ZB26: The Best of the Light Machine Guns
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- Опубликовано: 7 авг 2024
- The ZB-26 stands as one of the best magazine-fed light machine guns developed during the 1920s and 30s - it was a very popular gun for small military forces and many countries which did not directly buy it were strongly influenced by it. The Japanese Nambu Type 96 and 99 were heavily based on the ZB, the the British Bren was a direct evolution licensed from Brno.
The design dates back to 1921, when the Czech government began searching for a modern light machine gun. They tested pretty much all the guns available on the market at the time, and also solicited guns from Czechoclovak designers. Brothers Vaclav and Emmanuel Holek submitted their I-23 light machine gun, which would become the ZB-26 (LK vizor 26 in Czech terminology) and become the official Czechoslovak light machine gun as well as a popular commercial export for the ZB factory. More than 120,000 were made in several different calibers and sold to 24 countries between 1926 and 1939.
When the Germans occupied Czechoslovakia, they seized a huge number of these guns both from the military and guns still in the factory. This particular one was part of a Spanish purchase contract, but was completed under the oversight of Heinrich Krieghoff and supplied to German forces.
Mechanically, the ZB-26 uses a tilting bolt and a long stroke gas piston, in a combination that would be copied in many later designs. It is robust, accurate, controllable, and handy - a truly excellent all-around light machine gun.
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Listen mate...I am Czech and I have one of those things home. When I saw video from american I was thinking " Ohhh my god, lets see this guy and gues how many things he say wrong". But....you are really profesional. Thank you. Thumbs up!
Thanks!
@Zenbun Katatakala na to nemusis byt sberatel
@Adam Chlebovec buďto má znehodnocenou verzi nebo má zbrojní pas typu A. Neřekl bych, že ho má nelegálně jinak by o tom nepsal.
@@adamtisler2838 znehodnocení je vražda 😀
@Ubal_Blunt Tahle věc funguje i v samonabíjecí verzi? To bych netipoval... ale proč by vlastně nemohla.
I am a simple Czech. I see video about great czech gun, I press like.
I know
Were there any poorly designed Czech weapons? Or anything else? I believe the Skoda was the Only Soviet era automobile to survive into free market competition.
Dude, same! Dobry den, soudruh
@@johndix1820 nope Lada is still going as well, škoda is owned by vw otherwise it would have likely died, Ural and GAZ are also still in the market. But you are right škoda is the only one of them that you could call successful in the Western market.
@BubbaMetal Thanks!
Just me or do the Czechs generally knock it out of the park when it comes to firearm design?
Generally...see the blunders with CZ-805 Bren.
well CZUB isn't the same arms manufacturer as the ZB from the interwar period, different people, CZUB just profits from the name ZB
Either that or it's a piece of shit (although this is much less common)
Zbrojovka Brno went out of business and Česká zbrojovka Uherský Brod just bought it and uses it for some of their hunting rifles.
agreed. the machining and bluing on these old czech guns is just amazing to behold. true craftsmanship
China adopted ZB26 (probably domestically made though) before fighting against Japanese invasion back in WW2. My grandfather can't appreciate ZB26 more for saving his squad countless times.
More than 20k was send to China before war, And after that Czech send licence to China to Forge "brotherhood"
To the good china
A number of them were also made by Inglis for the Chinese in WW2 iirc.
A citizen of Czechoslovakia (I forget his name) also designed some of the new public buildings in Shanghai during the 1920s and 1930s. I suppose interwar Czechoslovakia and interwar China had a peculiar connection for a number of years, despite being at other ends of the world. :-p :-)
Granted, you had successful Czechoslovak companies like Baťa, Tatra and Škoda also exporting goods like shoes and footwear, cars and trucks, Baťa even opening many factories abroad, on different continents, so it's not all that shocking that trade was fairly international before it became much more limited during the Cold War.
When the Germans "showed up." Well, I suppose that's one way to put it...
Yeah, they "toured" around all of Europe and "left quite a mark".
@@denizmetint.462 All the while ordering five beers at a time....
Thanks, Neville Chamberlain, You big NOB!
The Germans encountered only 1 case of resistance in their occupation of Czechoslovakia so "showed up" is accurate.
