Multiple-barrel firearm

U.S. Special Warfare combatant-craft crewmen use an M134 minigun to lay down suppressing fire during a practice "hot" extraction of forces on a beach.

A multiple barrel firearm is a firearm of any type with more than one barrel, usually to increase the rate of fire/hitting probability and to reduce barrel erosion/overheating.[1]

Definition

A multiple barrel firearm is any firearm with more than one barrel (usually in the same calibre), to increase the rate of fire/hitting probability and to reduce barrel erosion/overheating. Originally a primitive (and with the invention of the Gatling gun, successful) attempt of rapid fire before the introduction of belt-feed/magazines and automatic weapons. Project SALVO concluded that any Multi Barrel Assault Rifle/Machine Gun with a rifle calibre above 5.56×45mm NATO and the possible exception of Pistol/Intermediate rounds (IE: 9×19mm Parabellum, .30 Carbine, 7.62×39mm M43) would be unsuitable for infantry use.

History

Ottoman Empire volley gun with 8 barrels, early 16th century

Multiple barrel firearms date back to the 14th century, when the first volley guns were developed.[2] Originally a primitive attempt of rapid fire before the introduction of belt-feed/magazines and automatic weapons, the application of multiple barrels to modern automatic weapons such as the M134 Minigun have effective performance on the battlefield.

See also

References

  1. Small Arms Illustrated, 2010
  2. "HyperWar: The Machine Gun (Vol. /Part )". Ibiblio.org. Retrieved May 15, 2015.
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