in the Interwar years, in Britain and particularly in Belgium, where Dieudonné Saive, John Browning's erstwhile chief assistant, twice increased the rate of fire of the FN Browning aircraft machine gun, first in 1932 to 1,200 rpm and again in 1938 to 1,500 rpm, in order to keep pace with the ever-faster airspeeds of the best new fighters and pursuit aircraft.

It may seem strange to feature an aircraft, even one so famous as the British Spitfire, one of the best all-round fighters of World War II, on the cover of a book about Browning machine guns. However there are really eight Browning machine guns in this picture!

As discussed in Chapter Two of this book, the crucial decision to equip each British fighter with eight Brownings was of no less than monumental importance. On this subject the late Col. George M. Chinn USMC (ret.), the author of the authoritative five-volume series of books titled The Machine Gun, commented decisively,

"Students of warfare are generally in agreement that the most far-reaching single military decision made in the 20th century was when a small group of British officers, shortly before World War II, decided to mount eight caliber .303 Brownings on their Hurricane and Spitfire fighters. This single act undoubtedly brought about a turning point of the war".

This is th first volume of a planned multi-volume series on Browning machine guns, written by an ex-U.S. Army armorer who studied and maintained these guns and has since owned and shot a number of them in civilian life.

This profusely illustrated history covers all models of the U.S. Browning, from the first "gas hammer" Model 1895 and the initial recoil-operated Models of 1901 and 1910, through the adoption and manufacture of the famous water-cooled heavy Model 1917 during World War I and the numerous Interwar experimental tank and aircraft guns, most of which were built up on surplus M1917 receivers.

Tank and cavalry experiments led to the development of the air-cooled M1919A4 infantry gun, while Colt's heavy investment in the Browning system paid off handsomely in the lightweight, fast-firing, dual-feed M2 aircraft machine gun, which was sold commercially and made in large numbers during World War II.

Existing stocks of the M1917 water-cooled gun were meanwhile retrofitted to the improved M1917A specification, and the failed Ordnance Department light machine gun competition, discussed in detail, resulted in the compromise M1916A6.

The history of Browning manufacture by Rock Island Arsenal, Saginaw Steering Gear and other contractors is followed by chapters recounting the heroic use of the Browning in WWII and Korea, and all subsequent variations, such as the M1919A4E1, the T151, T152, T153 and M37 tank gun, until these fine guns were phased out after the adoption of the general-purpose M60 in 1957.

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This celebrated study, which has been hailed as "simply the best book ever written about machine guns" is back in a brand-new expanded edition, containing 200 additional pages of text and nearly 300 brand-new illustrations.

The story of the world's first true automatic machine gun begins right at the beginning (with the aid of rare photos and patent drawings of Sir Hiram's original working models), and charts the course to first adoption by the British Army in 1889. In World War I the Maxim earned the dubious distinction of being used in virtually identical versions by both sides. After extensive coverage of Maxim models as made and used in other countries, and the myriad Maxim accessories, the book also includes The Maxim in Depth and The Troubleshooter's Handbook, which explain how the Maxim works while providing many expert tips on troubleshooting and restoring the highly collectible Maxim today.

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Both the Lanchester and the Patchett were developed during WWII at Sterling Engineering Co Ltd, of Dagenham, Essex, England. Sterling also manufactured silenced DeLisle carbines for clandestine British Commando units. The Mkll Patchett Machine Carbine was adopted as the L2A1 in 1953, and the "first Sterling", the MkIII, as the L2A2 in 1955. Then came Sterling's "Crown Jewel" the Mk4, adopted as the L2A3 in 1955 with over 400,000 manufactured by ROF Fazakerley and Sterling for the UK Military, and by Sterling for worldwide commercial sale.

Covers all prototypes and military Marks: the silenced Sterling-Patchett Mk5, the Canadian C1 and the Indian 1A Machine Carbines, plus all commercial Sterling carbines and pistols.

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