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Praga I-23: Prototype Belt-Fed Predecessor of the ZB26 (Ad-free)
🕑 Added 2025-02-03 12:00:02 +0000 UTCVaclav Holek's first machine gun design for the Czech military was the Praga I, built in 1922 and based heavily on the Vickers/Maxim system. However, it became clear that the military wanted something lighter and more portable, and so the next year he heavily updated the design to this, the Praga I-23 (for 1923). It remains a belt-fed weapon chambered for the 8mm Mauser cartridge, but the locking system has been much simplified into a tilting bolt arrangement. The recoil operation from the earlier model is also gone, now replaced by a long stroke gas piston. Some elements of the Maxim remain in the belt feeding elements, but the overall gun is much more a light machine gun than the mounted heavy machine gun that was his first design.
A total of 40 of the Praga I-23 were ordered by the Czechoslovak military, and they were tested in 1924 (only 20 examples were actually delivered of the 40). The I-23 performed well, but it was again clear that it wasn't quite what the military really wanted. Holek revised the design again to the model 1924, using a box magazine instead of a belt feed - and that is the gun that continued the path to the ZB-26.
Video on the Praga I machine gun that came immediately before this model:
Many thanks to the VHU - the Czech Military History Institute - for giving me access to this fantastic prototype to film for you. The Army Museum Žižkov is a part of the Institute, and they have a 3-story museum full of cool exhibits open to the public in Prague.If you have a chance to visit, it's definitely worth the time! You can find all of their details (including their aviation and armor museums) here:
https://www.vhu.cz/en/english-summary/
Comments
Fraser Watt
Thank you for this video. Fascinating. Very interesting yo see snd hear about the designer's proactive work developing the box magazine. But, I'm really curious ascto why they insisted on the vox magazine. I would have thought that the round drum with the belt feed would have allowed each magazine to carry a larger amount of ammunition in each magazine, Excellent video. Many thanks. Fraser (Watt.)
Steven E
It ejects out the side of the receiver not the bottom, otherwise it would not need a case buffer. Nice firearm.
Thomas Batha
You have to really admire the exquisite machine work involved in this gun. And all without CNC or even good lighting.
