Blowback Operated Minigun

I heard there is a minigun that is self powered. It is basically a GPMG that changes its barrels for each shot. Like most miniguns have six bolts this one has one. It works like this There is a rotating grooved drum underneath the bolt component so every time the round is fired As the bolt goes back it changes to the next barrel.

It is not as fast as the real miniguns but it is slightly faster than the German MG42/MG3. Also i heard it could replace GPMG s in the future becouse you dont have to change the barrels regularly and it reduces barrel erosion but the barrels are concealed in a jacket to prevent debris jamming the rotating barrels so it would look like some old maxim/vickers machine gun. It can be mounted on tripods or maybe man portable. It is held like a GPMG/Rifle not like a chainsaw like you see in the movies.

Does anyone else know about this firearm?

I dont know if this gun really exists but it would be great if it does.

[edit on 4-5-2006 by Browno]

i am highly suspicious :

a - the power transmitted by a blowback action would be hard pressed to even rotate a 6 barrel assembly - that would approach 7~8 kg

b - 6 barrels / one bolt would be a head space nightmare

c - further to point a - to acieve a >1200 rof the RPM [ REVS / MIN ] rotation of the barrels assy would have to be >220rpm

d - modern chrome lined GPMG barrels are very long lived

e - WHY ???????????

F- weight / portability / ammo consumption

so in short i am unconvinced - post specs and a picture from a credible source and i shal eat humble pie

Originally posted by ignorant_aped - modern chrome lined GPMG barrels are very long lived

Not on sustained full auto they aren't and I think that was his main point with the barrel swopping comment.

Sounds big and heavy to me, soldiers don't like squad weapons to be big and heavy. But without a link we're just peeing into the wind here.

Originally posted by Winchester Ranger T

Originally posted by ignorant_aped - modern chrome lined GPMG barrels are very long lived

Not on sustained full auto they aren't and I think that was his main point with the barrel swopping comment.

Sounds big and heavy to me, soldiers don't like squad weapons to be big and heavy. But without a link we're just peeing into the wind here.

Im still trying to find this weapon but i did see it ages ago, it has about 8 barrels but they are closer knit together to reduce bulkiness so there are no gaps between the barrels. I would assume it as an automatic gatling gun, it actually looks a bit like an 1883 model with the concealed barrels but smaller. Ive also just clicked on the was one with spade grips for choppers/vehicles and also may use 5.56mm/7.62 NATO rounds.

There are weapons with the similar type of operation:

Webely Fosbery Automatic Revolver
MATEBA Automatic Revolver
Pancor Jackhammer Shotgun

Maybe it has a gas blowback system on every base of the barrel and it uses electricity to spin it, I don't see it being rotated by gas operated action.

Could it be metal storm maybe?

And who , pray tell, is supposed to fire this?? There is a reason they don`t use a minigun in the squad support role - recoil.

Its not like in `predator` or ` terminator 2` , the recoil from even the 5.56mm is massive

It was tried once with an SF unit - all the minigun is useful for is scaring the targets into hitting the dirt as accuracy is non existant - and the weight is enormous

If you fire at a reasonable rate of fire, you might be able to manage, but the weight might be the real problem.

it would indeed be a good GPMG for tanks, vehicles and such, kinda like a M2.

Energy needed to rotate the barrels aside, the main advantage of an electric-driven minigun is the fact that when firing that an electric-driven gun is not going to break down if a round doesn't load perfectly or if there is a miss or hang fire. Also the barrel is able to build up centrifugal force when it just keeps rotating through and if it was blowback operated it would still start and stop.

Originally posted by Harlequin
And who , pray tell, is supposed to fire this?? There is a reason they don`t use a minigun in the squad support role - recoil.

Its not like in `predator` or ` terminator 2` , the recoil from even the 5.56mm is massive

It was tried once with an SF unit - all the minigun is useful for is scaring the targets into hitting the dirt as accuracy is non existant - and the weight is enormous

I read about the hand held minigun test by commandos, it was probably during the late 1970s, Miniguns like that in real life could also throw you up in the sky!, the recoil of it would be like a bolt action rifle firing at 6,000+RPM!!!!!!!!!!!!. I also remember when i was in the Merseyside ACF Para Cadets on annual camp in 2000, i was on the range shooting L98 rifles.
Becouse the L98 is the manually operated cadet version of the British Armys SA80, I fired the rifle , it dug my shoulder in and the handle bachsight nearly dug my eye out!, i was also complaining to the seargeants about it but they just told me to keep shooting the thing.
But if it was the SA80 or a self loading rifle, it would have been more stable.

