Germany's primary heavy machine gun of WWI — the weapon that defined industrial-age slaughter. A water-cooled, belt-fed Maxim derivative mounted on a distinctive "sled" tripod. At the Somme on July 1, 1916, German MG 08 crews cut down 57,470 British soldiers in a single day — the worst day in British military history. The lock-delay mechanism and water cooling allowed sustained fire for hours. Type: Machine Gun Action: Select-Fire Caliber: 8x57mm IS Capacity: 250 Year introduced: 1908, Germany Weight: 256 oz Overall length: 47.5" Status: Discontinued Military use: Yes Intended use: military