| Caliber | 7.92x57 Mauer and others |
| Weight | 8.2 kg |
| Length | 1190 mm |
| Barrel length | 600 mm |
| Feed | box magazine, 25 rounds |
| Rate of fire | 550 rounds per minute |
The KE-7 light machine gun was the 7th model of the light automatic weapons, developed by designers Pal de Kiraly and Gotthard End (hence the designation, Kiraly-End, 7th model) at famous SIG small arms factory in Neuhausen, Switzerland. Production of the KE-7 light machine gun at Neuhausen commenced circa 1929, with most production guns being delivered to China, in 7.92x57 Mauser caliber. Few KE-7 machine guns were also manufactured in other calibers, mostly for export to Latin America. Production of the KE-7 apparently has ceased before the start of WW2, and it was never used by Swiss armed forces, being a pure commercial / export product of the era.
The SIG KE-7 is a short-recoil operated, air cooled, selective-fire light machine gun. It fires from an open bolt, and the action is locked using a tipping bolt. Barrels are quick-detachable, and the wooden forend is used as a handle to withdraw the hot barrel. A separate (non-reciprocating) charging handle is located at the left side of the receiver; a manual safety is located on the right side of receiver, above the pistol grip. The trigger unit provides single shots and automatic fire, but there is no separate fire mode selector. A short pull on the trigger results in single shots; a longer pull switches the gun to the automatic mode of fire. Feed is from curved box magazines, which hold 25 rounds in two rows. Ejection is to the right, the ejection window being covered by a spring-loaded dust cover which opens automatically when the gun is cocked. Standard accessories include a wooden buttstock and pistol grip, plus a separate forend attached to the barrel. A light folding bipod is attached to the perforated barrel jacket, and an additional rear monopod can be installed under the butt for better stability.
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