@@stalkinghorse883 The Czech military and general population at the time was ready to defend their homeland against the Germans, but the Czechoslovak government was forced to stand down by the British.
You know, for the past couple of months, I've been feeling like Ian's been in a mood of "screw it, this channel has become the de facto video encyclopedia of all things gun-related, so I'm no longer holding myself back to only the 'forgotten' guns, i'll just cover whatever I damn-well please"; and I have to say, I love the new mood. Ian has talked about this gun on like 5 different occasions in different videos, and it's great to finally get a video on it.
"This gun...I like it. *Burst* ANOTHER!"
I kinda noticed this, and I agree that it may be for the best. I mean sure, please keep finding rare and strange guns, but these segways into these better known, but important historically, guns, is valid content too!
Guns that people know of, but not a whole lot about.
The common person wouldnt know about this, its not featured in any games or movies.
@@mbsb1376 Actually, Hidden & Dangerous 2 has ZB26
ZB-26 might be forgotten in the west but it is a very well-known gun in China, it was largely used in the second sino-japanese war by the Chinese army. The Chinese communist army (pla) even use this gun in service till 1980s, but they chambered the gun into 7.62 by 39, and modify the mag well to suit ak mags
It’s mostly remembered in the West for being the basis for the Bren. Was the initial batch of ZB-26 in China supplied to the Nationalist Army by the Germans?
Before Germany invaded Czechoslovakia in '39. China had been embargoed on military firearms until '28. And Czechoslovakia's ZB26 was able to be sold to China almost right after the embargo lifted when ZB26 just came out.
That...sounds beautiful...
hoi4
Japanese forces also captured a number of ZB-26 and developed Type 97 heavy tank machine gun based on ZB-26 for use on armored fighting vehicles
I am not surprised that the Czechs made one of the best light machine guns of its time. The Czechs have always been really good at weapon production.
True arms hipsters, making tank before was mainstream
@Jan Krynicky didnt daladier vote for war in the french parlament but lost by like one vote?
@Jan Krynicky yeah if france had one more politician with more balls then hitler then WW2 wouldnt happen at that scale.
@@iplaygames8090 I do not know about the vote in French parliament, but as far as I know, French did not have much choice. On one hand they had defense treaty with us (Czechoslovaks) and with Brits. But Brits basically told the French, that if they would go to war with Germany with Czechoslovakia, they would be on their own, which the French did not feel like doing. The rest is history with Munich agreement and so on.
But there is also I think testimony from someone in Daladiers entourage, that was returning from Munich that says that after Daladier got off from the plane and was greeted by cheering French, he commented something along the lines of "Ah, the fools, if only they knew"
Which tells me French leadership, or at least part of it were not actually too happy with the deal with Germany.
It helps that the Czech lands already had some seasoned arms production companies, in multiple areas, already during the days of Austria-Hungary (and the overall firearm manufacturing tradition in Czechia is, of course, centuries old).
Finally the gun that is mentioned in every other LMG video 😂😂
S P A N D A U
Stephen Pokowitz I know right!?
+tom madden not here
Sexy, simple, effective. Gotta love Czech weapons, in many ways quality like a German and simplicity of a Russian gun.
We are german blood speaking slavic language but i don't like russia honestly
vojta mal German DNA has up to 10% of the Czech population. We are Slavs, Celts, Romanesque tribes etc.
@@vencazatlec4570 odkud čerpáš?
@@vencazatlec4570 According to a 2000 study, 35.6% of Czech men have haplogroup R1b, which is very common in Western Europe among Germanic and Celtic nations, but rare among Slavic nations.[29] A mtDNA study of 179 individuals from Western Bohemia showed that 3% had East Eurasian lineages that perhaps entered the gene pool through admixture with Central Asian nomadic tribes in the early Middle Ages.[30] A group of scientists suggested that the high frequency of a gene mutation causing cystic fibrosis in Central European (including Czech R.) and Celtic populations supports the theory of some Celtic ancestry among the Czech population.[31]
@@vencazatlec4570 Češi jsou mnohem blíž k Němcům než k Rusům, ať už kulturně a historicky, nebo pokrevně. Panslovanismus se jen hodil obrozencům a pak Masarykovi. A od tý doby někdo mele "slované". Zajímavý to řešit pod tímhle videem :D
I just want to take a second to thank Gun Jesus for making these awesome videos. This channel is bringing education and entertainment to the masses despite opposition from RUclips. Thanks Ian for being so great.
