View source for Rkm wz. 28

{{Infobox weapon
| is_ranged          = yes
| image              = Machine gun Browning wz 28.jpg
| image_size         = 300
| caption            = 
| name               = Ręczny karabin maszynowy wz. 28
| type               = [[Automatic rifle]]<br>[[Light machine gun]]
| origin             = Poland
| manufacturer       = [[Państwowa Fabryka Karabinów]]<br>FN Herstal
| design_date        = 1928
| production_date    = 1930–1939
| service            = 1930–1945
| used_by            = See [[#Users| Users]]
| wars               = [[Spanish Civil War]]<br>[[World War II]]
| spec_type          = 
| part_length        = {{convert|611|mm|in|abbr=on}}
| cartridge          = [[7.92×57mm Mauser]]
| caliber            = [[7.92 mm]]
| feed               = 20 rounds
| action             = [[gas operated]]
| rate               = 600 round/min
| velocity           = {{convert|853|m/s|ft/s|abbr=on}}
| weight             = {{convert|9|kg|lb|abbr=on}} (empty)
| length             = {{convert|1110|mm|in|abbr=on}}
| variants           = wz.37
| number             = ~24,000
| range              = 
}}

The '''rkm wz. 28''' or '''Browning wz. 28''' is a Polish derivative of the [[M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle]]. It was used as a [[light machine gun]] by the Polish Military and Polish Resistance forces during [[World War II]].

Chosen after a competition between similar weapons, the BAR design was modified by FN Herstal to meet Polish requirements and then licence-produced by the Państwowa Fabryka Karabinów.

==History==
After Poland regained its independence in 1918, the [[Polish Army]] was equipped with all sorts of machine guns inherited from the armed forces of the [[Partitions of Poland|partitioners]], along with equipment from the French and British armies that equipped the Polish [[Blue Army (Poland)|Blue Army]] during the [[World War I]]. The large variety of light machine guns used, as well as the fact that each of them used a different caliber, made troop training and logistics a difficult task.

[[Image:MWP Browning wz1928.JPG|left|thumb|Firing mechanism]]
[[File:Zdzisław de Ville.jpg|thumb|[[Polish resistance movement in World War II|Polish partisan]] member of [[Home Army]] unit [[Jędrusie]] with wz. 1928]]

After the [[Polish–Soviet War|Polish-Soviet War]], in 1923 a competition was opened for a new, standard light machine gun for the Polish army that was to replace all previously used types of LMG. The competition ended without a winner and the following year the Polish Ministry of War purchased 12 specimens of the [[M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle]], [[Lewis gun]] ("Lewis wz. 1923") and [[Hotchkiss M1909 Benét–Mercié machine gun|Hotchkiss M1909 Benét–Mercié]] each. Testing proved the superiority of the American construction, and during the 1925 competition, a Belgian [[FN Herstal|FN]]-made Browning was chosen. Although extensive tests were continued, the Polish army ordered a series of Belgian-made BAR machine guns, modified to better suit the Polish needs. The modifications included changing the round from [[.30-06 Springfield]] to standard Polish [[7.92×57mm Mauser]]),<ref>Bishop, Chris (1998). ''The Encyclopedia: Weapons of World War II.'' New York: Barnes & Noble Inc. {{ISBN|0-7607-1022-8}}, p. 239</ref> the construction of a bipod and mounting, and the [[iron sights]] (peephole changed to v-notch type). The barrel was lengthened for greater accuracy and a pistol grip was added for easier aiming. Apart from the 10,000 pieces ordered from [[Fabrique Nationale]], Poland also bought a license to produce the weapon domestically.<ref name="BAR1918">Robert R. Hodges, Jr., ''The Browning Automatic Rifle''. Weapon Series. Osprey Publishing, 2012, 9781849087612. p. 18</ref> The first wz.28 LMGs were officially commissioned in 1927 and were officially designated ''7,92 mm rkm Browning wz. 1928'', which is Polish for "7.92 mm hand-held machine gun of Browning pattern 1928".

[[File:Rkm wz 28 stronsko (Bolas).jpg|right|thumb|A Polish reenactor poses with the wz. 1928 and period-correct uniform.]]
Due to serious flaws in license documentation purchased from Belgium, production in Poland was not started until 1930. Until 1939 approximately 14,000 pieces were built. Additional modifications were introduced during the production run. Among them was the replacement of the iron sights with a smaller version and reshaping the butt to a "fish tail" shape. There were also extensive works on spare, replaceable barrels for the weapon, which however were never completed due to the outbreak of World War II.

During the German-Soviet [[Invasion of Poland]] of 1939, the ''rkm wz. 28'' was the standard LMG used by almost all Polish infantry and cavalry units. The [[Wehrmacht|German armed forces]] captured a number of Polish-made Browning guns and used them until the end of World War II under the designation of ''lMG 28 (p)''.<ref name="BAR1918" /> A number were also seized by the [[Red Army]] and used during the war.<ref name="BAR1918" />

==Variants==
The rkm wz. 28 was a basis for development of an aerial, flexible machine gun, designated [[Karabin lotniczy wz. 37|karabin maszynowy obserwatora wz. 37]], used mainly on the [[PZL.37 Łoś]] bombers.

==Users==
*{{flag|Republic of China}}:Supplied in small quantities by the Soviet Union in 1940
*{{flag|Kingdom of Greece}} 
*{{flagcountry|Nazi Germany}}: Captured in 1939
*{{flagcountry|Poland}}
*{{flagcountry|USSR}}: Captured in 1939
*{{flag|Spanish Republic}}: [[Polish arms sales to Republican Spain|Bought for Spanish Civil War]]
*{{flag|Spanish State|1936}}: Captured from Republican side

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}

==References==
{{commons}}
*{{cite book |first1=Zbigniew |last1=Gwóźdź |first2=Piotr |last2=Zarzycki |title=Polskie konstrukcje broni strzeleckiej |publisher=Warsaw, SIGMA NOT |year=1993 |isbn=83-85001-69-7 }}
*{{cite journal |first=Tomasz |last=Nowakowski |title=Ręczny karabin maszynowy Browning wz. 28 |journal=Nowa Technika Wojskowa |year=1996 |volume=5 |issn=1230-1655 }}
*{{cite book |first1=Adam |last1=Jońca |first2=Andrzej |last2=Zasieczny |title=7,92 mm ręczny karabin maszynowy wz. 1928 Browning |publisher=[[Bellona Publishing House|Bellona]] & CB |year=2003 |isbn=83-11-09687-2 }}

{{WWIIPolishInfWeapons}}
{{WWIIGermanInfWeapons}}

[[Category:7.92×57mm Mauser machine guns]]
[[Category:7.92×57mm Mauser battle rifles]]
[[Category:Light machine guns]]
[[Category:Machine guns of Poland]]
[[Category:Weapons and ammunition introduced in 1930]]
[[Category:World War II infantry weapons of Poland]]
[[Category:World War II machine guns]]