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As soon as the proper elevation has been determined, "rapid fire" is opened. In this the guns of a platoon fire alternately. The fire is delivered in series of 100 rounds, and the time during which one of the guns is not firing is utilized by the non-commissioned officer with it to examine and oil the mechanism.

The "fire at will" (continuous fire) of the machine guns corresponds to the magazine fire of the infantry. All the guns fire simultaneously series of 50 to 100 rounds, interrupting the fire for a moment at the end of each series for the purpose of examining and oiling the mechanism; then they resume the fire with a new series of 50 to 100 rounds. On account of the great expenditure of ammunition entailed, and also in order to prevent the premature deterioration of the matériel, fire at will is used in exceptional cases only, for example, when danger is imminent, or when favorable opportunities offer.

"Progressive fire" may be employed against narrow, deep targets, when the range could not be accurately determined. It may also be employed for searching an area 100-200 m. deep.

Austria has begun to organize cavalry and mountain machine gun batteries consisting of four guns each. The machine gun Model 7 (Schwarzlose), with pack animal equipment, has been adopted. The gun horse carries 500, and each of the two ammunition horses, 1500 rounds of ammunition. During mobilization two ammunition horses are to be added for each gun. Mountain machine gun batteries are similarly organized; each ammunition horse carries 2000 rounds of ammunition. On the gun itself, and on the gun frame, 44 belts, each holding 250 rounds, or a total of 11,000 rounds, are carried.

The formations employed by the cavalry machine gun batteries are the order in line (at close intervals), the combat order, and the route column.

The mountain machine gun batteries, carrying guns and ammunition upon pack horses, are equipped with tripod and basket mounts. These machine gun batteries combine the system of mounting and carrying employed by the Swiss cavalry and mountain machine gun companies. Three pack animals are employed to transport each gun with its ammunition. The gun squad consists of three men. Officers and non-commissioned officers are mounted; the other men of the battery are not. Unpacking the guns, posting them, and getting them in readiness for firing, is managed in a similar manner as in the Swiss machine gun companies.

The gun adopted for infantry machine gun batteries is the light and simple Schwarzlose machine gun, Model 7.

Springs  Parts of breech   Screws & Pins   Weights Maxim         14           35                52        27.5 kg. Schwarzlose     1           11                13        17.5 "

Tripod mounts and pack animal transportation are necessary in view