Benjamin Detseuh Yeah fuckin RUclips, betraying all the creators that made it what it is just because they are biased and want to push a flawed political agenda
We, the people who are on the side of freedom and liberty, need a new platform
The Czechs "knocked it out if the park with this gun" - so that would be 'Czech mate'.
I do love the simple and elegant design of the bolt & bolt carrier - sometimes things are just so 'right' in design.
Everything about it is so beautifully done - the acid etched crest & the serial number stamps. How often on otherwise great looking guns do we see serial numbers all askew?
I know that it doesn't matter at all, but it's just a tiny detail that sticks out IMO.
I hate you for that joke...but thanks.
It's fascinnating how you pronounced Praha and vzor just right, but butchered the names of the designers. :D Anyway, thanks for the great video!
He didn't pronounce either one "just right." He used an English r, rather than a Czech one. You have to roll it a bit if you want it to sound right, and anglophones generally don't/aren't capable of doing it. ...Not that it really matters.
It's simply not clear to Anglophones that C is not pronounced like K, becuase it is almost always in English....
Liitle late, but i think he wanted to say Praga
For whoever made czech subtitles: good job man, i would never expect such quality at this kinda niche yt channel, very nice!
Probably one of the more influential LMGs, where its legacy was carried onto the Bren and STG 44, and still lives on in weapons like the VZ 58, VZ 52 LMG and the UK 59.
I'd love to have one of these in my collection.
Shockingly great condition for a transferable! I just bought a Bren, and the similarities are definitely easy to spot. Great video as always!
That feel when Ian covers one of your personal favourites and lavishes it with praise.
I've live fired one of these and that big reciprocating mass pulls the gun forward after you feel the recoil. Really unique feeling. I recall my helmet rocking around humorously
Splendid LMG, splendid video (plus added bonus of the ZB-26 firing video afterwards). I own a Bren MKII, so it is nice to see the grandfather of all LMGs/LSWs/SAWs in all it's rightful glory! Fine work Ian :)
This is the model of machine gun my grandfather was operating in WWII. He was seventeen years old when he joined the Yugoslavian partisans. I've heard many great stories from him about the battles where he used it and it he said it was a great weapon and he loved it. He never refered to it with a model number, only called it "Brno" whenever he was referring to it.
If somebody is interested in that crest: it's the crest for the land forces of the Spanish Army, the ornament in the middle of the eagle is the sword cross of Santiago(Saint James); the crest was adopted after the Civil war and the fact that it features the crown is pretty surprising, due to the fact that the spanish monarchy wasn't present in Spain from 1939 to 1947.
Skolt the Franco government although was a far right fascist regime it was more Catholic church and monarchy friendly than its other European counterparts in fact Franco wasn't as pro fascist as you'd think he didn't want to fight another war when Spain wasn't recovered from the civil war yet ,so when Hitler wanted help against the Reds he rounded up all the hard core war mongering phalangest he could and created the Spanish blue division and shipped them out to the eastern front hoping theyd get their fill of the war and relieve some of the war pressure in Spain.
Franco adopted many of the monarchy's trappings, even fancying himself as a king in all but title, with things such as having his portraits depict him wearing an ermine cape, and exiting churches/cathedrals under a cloth canopy, a middle-ages privilege of kings and popes.
Abbott and Costello in "So, you want to go into the Arms Business"
Abbott: We need a new light machine gun!
Costello: Czech!
Abbott: It's got to do everything an LMG does really well!
Costello: Czech!!
Abbott: It's got to already be commercially successful, but I'm not paying John Browning any more royalties!
Costello: Czech!!!
Abbott: Are you even listening to me??
Costello: Check, check and checkmate, the Czech ZB-26!!!!
Abbott: There's a method to your madness Lou! We'll make million$!
