Welcome to the WWII Forums! Log in or Sign up to interact with the community.

The first machine gun (?)

Discussion in 'Military History' started by KodiakBeer, Nov 8, 2019.

  1. KodiakBeer

    KodiakBeer Member

    Joined:
    Nov 20, 2012
    Messages:
    6,329
    Likes Received:
    1,712
    Location:
    The Arid Zone
    This is a fascinating bit of war technology. The Chambers Flintlock Machine Gun fired 224 rounds in about two minutes (when it worked). As you watch the video you can see a number of reasons why it would fail, probably just through the fouling of incredibly dirty black powder. This was actually used by the US Navy in the War of 1812 and must have been terrifying for any British sailor on deck when these opened up from the crosstrees of an American vessel.

     
    von Poop likes this.
  2. gtblackwell

    gtblackwell Member Emeritus

    Joined:
    Jul 4, 2006
    Messages:
    2,271
    Likes Received:
    678
    Location:
    Auburn, Alabama, US
    I never cease to be amazed at how warfare stimulates ingenuity. I agree, Keith, truly fascinating.out of the box thinking. Am I crazy but did not the Russians develop, or tried too, an assault rifle that released two projectiles in one rotation of the slide mechanism? Two things cannot occupy the same space so slow-witted southern me could not recall how it was supposed to work.
     
    Last edited: Nov 8, 2019
  3. George Patton

    George Patton Canadian Refugee

    Joined:
    Aug 22, 2010
    Messages:
    3,223
    Likes Received:
    1,171
    Location:
    Ontario, Canada
    That is the AN-94. I do not understand the thought process that went into the design, but the final result is an incredible piece of machinery. Here's a video of it in action:

     
    CAC likes this.
  4. GRW

    GRW Pillboxologist WW2|ORG Editor

    Joined:
    Oct 26, 2003
    Messages:
    20,815
    Likes Received:
    3,042
    Location:
    Stirling, Scotland
    This often gets credited as the first machine gun, though it was never used in action-
    Puckle gun - Wikipedia
     
  5. KodiakBeer

    KodiakBeer Member

    Joined:
    Nov 20, 2012
    Messages:
    6,329
    Likes Received:
    1,712
    Location:
    The Arid Zone
    Puckle wrote that the round balls were for Christians and that he would produce a gun with square balls for Mohammedans. That was what passed in the 18th century as a joke, and a real knee-slapper back then. Nobody in the 20/21st century gets that, so every time the Puckle gun is written about they invariably bring up the square "balls" for Turks as a real thing.

    .
     
    GRW likes this.
  6. gtblackwell

    gtblackwell Member Emeritus

    Joined:
    Jul 4, 2006
    Messages:
    2,271
    Likes Received:
    678
    Location:
    Auburn, Alabama, US
    Keith, sorry about getting off-topic but your post is dredging up some interesting examples of firearm design. The first thing that came to mind was the gun Alan identified as the AN-94. If Alan had trouble with the thought behind it made me feel better about my knowledge base :) :) ! Great video on the 94.
    I hope some more interesting "auto" weapon pop up. Square balls do have some humor in it!!
     
  7. KodiakBeer

    KodiakBeer Member

    Joined:
    Nov 20, 2012
    Messages:
    6,329
    Likes Received:
    1,712
    Location:
    The Arid Zone
    No apology necessary. I put a (?) after the title because I too question the "firsts" of any invention. There are arms like the "Nock" gun that also chain-fired multiple rounds, and of course the Puckle gun. Even something like a swivel gun firing a hat-full of balls was probably just as effective, and far more reliable and faster to reload than this Chambers gun. I wonder if that Russian AN-94 is faster than the three shot burst mechanism in the M4? Has anyone here shot that version of the M4 - will the three (or even the first two) shots group as well as that AN-94?

    .
     

Share This Page