From: the novel savage (plarceny@semtex.iterror.org)
Date: Mon Oct 13 2003 - 23:18:59 PDT
Yes, all mini-guns are electrically operated. That is part of the reason
the military liked them so much for mounting on the jolly greens. If a
round doesn't fire, doesn't matter, it just gets dropped out of the chute
with all of the rest of the brass. That way it doesn't jam the weapon.
Last I checked the minigun fired between 2-3000 rounds per minute. Even in
5.56 that's at least 45 lbs for 1 minute worth of firing. Not to mention
the recoil generated, short bursts would be the only way to be manageable.
Look at the MG42 from WWII, 8mm, 1200 RPM. Because the gun fired so fast,
it would heat up and require barrel changes. Additionally, due to the
scarcity of ammunition later in the war, gunners were taught to use tight
controlled bursts.
-PL
On Mon, 13 Oct 2003, Jonathan Boos wrote:
> Correct me if I'm wrong guys, wasn't the mini gun powered by General
> Electric as opposed to a recoil or gas operated unit? I mean really, who is
> going to carry the power supply? While the Predator unit was a hoot to watch
> and they were relatively accurate in thier rate of fire multiplied by the
> time the weapon was engaged = amount of ammo used, equation, they also did a
> good job of hiding the extension cord that made the barrels spin.
> I also seem to recall an article in a shooting magazine written after the
> movie came out and they actually made an attempt at running one from the
> hip. They said that they could not manage it for more than a few rounds at a
> time. I guess Jesse Ventura was not available for the test firing. (Insert
> tongue in cheek here)
> JB
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Edwin M. Dyer, III" <sturmtiger1944@yahoo.com>
> To: "Military Vehicles Mailing List" <mil-veh@mil-veh.org>
> Sent: Monday, October 13, 2003 1:38 PM
> Subject: Re: [MV] Miniguns
>
>
> > There was a "man pack" minigun, the XM214, IIRC. Thing
> > is, a minigun wouldn't be very practical as a squad
> > weapon. As some of you know, grunts hate carrying more
> > weight than they have to. A minigun would consume
> > massive amounts of ammunition and to make it
> > worthwhile, about every squad member would need to be
> > toting ammo to feed the thing, let alone the
> > complaints from the gunner having to carry it.
> >
> > Asides, to make it "portable", the caliber would have
> > to be small. The XM214 was 5.56mm. A .50cal., asides
> > from not being a ravenous consumer of ammo, has a much
> > more powerful round and can even penetrate light skins
> > with the right ammo. Thus, the twin .50s would be much
> > heavier hitting but obviously, not having the volume
> > of fire of a minigun.
> >
> > BTW, there is a guy who makes a .177cal. replica of
> > the minigun from Predator. It costs about $4,000. It
> > comes complete with weapon, feed chute, and the
> > backpack. Also, Long Mountain gun works ( I think that
> > is their name ) sold the blank firing 5.56mm minigun
> > from Terminator 2 for about $200K.
> >
> > - Ed
> >
> >
> > > From: "Paul A. Thomas" <bluewhale@jaxkneppers.com>
> > > > umm... I never hear anything on list about the
> > > weapon the movie makers
> > > have
> > > > loved the past 10 years, the 'man held' mini-gun.
> > > ( see Arnohld movies
> > > > like Predator, T2... or Steven Segal's Under Seige
> > > ) Is the idea
> > > > deterrence or wiping out any opponents? In the
> > > scheme of things I can't
> > > > believe the cost difference between twin 50's and
> > > a mini gun would mean
> > > > anything. Or would the powers that be worry about
> > > the ... cong, Iraqi old
> > > > regime, whomever getting a functional mini-gun to
> > > use on us? I never
> > > > considered that, but it Would be a devastating
> > > weapon to be used on
> > > > us. Perhaps they could fit it with a 'failsafe'
> > > self destruct if we lost
> > > it?
> >
> >
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