mrw311 - AnthologyMain MenuIntroductionThe Gatling Gun and Machine GunsRifles and HandgunsIronclad Battleships and Torpedo TechnologyThe Boer WarsStagnation and Fear of DestructionAnxious, Fictional Accounts of the FutureBibliographyMatthew Werkheiserbaf3c422a98f36dbd4c83c180176ff0854fcbc18
"Bulldog" Gatling Gun Firing
12016-11-27T00:17:32-05:00Matthew Werkheiserbaf3c422a98f36dbd4c83c180176ff0854fcbc18666plain2016-12-16T12:57:57-05:00Matthew Werkheiserbaf3c422a98f36dbd4c83c180176ff0854fcbc18A video from the Youtube channel "Forgotten Weapons," depicting the mechanism, assembly, and firing of a Colt reproduction of the 1877 "Bulldog" Gatling gun chambered in .45-70 Government. As Ian explains in the video, most Gatlings had a side mounted crank handle that required a gear reduction to function properly. The "Bulldog" was technologically superior as the rear mounted crank allowed for a natural 1:5 turn/fire ratio and simpler construction. Due to the multiple barrel/bolt construction, the weapon was mechanically simple and sturdy - rather than misfiring or jamming, the hand-crank forces the weapon to eject misfired cartridges. The tripod of the weapon, however, limits the field-of-fire the weapon is able to achieve. On wide open ground such as in Africa and Afghanistan, the weapon was utilized to great effect as a few crews with well placed Gatling guns could defend against hundreds of soldiers on the open field. The amount of ammunition required to sustain continuous operation, however, demanded a change in supply chain management for the British Military as carts that had previously carried powder, ball, and rations to field an army were now being used to feed a few men and a big gun.
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12016-11-26T16:36:27-05:00Matthew Werkheiserbaf3c422a98f36dbd4c83c180176ff0854fcbc18The Gatling Gun and Machine GunsMatthew Werkheiser21plain20292016-12-16T12:55:46-05:00Matthew Werkheiserbaf3c422a98f36dbd4c83c180176ff0854fcbc18