I've been waiting for this episode. One of my favorite LMG's :)
This is hands down the best channel on the interwebs.
I live close to a forest that was once a military training area that has been used by the Austrian imperial army from 1700 until the end of WW1. In WW2 it was used by the Wehrmacht and SS. I go metal decting there from time to time and of course there are tons of 8x57IS casings in the ground. But some have a weirdly shaped dent in their struck primers. It's not round like if they were used in a K98k, MG34 or MG42, it's kind of rectangular. From doing some research I've found out that they were fired with a ZB26.
Probably the ZB30 also, we could always spot if a 7.62 Nato case came from an LMG because of the oval/rectangular shape of the primer strike, and from a GMPG (FN-FAL) because of the dent about 1/3 of the way down from the shoulder where the case banged the ejection aperture.
Ricardo Davidson
When I was metal detecting in lower Austria in some German positions where they ambushed and totally crushed the Sowjets back in 1945, I found tons of 8x57IS casings. They were all heavily dented at the mouth. That's from hitting the trigger-guard of a MG42, when they are ejected.
I didn't know that, thanks.
Ricardo Davidson bro a fn fal is not a gpmg, fal is magazine fed battle rifle and gpmg is belt fed machine gub
Sorry, my mistake, comes from typing things in a rush sometimes.
:DDD so funny to hear that pronouncing :DDD love it, awesome video and thank you from Czech Republic for this video.... the bad thing about this is, that it is unique and absoluttely forgotten weapon ! You can go in any řopík ( small fireing bunker) or in those huge border fortresses, and you will see these guns everywhere, but most of people think it is BREN and what is terrifying is that people dont even know about that BREN means BRno and ENfiled. Also I would like to just say something for disassembly: the lower reciever is openable downwards because of those fortresses which were supposed to fire instantly for 2 weeks to stop German soldiers, also those fortresses were build backwards so guns were situated in our country and not on enemy, just to slow them and to shoot without being suppresses or demaged from attacking force, so they could just shoot in Wehrmacht from behind... That is why constructers of this weapon made a gun like this, to have it mounted in bunker and just shoot and shoot and if something went wrong, you could just open it and replace or repare the fireing mechanism and not puting the gun out from the turret or mount :) ..... I am not proud ouf our politics, our people, but what I am at least proud of our beer and these beautiful weapons !! Thank you Ian !!! Go here and I will buy at least 10 of liquid gold in glass ( beer) in one of fortresses :)
always gets me excited when theres a little special Ian intro at the beginning! thats when you know its gunna be a good video haha
Not only is it one of the best light machine guns ever made, but it is one of the best looking ever made.
Your videos is getting more and more profesional Ian!
I have always had a soft spot for Czech made guns. They always just seem to make something that is rugged and durable while being decently accurate and affordable.
You pronounce it correctly - Praha:) You have great channel and I enjoy every one of your videos. And Czech gun of course is great thing to see. Keep going great job. Thank you Ian.
Top fed light machine guns... instant like from me and what a weapon!
Also: that’s a very efficient and modern looking way to field strip a gun: makes you wonder why any one else did it differently
A fantastic gun. I havn't fired a ZB26 but have fired a Bren Gun in .303 cal with the Australian Army. A wonderful and very reliable LMG.
That bolt/carrier design blew my mind. Awesome machining.
Wow, what a nicely made machine gun. The machining work is amazing.
Judging by the estimated price on the auction page this is indeed very well appreciated.
I remember reading a book about WWII infantry weapon, written by an ex officer from British Army. He wrote alot of guns, usually would explain at least one or two cons of those weapons except zb26, he described it as the perfect light machine gun
From my much more modern perspective, I'd say the only thing it gets "wrong" is magazine fed.
But aside from that, which really took the fighting of WW2 to establish, it's really just about perfect.
Oh, sorry, one more "issue": it's not using the constant reaction long recoil spring.
But as I said, those are newer developments not really available when the zb entered service.
Thanks for this video, comrade!
When the gun is quality, cost effective, AND aesthetic
A beautiful weapon, the machine work is top-notch. I imagine this light machine gun inspired many others.
Your videos are top notch Ian.
