The ultimate black powder weapon

There's a blueprint advertised in, I think, Home Shop Machinist for one of these.
It's smaller and in .22 cal.

Actually, it was very effective when used by those that knew how to use them. Teddy and his rough riders would not have succeeded in their charge. The Gatlings gave them the cover fire needed to make it to the top.

The design is now the main gun on most fighter aircraft, of course with smokeless powder.

no i think the 3 inch ordnance rifle is the ultimate blackpowder weapon.but thats just my opinion.i wouldn't turn down the oportunity to shoot either one.

I'd love a Gatling, just to have one.

Dixie sells them for $50,000. It's transferrable through a regular FFL, just like a .22 rifle. Not bad for a "machine gun". Most belt fed machineguns cost that much to start with. My UPS man would be so upset to haul that to my house.

Gotta have one on my front porch, and another out by the main road...

You kids, get off of my lawn!

wittzo said:

You kids, get off of my lawn!

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And... a sign attached to it that says: "Yes NO SOLICITING means YOU too !" (Idiots)

I'd love to have one in my foyer -- to welcome my daughters' boyfriends!!

I believe they also made 100 Caliber versions, as well as Grenade or Exploding Projectile Launching Models.

I love 'em!

New York State militia in the 1870s-1890s im certain i read had 50-70 caliber gatling guns. Id sure hate to reload all that brass though when the fun was over in oh 3 mins lol

Yeah, there was a 6(?) barreled 1-inch Hotchkiss gun that used the Gatling patent, it was used for harbor defense. This isn't my picture, I found it online a long time ago.



I don't think it was "automatic" like a true Gatling, it used the rotating mechanism so it had 6 shots available for firing salvos.

If anyone's seen Jonah Hex yet, the bad guy has a multi-barreled gun that rotates and fires a half dozen very large (18" across) cannonballs. It's "Weird West" technology though. The balls act like tactical nukes when they're set off by a special glowing ball, but that's the comics for you.

"automatic" like a true Gatling

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??
The Gatling isn't automatic. It requires someone to turn a crank to load and fire each barrel.

That's why I put it in quotes.

Now I'll distract you with a picture of twin mounted Gatling guns on a horse.

Nothing against the gat, but to my mind (short of a Rodman cannon), THIS is the ultimate black powder weapon. Listen to the second half to hear what soldiers would experience on the business end a mile away:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5v7bLf2ipmA&feature=related

It's like the banshees of hell unleashed! Imagine marching towards that fortification, still thousands of yards distant, and getting those things dropped on top of your ranks.

Of course, nobody alive even during the Civil War knew what the great bombards of the 16th century were like. I'm thinking they would also have been very, very memorable:

They used BP in the blasting caps of Fatman and Little Boy, but I don't think they're legal for Primitive Weapon season. It would cook the meat on the hoof, but you would need all the game licenses, plus some permits from the forestry commission.

Hi Cosmoline,


Woah!!! The report from that Big MORTAR round exploding was amazing...wow...'Banshees' indeed.

Mortar fires at 0:20/0:43


I'm gunna go play that a few more times...

The Gatling was designed by a dentist if I recall correctly. Originally a percussion cartridge it made the transition to primer cartridge, smokeless and motor drive. Not bad for a design some felt unusable!