The bolt on the minigun locks when the round is fired,like the bolt action rifle does. Blowback/Recoil/gas or self loading weapons, the bolt blows back as the round is fired so with this self powered minigun the recoil should not be so bad although the barrel may climb , also this weapon fires slightly faster than the Rheinmetall Borsig MG42/MG3 but not as fast as the proper miniguns. you never know, this weapon system could just be experimenting that miniguns could be self loading.

I also think it should replace the miniguns now becouse it is still fast firing but not too fast and does not need bulky stuff like the battery pack used to power the thing. it would also save more ammunition too.

I thought newer guns the weight is not an issue due to extensive use of Composites?

Imagine if you sat in a shopping trolly with a minigun mounted on it, You fire it and off you pop! , Minigun Powered Go Kart!, It looks like some JACKASS kind of thing!.

Yeah no shhh-stuff :p

I always imagined what a GAU-8 avenger would do on a vehicle, I was always a little bit unset they never made one, but even a tank will probably be lifted off the ground when that beast fires

well the `goalkeeper` CIWS uses the same gun and doesn`t lift of the ground


www.absoluteastronomy.com...

goal keeper is bolted down , unlike vulcan - which can be bolted almost anywhere - the goal keeper needs space below deck too



we had a discusion on the merits of GAU-8 on a tank chassis last year - and consensus was against the idea

old_thread

Originally posted by Jeremiah_John
Energy needed to rotate the barrels aside, the main advantage of an electric-driven minigun is the fact that when firing that an electric-driven gun is not going to break down if a round doesn't load perfectly or if there is a miss or hang fire. Also the barrel is able to build up centrifugal force when it just keeps rotating through and if it was blowback operated it would still start and stop.

If anyone in the US owns a hand cranked gatling gun , take the hand crank off it and replace it with an electric drill. You will then have a homemade minigun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.

Also i heard the russians have a 4 barrel minigun that IS SELF POWERED designated GShG-7.62mm, possibly gas operated. Just if they could make a 5.45mm version that could be hand held and uses pistol grips and stocks from the AK series rifle. If this weapon would be too fast firing, the soldier would be ordered just to fire bursts due to the high recoil of it.

www.montysminiguns.com...
www.geocities.com...
www.legionofvalormuseum.org...

[edit on 4-11-2005 by Browno]

Ha .... man portable minigun ?...... yeah OK. The gunner would have to be as big as a WWF wrestler to carry the gun and his ammo. Dream on!!!

Try carrying a GPMG and 1000 rnds of link on a patrol and you'll understand my doubt at a "Man portable" mini gun.

Thanks for the laugh ......

Originally posted by The_Camel
Ha .... man portable minigun ?...... yeah OK. The gunner would have to be as big as a WWF wrestler to carry the gun and his ammo. Dream on!!!

Try carrying a GPMG and 1000 rnds of link on a patrol and you'll understand my doubt at a "Man portable" mini gun.

Thanks for the laugh ......

Wouldnt the Miniguns mounted on aircraft slow the plane down when it would be fired?????.

Also some Choppers in the vietnam/gulf war carried Miniguns mounted on the doors, When The Minigun was fired , It must have moved the chopper sideways due to the recoil!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.

a helicopter can handle far greater loads than a person can (funny that) so a 7.62mm minigun would barely notice being fired from a helicopter

Originally posted by The_Camel
Ha .... man portable minigun ?...... yeah OK. The gunner would have to be as big as a WWF wrestler to carry the gun and his ammo. Dream on!!!

Try carrying a GPMG and 1000 rnds of link on a patrol and you'll understand my doubt at a "Man portable" mini gun.

Thanks for the laugh ......

Arent those russian sf units supposed to be big bulldog men anyway, they even butt up bottles and jars to broken glass with thier fods(foreheads)! Those guys do some really sicko stuff!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.

Originally posted by Harlequin
a helicopter can handle far greater loads than a person can (funny that) so a 7.62mm minigun would barely notice being fired from a helicopter

A-10 pilots report that their 30mm gun recoil causes noticeable effect on the aircraft. But yeah, a helicopter's mass plus the gyroscopic affect of the lift blades would easily negate a minigun's recoil.