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Breda 30 Tools

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Posted 21 April 2013 - 06:21 PM by larrusso
Any one have any links or info on Breda 30 tools etc that went in the grigioverde pouches?

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Posted 23 April 2013 - 03:28 PM by fredleander

Hi, there - I cannot answer your question but I can recommend the seller on this eBay link:

http://www.ebay.com/...3#ht_2042wt_892

I feel quite certain that the manuals on this CD give all pertinent information on accessories, too. What I have received from him has been excellent.

Fred

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Posted 24 April 2013 - 02:40 AM by Jeff Leser
Larrusso

No tools were carried in the Breda 30 pouch. The pouch was used to carry the machine gun's magazine when the weapon was being carried at times combat wasn't expected.

Sources are:

Istruzione provvisoria sul fucile mitragliatore Breda Mod. 30 Roma 1936 - XIV page 23.

Manuale per l'impiego del fucile mitragliatore "Breda" mod. 1930 Milano (no date) page 34.

This picture is of the magazine installed on the weapon and the pouch next to it.

post-4227-0-91072400-1366771189.jpg


The magazine after removal from the weapon and next to the pouch.

post-4227-0-33993700-1366771200.jpg


The magazine inside the pouch.



The magazine mount closed as a dust cover on the weapon.

post-4227-0-68895800-1366771217.jpg


Pictures are of my Breda.

While a 20 round charger can be placed in the pouch, it was not designed as a ammunition pouch. The design of the pouch is quite unique to fit the detached magazine. Of course, fanti being fanti, if you are carrying an empty pouch in combat, you might as well carry something in it. An extra charger of ammunition is nice to have.

Pista!

Jeff
post-4227-0-18244600-1366771209.jpg
 

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Posted 24 April 2013 - 07:17 AM by larrusso
Excellent info Jeff. I am awaiting the import of a Breda 30 into the UK in the next few weeks. I've got the ammo cases carrying strap and borsa Breda 30 carrying valise. I'll post a photo of that as well. I do have a tool roll but I think it's for the 37.

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Posted 24 April 2013 - 01:31 PM by Jeff Leser
Larrusso

Excellent news on the Breda 30. You will find it is an interesting beast. It is about time you guys stopped lugging the Breda 37 around
:rolleyes:
Mine is a deact, but everything works except you can’t put a bolt in the receiver.

Yes the dimple is for the magazine round detent. When you load the magazine with a charger, the detent hold the rounds until the magazine is swung closed to the receiver. As the magazine engages the receiver, the detent is released, allowing the magazine spring to feed the rounds into the feed lips. The detent extents below the bottom of the magazine, so the pouch has a cut-out and dimple to accommodate the detent. The pouch itself has an odd shape, but once you insert the magazine, the odd shapes make instant sense. A lot of work went into that pouch.

The tool roll is for a Breda 37.

Accessories. The Breda 30 had four main accessories issued with it.

Cassetta per caricatori - ammunition case for chargers. Carried 15 chargers. Two types were made; one from leather, the other from aluminum. Case is designed to carry the fanti’s cappotto and gavetta on the outside. I have the leather style.

Cassetta per accessori e parti di ricambio – case for accessoires and replacement parts. This case carried spare parts, cleaning gear, lubricating oil, and the two spare barrels. I am still trying to find one of these.

Guaina per serbatoio – case for the magazine. What we have been discussing above. I have one. Easy to find.

Cuffia di protezione – Protective case. This is a canvas/hemp carrying bag for the Breda. When the weapon is placed in the bag, the magazine is placed in the pouch. The bag has shoulder straps so the weapon can be carried as a pack. I would love to find one.

So which of these do you have?

Pista!

Jeff

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Posted 24 April 2013 - 02:42 PM by larrusso
Jeff I've posted pics on FB. Easier to upload pics from my phone.

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Posted 25 April 2013 - 09:34 PM by Moncello
I wondered if this was leading up to a Seven League stride for Italiano Re-enactment,
:D
Bravo Camerata larrusso, a great day will dawn.

There are Images of Bersaglieri wearing two of them… pouches not Breda 30
;)


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Posted 26 April 2013 - 07:01 AM by larrusso
It's been a long drawn out affair. To get import (UK done) and export licences (Canada imminently). So soon I hope. It'll need to be deactivated. I've been told it will be old spec and stripable.

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Posted 01 May 2013 - 01:44 PM
Just when I thought it was safe to go back into the water…

Yes Moncello, there are pictures of bersaglieri wear multiple Breda pouches. I was looking through a collection of pictures of bersaglieri in Russia searching for something different when I spotted this soldato…

post-4227-0-54172800-1367415695.jpg


One can see three pouches. I assume they hold chargers, not magazines. The use of extra pouches for ammo makes sense for a motorcycle rider given the cassetta used to carry the chargers. The next question is whether there are any pictures of dismounted bersaglieri gunners with multiple pouches. Or was this only a motorcycle thing.

