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Gatling guns

Scope note

Machine guns first developed by Dr. Richard J. Gatling in 1861, featuring a cluster of revolving barrels equally spaced around a central shaft, a magazine to feed them, and an action by which the cartridges were chambered and fired. Early models were powered by a hand crank, later ones by electricity or gas, attaining a firing rate of up to 3000 rounds per minute.

Term type

AAT

Getty AAT term number

300036951

Broader Terms used

machine guns

Equivalent Terms used

Gatling gun

Created

13yrs ago

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