ZB vz. 30

• Name — ZB-30 • Origin — Czechoslovakia Romania (license) Yugoslavia (license) • Type — Light machine gun • Is Ranged — yes • Service — 1930–2009 • Used By — See Users • Design Date — 1930 • Manufacturer — Zbrojovka Brno, Cugir Arms Factory, Military Technical Institute Kragujevac • Weight — 9.10 kg • Length — 1180 mm • Cartridge — 7.92×57mm Mauser • Action — Gas-operated, tilting breechblock • Rate — 550-650 rounds/min • Velocity — 750 m/s • Range — 1000 m • Feed — 20-round detachable box magazine • Sights — Front blade, rear leaf sight

The Zb 30 and Zb 30J were the later versions of the famous Czechoslovak machine gun, the ZB-26. However, the ZB-30 had some design differences, making it similar to the later ZGB-33, which was an early prototype of the Bren gun. Like the ZB-26, the Wehrmacht adopted the ZB-30 after the occupation of Czechoslovakia, renaming it the MG 30(t); it was used in the same role as the MG34, as a light machine gun. In the opening phases of World War II, the ZB-30 in 7.92 mm Mauser caliber was used in large numbers by elements of the German Waffen-SS, who did not initially have full access to standard Wehrmacht supply channels. Comparison of original ZB vz.26 and modifications: • Machine gun — ZB vz.26 — ZB vz.30 — ZB vz.30J • Caliber (mm) — 7.92 — 7.92 — 7.92 • Length (mm) — 1165 — 1180 — 1204 • Weight (kg) — 8.84 — 9.10 — 9.58 • Magazine (rounds) — 20 — 20 — 20 • Rate (round/min) — 500 — 550-650 — 500-600 • Velocity (m/s) — 750 — 750 — 750

• Illustration — A license-built Romanian ZB-30 used after the war by the Patriotic Guards. • Illustration — A Chetnik fighter carrying a M37. • Kingdom of Afghanistan: 2,000 in 7.92mm Mauser caliber shipped in 1938 • Algeria: used by the National Liberation Army. • Biafra • Bolivia: 3,350 in 7.65mm Mauser between 1932 and 1937, used in the Chaco War, still in use in the 1960s • Bulgaria: used as aircraft gun on Kaproni Bulgarski KB-11 Fazan • Czechoslovakia • Republic of China Republic of China: Imported and produced under license. • Ecuador 750 7.92mm Mauser in 1935-1936 • Ethiopia: 400-450 in 7.92mm Mauser ZB vz.30 bought in 1934, used by the Kebur Zabagna • Nazi Germany • Guatemala: 50 in 7mm Mauser, delivered in 1937 • Iran: produced under license. Modified to fire the.30 cartridge. • Kingdom of Italy: An unspecified number were captured in Ethiopia and in Yugoslavia. By July 1942, 936 were listed in the Regio Esercito's inventory. Experiments were conducted in converting them to the 8×59mm Rb Breda cartridge. In March 1943, they were issued to territorial units in Lazio, Liguria, and Tuscany. • Empire of Japan: used captured Chinese guns. • Latvia: 11 in 7.92mm Mauser received in 1936 • Manchukuo • Nicaragua: 5 in 7mm Mauser supplied in 1937 • Peru: 1,257 in 7.65mm, delivered from 1932 to 1938 Some converted to 7.62 NATO. • Kingdom of Romania: Produced under license. 17,131 were imported from Czechoslovakia from 1933 and 10,000 were license-produced at Cugir, with a production rate of 250 pieces per month as of October 1942. • Spain: 20,000 7.92mm Mauser caliber guns ordered but only a few hundred actually delivered. Copied as the Fusil ametrallador Oviedo. • Turkey: 9,805 7.92mm Mauser caliber supplied in 1935–1939. Produced under license • Uruguay: 80 in 7mm received in 1937 • Venezuela: 110 in 7mm Mauser caliber ZB-30J received in 1937 • Vietnam: Used by the Việt Minh, supplied by both Nationalist and Communist Chinese • Yugoslavia: The ZB Model 30J was produced under license as, Пушкомитраљез 7.9mm модел 1937". 15,500 were bought in 1936.

• Chaco War • Second Italo-Ethiopian War • Spanish Civil War • World War II • First Indochina War • Algerian War • Biafran war • Yugoslav Wars • War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)