Speaking of Gatling Guns

[Jeff Higgins]

I thought they deserved their own thread. Here is the newly manufactured Colt reproduction of the "Bulldog" version from 1877. They are now out of production, but I do remember seeing these still available on the Colt website as little as a year or two ago.

I've not fired one myself but, as I mentioned on the "Fun With an FAL" thread, we used to have a local who would haul his out to our long range black powder cartridge rifle matches. He would let anyone shoot it who had appropriate black powder .45-70 loads he was willing to burn up, so I did have the privilege of standing right beside one of these as it gobbled up black powder loads. Pretty impressive - it would make your whole body shake.

[petrolhead611]

Especially if it was firing at you.

[Bill Douglas]

Cool thing about a gatling gun is it's not auto or even semi auto. Makes the legal aspects of it a lot less complicated.

[varmint]

So, how much?

[Reiver]

Very cool...I load my own 45-70 rounds and shoot smokeless in a Sharps with an appropriate load...I suspect this MG would be able to take the same loads.

As with any MG...or semi auto used for fun it does get spendy…. I burn up ammo with my SVT40 so often enjoy my Sharps or bolt actions.

[Jim Bremner]

I saw w thread once where a machinist made a 12 GA. Version!

[Bill Douglas]

Originally Posted by Jim Bremner

I saw w thread once where a machinist made a 12 GA. Version!

LOL, that would be dangerous.

[Jeff Higgins]

Originally Posted by varmint

So, how much?

Brand new from Colt I remember they were about $25k. They go for about double that on the auction sites today.

[gwood]

Originally Posted by Bill Douglas

Cool thing about a gatling gun is it's not auto or even semi auto. Makes the legal aspects of it a lot less complicated.

Not if you mount an electrical motor on the crank.

[Jim Bremner]

Originally Posted by gwood

Not if you mount an electrical motor on the crank.

GE™ likes the way that you think! https://youtu.be/ddIIeoQ4K9M

[911 Rod]

Very cool

[Bill Douglas]

Originally Posted by gwood

Not if you mount an electrical motor on the crank.

Haha, NOW you're talking.

[group911@aol.co]

I was inspecting a private museum in Denver about 40 years ago and the old guy had the 2nd Gatling gun ever made sitting in there. Said he took it and the cannon out once a year and fired them.
85 YO guy at the time.

[group911@aol.co]

Originally Posted by group911@aol.co

I was inspecting a private museum in Denver about 40 years ago and the old guy had the 2nd Gatling gun ever made sitting in there. Said he took it and the cannon out once a year and fired them.
85 YO guy at the time.

My mistake. Turns out he had the first Gatling gun ever made.
"In addition to his many other interests, John Metzger was also fond of firearms. He carefully acquired a collection of historical weapons, many of them with ornate tooling and inlaid materials. His gun collection was displayed together with the Trianon art in the museum in Denver. It included a Serial #1 Gatling gun and a ten-pound mountain Howitzer. Metzger became a licensed dealer so he could trade in guns that could only be held by collectors. Some of these had to be disposed of to other collectors after his death. He befriended a young man who was also seriously involved in collecting, who he engaged to make bullets for the antique guns. The Metzger family has film footage of the Gatling gun being used on the farm, where they would shoot at hay bales stacked one-half mile away. Every Independence Day, the family and their guests were allowed to take turns operating the antique hand-cranked machine gun."

https://www.historycolorado.org/sites/default/files/media/document/2017/5AM2830.pdf

[nvr2mny]

Growing up my dads boss was a serious cannon collector. The type of family friend whom I’d call Uncle as a kid. When I was @ 8 or so he gave me a “parade” cannon that shot 12ga blanks. The spring was spent so it sat as a very cool (supercool) toy to a kid. Fast forward about 15yrs and I had the spring heated up and got the thing working, MUCH to the dismay of the neighbors at 2am. Here I am at 58 and I still got it, sitting in my office with @ 4 other “working” cannons. We built a house @ 18years ago and I told the architect I wanted our living room big enough for an 1800’s 6lb cannon as used in the civil war. She thought I was kidding.....my wife just shook her head and said, no, he’s not.... Never did aquire the cannon BUT I did get a Gatling gun. There was a gent making them on the east coast off the original plans. I had ours modified with rifled barrels. Shoots 50cal. Still have it and have yet to shoot it as I don’t want to mess with cleaning it. It too, sits in my office and gets many comments. I’ll post a pic when I can.

[sc_rufctr]

Great video. At the time this gun must have seemed magical! I really like the "Forgotten Weapons" YouTube channel...
But I'd bet their income has been severally affected by YouTube's obscure demonetisation rules.

Originally Posted by Jim Bremner

GE™ likes the way that you think! https://youtu.be/ddIIeoQ4K9M

"If you want to shoot out of a helicopter"... This is why I love the USA! Were else in the world can you do that?

[nvr2mny]

Here’s the one in my office....

[sc_rufctr]

Wow "nvr2mny"... I'd bet that's a lot of fun on the range.

It looks like the same one used in "The Magnificent Seven" (2016).