the fastest handgun in the world ?

[KYamateur]

I don't doubt a 1911 can be bump fired, but I still refuse to shoot with or around someone who wants to do it with any pistol. I love guns, but I also respect their power.

 

[Jim Watson]

One of the gunzines built a mechanical trigger puller powered by a variable speed motor. They set up various semiautos in it and increased the speed every magazine full until the gun quit searing up. They topped out around 1200 rpm, about like a fast full auto; showing the limits of the machinery.

I think the periodical was Guns and Ammo, they used to do some shooting before degenerating into a collection of press releases. And the Feds were less interested in hassling somebody with a testbed like that even though it has since been decreed equivalent to a full auto.

 

[MachIVshooter]

As you can see, how fast the slide cycles is a purely academic question, because nobody can pull the trigger faster then the slide cycles on any semi-auto pistol design.

^^^^^^

This.

And, there's a reason most full autos have had their cyclic rates governed down. For one, there's not much use in a gun that empties it's magazine in 1-2 seconds. I've played with an early 1,200 RPM Thompson. Fun as it was, the gun was difficult to control, and that 20 round stick was gone in one second flat. Pretty useless in a real firefight, which is why the later Thompsons had rates reduced to ~650 RPM. Secondly, very few platforms can function reliably at very high cyclic rates. When 1911s go FA from worn parts, they are usually halted by a jam. Cartridges and spent cases just can't get where they need to be that fast. That's why truly blistering cyclic rates are usually achieved with multiple barrels and mechanical action. The fastest cycling rate I'm aware of in a small arm is the AN-94, with ~2,000 RPM-but that's only for the first two shots and is due to a really wacky operating mechanism. After that, it slows to 750 RPM.

 

[allaroundhunter]

now that must have been a rush , must have sounded like a those miniguns they mount on the blackhawks I think a saw an uzi in a gunshop a few weeks back maybe I should go pick it up

Miniguns have RPMs in the 3000+ range....no shoulder fired weapon that I know of can get close to that.

 

[barnbwt]

That 1200 rpm limit is likely a function of the magazine. Any faster, the bullet stack can't rise fast enough, the bolt engagement when stripping a round is no longer correct, and it either shoots over the top or jams it down into the mag. You'd need the gun to mechanically feed itself to go much faster, I believe (belt or cam-feed). Anyone know how the magazine in the 3000rpm Phalanx gun works? Belt-fed 1911, anyone?

Also, I'm somewhat alarmed by the number of people who have "unintentionally" created illegal machine guns on here. Yes, it can happen when modifying sears to an unsafe level of engagement, but if you are intentionally modifying a trigger to be that sensitive, you are intentionally manufacturing a weapon that may fire multiple rounds with one pull of the trigger. Most certainly if you decide to live with "occasional malfunction" as seems to have been described by a couple folks here. It's definitely not something to take lightly or post online

I dunno, maybe you're all SOTs (but I doubt it).

TCB

 

[two gun charlie]

what is SOT ?

 

[Dr.Rob]

Back to the original question:

It is really TOUGH to see a Luger's action work even with a standard 24 frames per second film camera... sometimes even they miss it.

Nothing to do with WHO is firing it, just the speed of the action.

Unless a Luger is malfunctioning, you often can't SEE the action work it's so fast.

 

[1911Tuner]

Unless a Luger is malfunctioning, you often can't SEE the action work it's so fast.

Low reciprocating mass+stiff return spring will do it every time.

 

[tarosean]

what is SOT ?

Special Occupational Tax (ATF Stamp required to build machine guns)

 

[MachIVshooter]

Anyone know how the magazine in the 3000rpm Phalanx gun works?

The feed mechanism in the GAU series guns, from 7.62mm M134 to 30mm Vulcan, are all basically the same. Belt fed & electrically driven, they can feed, delink, chamber, fire & extract at a rate of 1,000+ RPM per barrel.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXvZaEqi80o

If memory serves, only the M134 (GAU2) series are conventional percussion primed; all the bigger boys are electrically primed.

 

[barnbwt]

I have heard the Luger has an unusually fast cycle speed somewhere before (Tales of the Gun, maybe ). Were those stocked versions ever made into automatic machine pistols? That'd be your answer (I couldn't find any info offhand-- I guess not many people want to run their 5000$, 80 year old piece on full auto )

Here's a cool video of the F/A Beretta 92, Glock 17, VZ61 (Skorpion), and Steyr TMP. The Steyr looks the fastest to me, and certainly seems to jump around less, being larger than the others
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Arp6JvzmFTU
Favorite quote; "It's over so quickly" when the guy empties the Skorpion (20rnd magazine)

TCB