HOW MACHINE GUNS WORK

PROJECTILE WEAPONS CHANGED

WARFARE

STANDOFF DISTANCE, MASSED FIRE. WARFARE

GREW IN STRATEGIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL

COMPLEXITY

5000 BC: LONGBOW500 BC:

CROSSBOW

1300: MUSKET 1500: RIFLE

SLOW RELOAD TIME OFFSET BY

MASSED VOLLEYS

1851 MITRAILLEUSE:

MECHANICALLY MASSED VOLLEYS

1861 GATLING GUN

FASTER RATE OF FIRE, RELOADING

NOT STRICTLY "MACHINE GUNS"

OPERATOR PROVIDES

MECHANICAL ENERGY

1884 MAXIM:

FIRST SELF-POWERED GUN

OPERATION CYCLE

1 Operator pulls back bolt, “priming”

mechanism.

2 Operator pulls trigger, sends bolt forward,

loading round and locking chamber.

3 Firing pin ignites primer in cartridge.

4 Chamber unlocks, bolt moves rearward,

ejecting spent round.

"MINIGUN:" ELECTRIC MOTOR

POWERS OPERATING CYCLE

THIRD

PRINCIPLE:

MECHANICAL

OPERATION