Pista! Jeff

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Posted 02 May 2013 - 05:00 AM by Moncello


Great Image Camerata Jeff Leser, many thanks.

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Posted 10 February 2014 - 04:34 PM by zigomard
Hello, I finally was able to get my hands on a breda 30 deac and I was searching for accesories when i found this:

http://www.kijiji.it...-breda/59192869

Can anyone confirm that it is authentic, please?

Also, I am looking for pouches. After reading the topic i thought there was only one type of those: the magazine holder; then i found this topic on miles

http://miles.forumco...net/?t=49531105

They don't have the little bump for what I assume is the release button of the mag, and I think they match the ones in the picture of the bersaglieri. If they are from ww2 I suppose they were designed for transporting the clips, I don't speak Italian.

Does anyone know where to find those, wether clip or magazine pouches?

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Posted 11 February 2014 - 02:32 PM by Jeff Leser
Zigomard

Congratulations on obtaining a Breda 30!

The bag appears to be a spare barrel bag for the Breda 37 or some other medium/heavy machinegun. I have not read/heard of such a bag for the Breda 30, the barrels being carried on the spare parts cassetta. Of course, as this thread has shown, I don't know everything
;)


Ahh the pouch in the second picture. I took a closer look at the photo of the motorcyclists I posted earlier in this thread. I believe the pouch from the MILES thread is the pouch in the picture. The flap of the pouch is missing the leather 'dimple' for the magazine ammo retainer, so these pouches are not for the magazine itself. If the information in the MILES thread is correct (and no reason to doubt whether it is correct), it appears that the motorcycle unit were issued a Breda 30 charger pouch. As I speculated above, this would allow the motorcyclist to quickly reload the weapon without the help of an assistant gunner.

I feel this pouch was only issued to motorcyclists and no one else. I have looked at many a Breda infantry gunner and have never seen these pouches.

Good find!

PIsta! Jeff

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Posted 12 February 2014 - 08:21 PM by zigomard
Thanks, I have waited a long time to find one.


For the cassetta, does somebody know what a cassette for breda 30 tools look like? I can only find those for breda 37, unless this is the same model? I have pictures a breda gunner and his "loader" (i don't know the correct term) from Italica Virtus with a tool cassetta coming with two barrels attached. Is that a specific model for the lmg or the same as the breda 37?

https://imageshack.com/i/nqokrhj

https://imageshack.com/i/nbkdd0j

Pictures are clearly not mine.

What are the complete equipment of a breda 30 gunner and his loader? I assume the gunner would be carrying ammo with the small cassetta on his back wile his loader would have the tools and spare barrell in a large cassetta on his own while also carrying the same as the gunner but by hands.

Note: The models in the drawing are without spallaci, thus being carried by hands. Normally breda 30 munitions and tools carriers have a padded side to be used as backpack. Then who is carrying their other gear (zaino, coperta, personnal effects) if they have nearly 30 kg of equipment for the lomg?

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Posted 04 March 2014 - 06:59 PM by zigomard
Is that a good one?

http://it.picclick.com/-171252362933.html

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Posted 07 March 2014 - 05:20 AM by larrusso
Free downloadable Breda 30 manual, courtesy of British army review of the weapon. Various poor quality pics. Good dialogue of the operation cleaning and clearing of the weapon.
Mike

http://www.forgotten...30%20manual.pdf

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Lusitani

New Member
I think this might be a good spot to ask for this but do we happen to know if there were any crates made to carry the M30 clips? I have seen multiple ones for the M37 yet I was wondering if we had any pictures of any sort of containers being used to carry those brass clips around in bigger quantities than the pouches.
 

jwsleser

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Staff member
The pouch in the picture above was to carry the magazine when the weapon was being carried in the back pack. It was not the method used to carry the ammunition for the Breda 30.

The Breda 30 had a cassetta per caricatori that held 15 feed clips.
Breda 30 Pack 1-1.jpg


Breda 30 crews didn't carry additional magazines. The one magazine that was issued with the weapon was reloaded using the feed clips.

Breda ammo 1 1.jpg
Breda w ammo 2 1.jpg

There were two types of cassette; the leather one in the pictures here, and an aluminum pack covered in canvas. Both were carried as back packs, with attachment loops and tabs for the soldier to attached his overcoat, mess kit and other items.

Pista! Jeff
 

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Lusitani

New Member
Thank you Jegff! Yup did notice you only had a magazine for most crews. Could that cassetta per caricatori be carried by hand with the help of some strap/sling on the top?
 

jwsleser

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The cassette has a handle on the top that allows a soldier to carry the cassette with their hand.
Breda 30 pack 4.jpg
 
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