Dreyse MG 13
- Category
- Machine Gun
- Barrel
- 718 mm
- Weight, empty
- 13.30 kg
- Introduced
- 1930
About
What it is, and why it matters
The Dreyse MG 13 was a German light machine gun created in the early 1930s by converting the WWI-era water-cooled Dreyse Model 1918 into a lighter air-cooled, magazine-fed weapon. Developed by Louis Stange at Rheinmetall's former Dreyse plant in Sommerda, it was a recoil-operated, select-fire design fed from a 25-round box or a distinctive 75-round saddle drum. It served as the Reichswehr's interim squad automatic until replaced by the MG 34, then saw second-line and early-war frontline use.
The MG 13 was the German Army's clandestine stopgap during the Versailles years, built by quietly recycling old Dreyse heavy-gun receivers into a modern-looking magazine LMG, complete with an unusual twin-drum "saddle" magazine that perched over the breech.
The MG 13's two-stage trigger gave semi-auto fire with a light pull and full-auto with a harder pull. Surplus guns were sold to Portugal as the m/938. Muzzle energy is approximate, derived from the quoted 890 m/s velocity with a standard 12.8 g sS bullet.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Rheinmetall AG
- Category
- Machine Gun
- Country
- Germany
- Status
- Out of production
- Produced
- 1930 to 1934
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 718 mm
- Overall length
- 1443 mm
- Weight, empty
- 13.30 kg
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Short recoil
- Firing mechanism
- Hammer fired
- Trigger
- Two stage
- Capacity
- 25
- Magazine
- Detachable box
MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.
- Frame
- Steel
- Barrel
- Steel
- Stock
- Wood
- Finish
- Blued
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Muzzle velocity
- 890 m/s
- Muzzle energy
- 5070 J
- Effective range
- 800 m
- Maximum range
- 2000 m
- Rate of fire
- 600 rpm
Trajectory
What the round does downrange
Solved from the muzzle figures and the bullet. The dashed rule is the effective range on the record, and the crosses are the steps the solver returned.
No load solved for this record yetThe flight path is computed from a cartridge and a bullet. This record has no ammunition filed against its chambering, so there is nothing to solve.
Features
What it has
What the record lists as fitted, drawn from the catalogue.
Air cooled
Folding bipod
Quick change barrel
Two stage trigger select fire
Side mounted magazine
Standing
How it compares
Each figure against the firearms of the same type and cartridge that record it, or of the same type where that cartridge has too few. Positions are read to the nearest tenth.
| Measurement | This firearm | Median | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Empty weightAmong 26 7.92x57mm Mauser machine guns | 13.30 kg | 11.60 kg | Heavier than about 70% |
| Overall lengthAmong 26 7.92x57mm Mauser machine guns | 1443 mm | 1175 mm | Longer than about 90% |
| Barrel lengthAmong 26 7.92x57mm Mauser machine guns | 718 mm | 677 mm | Longer than about 70% |
| Magazine capacityAmong 25 7.92x57mm Mauser machine guns | 25 | 50 | Holds fewer rounds than about 70% |
Answers
Questions about the Dreyse MG 13
How much does the Dreyse MG 13 weigh?
The Dreyse MG 13 weighs 13.30 kg (29.32 lb) empty.
What caliber is the Dreyse MG 13?
The Dreyse MG 13 is chambered in 7.92x57mm Mauser.
How many rounds does the Dreyse MG 13 hold?
The Dreyse MG 13 holds 25 rounds, fed from a detachable box magazine.
How long is the Dreyse MG 13?
The Dreyse MG 13 is 1443 mm (56.8 in) long overall, with a 718 mm (28.3 in) barrel.
Who makes the Dreyse MG 13?
The Dreyse MG 13 is made by Rheinmetall AG (Germany). It was designed by Louis Stange.
When was the Dreyse MG 13 introduced?
The Dreyse MG 13 was introduced in 1930 and discontinued in 1934.
How does the Dreyse MG 13 operate?
The Dreyse MG 13 uses a short recoil action, and its firing mechanism is hammer fired.
Compatibility
Which parts fit this firearm
Studio
Every part that mounts on this, resolved
Not a list the maker typed out: the answer comes from the mounts this firearm exposes and the interface each part needs, so it stays right when either one changes.
- Every part that mounts on any firearm in the catalogue
- Interface standards, platforms and fit overrides
- The same answers through the API and the MCP server
Requires a signed-in GunSpec account on the Studio plan. The answer is computed per part, so it is not part of the public record.
Provenance
What the record holds
Every figure above was taken from one of these pages. The confidence reflects how much of the record came from a page a claim can be checked against.
In service
- Reichswehr
- 1930
- Wehrmacht
- 1935
- Portuguese Army
- 1938
Provenance
Confidence in this record
74%
Stockists
Where to buy
Offers link straight to the shop. GunSpec never takes the order.
No shop has listed this firearm yet
Stock and prices come from the shops themselves. If you sell this firearm, you can list it and it appears here.
List a firearmMCP
Ask an assistant about it
The same record, reached the way a person asks for it rather than the way a program does.
Ask GunSpec
Works with
Point an MCP client at GunSpec and it answers from the catalogue rather than from memory. A free key covers the read tools.
API
The call that returns this record
The same fields, in the same units, from the same endpoint the page reads.
curl --request GET \ --url 'https://api.gunspec.io/v1/firearms/dreyse-mg13' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "dreyse-mg13", "name": "Dreyse MG 13", "manufacturer": { "id": "rheinmetall", "name": "Rheinmetall AG", "countryCode": "DE", "foundedYear": 1889, "website": "https://www.rheinmetall.com", "logoUrl": null, "description": null, "status": null, "defunctYear": null, "stateOwned": null, "makesFirearms": null, "parentId": null, "predecessorId": null, "createdAt": "2026-02-11 23:44:38", "updatedAt": "2026-02-18 03:43:49", "version": "701a641626090806677db45286b2453c083ea19a69b3788759e4c38b905e45a5" }, "category": { "id": "machine-gun", "name": "Machine Gun", "description": "Fully automatic firearms for sustained fire" }, "country_of_origin": "DE", "year_introduced": 1930, "barrel_length_mm": 718, "weight_empty_g": 13300, "action_type": "short_recoil"}