Chatellerault FM 24/29

Chatellerault Light Machine Gun is the common English name for two standard French light machine guns designed by Manufacture d'Armes de Châtellerault, FM 24 and FM 24/29 (also known as MAC 24 and MAC 24/29). The FM 24 was designed in 1923, and adopted in 1924, chambered in 7.5x57mm MAS. This weapon uses the same operation as the M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle but was considered superior by French troops.

The FM 24/29 (Fusil-mitrailleur Modèle 1924 M29) was an improved variant of the FM 24 adopted in 1929, which switches out the cartridge from 7.5x57mm to 7.5x54mm French. The change was made for several reasons: For one, the FM 24 could load and fire a captured German 8x57mm cartridge with disastrous results, and the two cartridges' similar appearances made accidental switches more common than desired. Secondly, the 7.5x57mm round had a tendency to explode in much more innovative ways than are acceptable in a firearm. The FM 24/29 served as the standard light machine gun used by France since World War 2 for over 50 years.

The FM 24/29 inspired the Czech ZB26 Machine Gun, which became the British Bren gun.

Specifications

• Caliber:
  • M1924: 7.5x57mm
  • M1929: 7.5x54mm
• Length: 42.60 inches
• Barrel Length: 19.69 inches
• Weight: 19.7 lbs
• Muzzle Velocity: 2,690 feet per second
• Maximum range: 2,926 meters
• Maximum effective range: is 804 meters
• Cyclic rate of fire: 450-550 rounds per minute
• Feed system: 25-round detachable box magazine
• Fire modes: Semi (front trigger), Auto (rear trigger)

The Chatellerault FM 24/29 and variants can be seen in the following films, television series, video games, and anime used by the following actors:

FM 24/29

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FM 24/29 - 7.5x54mm

Films

Title	Actor	Character	Note	Date
The Battle of the Rails (La bataille du rail)		French Resistance fighters, German soldiers		1946
Soldiers Were Going (Shli soldaty...)			Mounted on an Imperial German plane	1959
Yesterday's Enemy		Japanese soldiers		1959
Bells Without Joy (Carillons sans joie)	Raymond Pellegrin	Charles Bourgeon		1962
		French soldiers
The Longest Day		German soldier		1962
Weekend at Dunkirk	Georges Géret	Pinot		1964
Is Paris Burning?		French Resistance fighters		1966
Black Sun (Soleil noir)	Daniel Gélin	Guy Rodier		1966
	David O'Brien	Eliott
	Michel de Ré	Hergy
Shock Troops (Un homme de trop)	Claude Brasseur	Groubec		1967
	Gérard Blain	Thomas
	Med Hondo	Florent
	Bruno Cremer	Cazal
Pasha (Le Pacha)		Quinquin's henchman		1968
Don't Take God's Children for Wild Geese		Charles' henchman		1968
R.A.S.		French soldier		1973
The Day of the Jackal		An OAS assassin		1973
The Conspiracy (Le complot)	Simón Andreu	Baudry		1973
	Robert Castel	Saporo
Now Where Did the 7th Company Get To? (Mais où est donc passée la 7ème compagnie?)	Aldo Maccione	Pvt. Tassin		1973
The Seventh Company Has Been Found (On a retrouvé la 7ème compagnie!)	Henri Guybet	Pvt. Tassin		1975
	Pierre Mondy	Sgt. Chaudard
The Seventh Company Outdoors (La 7ème compagnie au clair de lune)	Henri Guybet	Pvt. Tassin	Footage from The Seventh Company Has Been Found	1977
	Pierre Mondy	Sgt. Chaudard
A Captain's Honor (L'Honneur d'un capitaine)		French soldiers		1982
Diên Biên Phú		French paratroopers		1992
Deserter		FLN rebel		2002
The Quiet American		French soldiers		2002
Our Own (Svoi)		Polizei	Converted for 7.62x39, with AKM magazine	2004
Days of Glory		Colonial Tiralleurs		2006
Intimate Enemies	Albert Dupontel	Sgt. Dougnac		2007
Intimate Enemies		French soldiers		2007
Dnieper Line: Love and War		German soldiers	Converted for 7.62x39, with AKM magazine	2009
Djinns (Stranded)	Matthias Van Khache	Pvt. Malovitch		2010
Dunkirk		French soldiers		2017

Video Games

Game Title	Mods	Notations	Release Date
World War II Online: Battleground Europe			2001-2011
Call of Duty 2: Big Red One	"Chatellerault"		2005
Forgotten Hope 2	Infantry and AA mount versions	Added in v2.6 (2022)	2007
7554			2011
Hot Dogs, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades	"Chatellerault"		2016
Post Scriptum		Introduced in Plan Jaune update	2018
Enlisted			2021