The British Army's primary water-cooled heavy machine gun through both World Wars and Korea. An improved and inverted version of the Maxim gun, using a toggle-lock mechanism. At the Battle of the Somme (1916), 10 Vickers guns fired continuously for 12 hours, consuming nearly 1 million rounds and requiring 100 men in relays just to keep them loaded and cooled. Renowned for near-absolute reliability — water cooling allowed indefinite sustained fire. Type: Machine Gun Action: Select-Fire Caliber: .303 British Capacity: 250 Year introduced: 1912, United Kingdom Weight: 256 oz Overall length: 47.5" Status: Discontinued Military use: Yes Intended use: military