The machining quality on that looks really good. I feel as if the Czech's deserve to better known for their firearms manufacturing than what they are.
Thanks for the vid sir.
Great video, Ian, it sparked a warm glow of patriotic pride in me. Your Czech pronounciation was very good. I'm greatly looking forward to see you shooting it. I hope that one day I'll be able to do so myself. I still remember the day when head teacher lend me his demilled one for Halloween and 16 year old me spent the whole day prancing around school with a zb.26, Czech steel pot and NBC poncho. Ah, happy days.
Hiromuz I don't think you should link to the unlisted videos before their release ;)
Yeah. It's quite probably just a day away from release. There's no point. Don't be a plonker.
Erik Blackboar Such is life in the Zone, huh?
Exactly. "cosplayed" as low budget stalker. Or could've said that if I just didn't want an excuse to sperg in gear in public.
Lovely. Lovely. Lovely. Thanks for this.
You know you’re doing something right when other nations start making their own copy based on your model
Your knowledge of weapons is very impressive.
Loving that intro to the ZB26.
Machining work is awesome, yet kept very simple.
Makes me even more proud to be half Czech
Love all my CZ guns. Excellent quality and design. Wish I had the $$ to own one of those!
Very Cool 😎 I Like this Gun a Lot Thanks For Sharing Ian 🎃👍🏼
About time you revisited the Bren again
Cool video ian im impressed with your piece knowledge. More videos please thank you
>see some post about how a relic mag for one of these was found on the former eastern front, used by the Germans presumably
>immediately think “That looks cool and somewhat obscure, I bet there’s a forgotten weapons video on it”
Godamn ian you really have done everything
So at last,I now know what that side wheel is for! Adjusting the rear sight,very clever. Altogether,an extremely ingenious LMG. Also,I thank the Powers that be,that our people had the good sense to adopt it as the Bren,just in time!
Gun Bingo;
Beistigui Hermanos MM31
Whitworth Confederate Sniper
30 '06 Chauchat
Hotchkiss M1909 Benét-Mercié machine gun
BAR
Excellent video as usual Ian
you know its gonna be a good vid when the gun gets a special intro
Many Czech original weapons were structurally modeled for many legendary weapons:
E.g. ZB 26 - BREN, VZ 24 - Mauser, Sa vz. 26 - UZI etc. Nice video !!!
Don’t forget the VZ 61 Skorpion, a legendary weapon in its own right. Honorable mention to the CZ75, which is a fantastic clone of the Hi Power.
I think a video on the procurement of foreign small arms of the Germans during WWII would be a good one.
Ian,you are brilliant on small arms !
That rear sight adjustment is impossibly cool.
man I love the Czech,s and there freakin awesome firearms and engineering
Shot a ZB-26 (and a DP-27 and MG42)in Warsaw recently. Having shot a Bren as an Australian Army cadet it was instantly recognisable.
During my time on active duty I had the chance to fire these weapons in 6.5 x 55, 7 MM, 30-06, 7.62 x 54 R and 8 MM!!! The 6.5, 7 MM 'n' the 30-06 were a hoot to shoot. The 6.5 'n' the 7 MM were the most accurate automatic weapons I have ever shot. I had to clean them and prepare them for return to storage after the fun time was over and they were no longer NIB!!!
Nid?
Nib?
Jen jsem viděl zbraně a Českou vlajku, tak jsem na to kliknul... :D Greetings from Czech republic.
Your pronounciation of "Praha" was spot on
Great video !! I wish i could have one !! Really enjoy channel !!
Romanian Army used it too... Romania bought 18000 from Czechoslovakia and also they manufactured 5000 under the license. But it was ZB vz 30 , an upgraded variant of ZB vz 26 like in video. Romanian Army used that excelent gun until they introduce the new Russian RPD and RPK 1964 model. But ZB vz 30 was for a long time in Patriotic Guards Formation until1975 or around.
