The first fully automatic machine gun is actually credited to an American named Hiram Maxim. But unlike modern machine guns, it isn't fully automatic: You have to keep cranking if you want to keep shooting. The Gatling gun is often considered a machine gun because it shoots a large number of bullets in a short amount of time. The Gatling gun played an important role in several 19th century battles, but it wasn't until the early 20th century that the machine gun really established itself as a weapon to be reckoned with. When each barrel revolves around to the bottom of the cylinder, the spent cartridge shell falls out of an ejection port. The pin hits the cartridge, firing the bullet down the barrel. Just after a new cartridge is loaded into the breech, the firing-pin cam slides out of the groove and the spring propels it forward. As each barrel revolves around the cylinder, the groove pulls the pin backward, pushing in on a tight spring. ![]() Now let's take a look at how gun manufacturers addressed the disadvantages of using revolvers.Įach firing pin has a small cam head that catches hold of a slanted groove in the gun's body. You also have to eject the empty shells from the cylinders manually. But you're still fairly limited: You have to pull the trigger for every shot, and you need to reload after six shots (although some modern revolvers can hold 10 rounds of ammunition). You can load six shots at a time and you only have to pull the trigger to fire. Obviously, this sort of gun is easier to use than a flintlock or a percussion cap weapon. The case temporarily seals the breech, so all the expanding gas pushes forward rather than backward. When the propellant explodes, the cartridge case expands. This gives the bullet better stability as it flies through the air and increases its accuracy.
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