Greetings from czech republic !! We still are very gunfriendly coutry and still produce shit load of guns ( so much better then switzerland ) and its actually much easier (and cheaper ) to own a machine gun here then in the US
I wouldn't say it's much easier. For most people it's pretty much impossible to get the exception for a prohibited weapon / accessory, even when it was just for a laser sight (those are now legal). You must have some very sympathetic police officer in your area if it's "easy" for you. If you do get the exception, it is actually relatively cheap - because it's that hard to get, so there isn't that much of a market.
I just checked, there were just 1240 exceptions in the whole of Czech republic as of the end of 2016.
Greetings from Switzerland, and you're wrong !
Nonetheless you've got great beer at much better price - I'm coming over ....
Switzerland doesn't produce anymore a shit load of guns, and ccw is also nearly gone since 1999 (may issue only since then, and not many private citizens get it), I think I'll move over as well :)
That's it I'm immigrating....
Finally an accurate estimation of guns produce
Now that is a beautiful weapon.
I'm drooling just watching this.
The daddy of the Brno-Enfield.(Bren)
Intelligent design, really !
When I first saw the FN FAL disassembled, I was really surprised. And having shot vz. 26, MG 34 and 42, I would always take vz. 26.
Nice design. And hopefully in the relatively near future you'll get a chance to shoot one.🤞
the czechs have an amazing history of arms development and manufacture, there must be scope for video on the subject
I’ve got pictures of my father firing such a gun during is military service at the end of the forties (1947 or 1948) in Spain. As a brilliant Law student went through the NCO and then sub-lieutenant or junior lieutenant (“Alférez”) courses offered to students, which would serve two periods in apring and summer of their third and fourth year in University. He then left active service as a sub-lieutenant ant of “Milicias Universitarias” (which would later be called IMEC for Instruccion Militar de complemento. As an officer in the reserve, if mobilized he would have been a junior Lieutenant. This was the standard squad light machine gun in these late forties early fifties in Spain. Our army would later use the MG42 (or MG3).
Your Czech pronounciation is pretty good actually. No need to be worried it seems :D
His pronounciation of Václav is *off "a bit" of :D
'Vaatslove :D
Yeah but i mean, for someone whos language is FAR different from slavic language, hes pretty good.
Wow when you pulled the gas tube and bolt carrier out, I thought to myself dam that looks just like a m249!
This LMG is really famous in China during the Japanese invasion war.
LineOfCars Republic of China basically had a plethora of foreign guns... though I think they licensed production of ZB26. The standard rifle was a copy of Mauser, the HMG was the maxim, the LMG was ZB26, and post-pearl harbor some were armed with American weapons.
@@zacksima8333 Chinese forces even had Panzer 1 and He-111
Good video And i am Czech too i give like
IT IS HERE!
))))
You trully are the Gun Jesus
Hey Ian, love the vids! I believe "Praha" is how the Czechs pronounce their Capitol city of Prague. Just thought you may find that interesting. Keep up the awesome vids man!
Indeed, Praha is really czech pronounciation of Prague, Zbrojovka Praga ( Zbrojovka is czech word for weapon factory andPraga is latin name of Prague) was the name of factory in Prague
That is a really neat gun
That's a damn fine firearm.
That stocked broomhandle with 20 round looks pretty good
gabber88ful lmfao
why it was the best light machine gun even thought it has only 20 rounds in its magazine
So so cool
Your pronunciation of Praha is just perfect. You sound like a guy born there.
Gotta love this gun.
Let's face it, those cooling fin's on the barrel Are.... Wait For It .... Just Cool!! 😁👌
Indeed a fine weapon. One that obviously elicited mission confidence. mission
This is a pretty cool video to me since I have an air soft 2b26
I love the intro.
Another win for czechnology! My first rifle i bought on my own was a vz24 that wad made in the first year or two
I love this gun brother
i used this gun in Hidden & Dangerous 2 alot :)
Sweden bought this weapon from Germany as "Kulsprutegevär m/39" and it was issued to home guard units as it had an unusual caliber of 8x57mm.
It was found to be reliable and liked so in the 1950's the guns where re-barrelled for 6,5x55mm ammunition.
Before you disassembled the gun, you cocked the action off camera, and when you took off the lower, the recoil spring remained held back by the sear, right?
I came here from the game Enlisted, and since it worked so well in the game, I became interested in the gun