Umair Gaines
The M134 Minigun is an American 7.62×51mm NATO six-barrel rotary machine gun with a high rate of fire of 2,000 to 6,000 rounds per minute. The Mini in the name is in comparison to larger-caliber designs that use a rotary barrel design. The Minigun is used by several branches of the U.S. military and is usually mounted on a vehicle or fixed structure. The rotating barrels on nearly all modern Gatling-type guns are powered by an external force, such as an electric motor, which makes the barrel spin. The multi-barrel design allows for a higher rate of fire as it overcomes the limiting factor of the loading and extraction sequence.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | M134 Minigun |
| Caliber | 7.62×51mm NATO |
| Rate of Fire | 2,000 to 6,000 rounds per minute |
| Ammunition Capacity | 2,000 rounds |
| Power Source | External power source, usually an electric motor |
| Weight | N/A |
| Use | Mounted on helicopters, gunships, and fixed structures |
| Barrel Assembly | Gatling-style rotating barrel assembly |
| Advantages | High rate of fire, improved reliability, and accuracy |
| Disadvantages | Not man-portable |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
The M134 Minigun's electric feeder
The M134 Minigun is an electrically powered rotary gun with six barrels. The "Mini" in the name is in reference to larger-calibre designs that use a rotary barrel design, such as General Electric's earlier 20mm M61 Vulcan. The M134 is a derivative of the M61 Vulcan, which was scaled down to fire the 7.62mm NATO rifle cartridge. The M134 Minigun was developed by General Electric and is used by several branches of the US military.
The M134 Minigun's multi-barrel design helps prevent overheating and allows for a high firing rate, with the serial process of firing, extraction, and loading taking place in all barrels simultaneously. The M134 has a rate of fire of 2,000 to 6,000 rounds per minute, with most applications set at rates between 3,000 and 4,000 rounds per minute. The original feeder unit was designated MAU-56/A, but this has since been replaced by an improved MAU-201/A unit. The M134 has no internal belt feeder but usually feeds from standard machine gun belts, so the links must be separated outside of the gun. The older MAU-56 feeder/delinker was known for being temperamental and was later replaced by the MAU-201/A.
Tennessee's Electric Chair: Is It Still in Use?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Rotary-barrel design
The rotary-barrel design of the M134 Minigun is an externally powered, six-barrel rotary machine gun with a high rate of fire (2,000 to 6,000 rounds per minute). The "Mini" in the name refers to the weapon's smaller calibre design compared to larger-calibre designs that use a rotary barrel design, such as General Electric's earlier 20 mm M61 Vulcan. The Minigun's rate of fire is achieved through its Gatling-style rotating barrel assembly, which is powered by an external force, typically an electric motor.
The rotary-barrel design allows for the simultaneous loading, firing, and ejection functions in different barrels as the assembly rotates. This rotation also permits the barrels to cool, preventing overheating. The multi-barrel design enables loading and extraction to occur simultaneously in different barrels, overcoming the limitations of the loading and extraction sequence in single-barrel designs. This results in a significantly higher rate of fire compared to conventional single-barrel weapons. For example, a five-barrel rotary gun firing 1,000 rounds per minute only fires 200 rounds per barrel per minute, which is a sustainable rate of fire that does not lead to overheating.
The ancestor of the modern minigun was the hand-cranked mechanical Gatling gun, invented in the 1860s by Richard Jordan Gatling. Gatling later replaced the hand-cranked mechanism with an electric motor, increasing the rate of fire to 3,000 rounds per minute. Further improvements led to the development of the M1893 Gatling gun, which could fire up to 900 rounds per minute. However, the Gatling gun's weight and cumbersome artillery carriage made it challenging to keep up with infantry forces, and it was eventually superseded by lighter and more mobile machine guns.
In the 1940s, the concept of a multi-barrel rotary weapon was reintroduced by the U.S. Army Ordnance Research and Development Service, who recognised the limitations of single-barrelled automatic weapons. General Electric was contracted to produce functional prototypes, leading to the development of the M134 Minigun. This weapon was designed to address the challenges of single-barrelled weapons and provide a higher rate of fire without overheating.
Defeating Deadlifts: Strategies to Overcome Electric Ball Challenges
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The XM214 Microgun's power module
The XM214 Microgun, also known as the "Six-Pak", is a man-portable weapon system developed by General Electric. The complete Six-Pak system weighed 85 pounds (38.5 kg) with 1,000 rounds of ammunition, and the basic gun weighed 27 pounds (12.2 kg). The power module contained a 24-volt nickel-cadmium battery, a 0.8 horsepower (0.60 kW) motor, and solid-state electronic controls.
The XM214 Microgun is an externally operated weapon that uses an electrical motor drive to operate its action. The standard electric motor has a power output of roughly 0.6 kW at 4,000 rounds per minute. The gun operates on the Gatling principle, employing a rotary cluster of six barrels, each with its own bolt group. The bolts are moved back and forth behind each barrel as their operating roller passes an internal curved track machined inside the receiver cover. The topmost barrel in the cluster has its bolt fully open, while the bottom barrel has its bolt closed, locked, and firing pin released to fire the loaded cartridge. Barrel locking is achieved through the rotary bolt head.
The XM214's power module could be provided by a built-in battery pack or from the aircraft itself. The battery's charge would be depleted after 3,000 rounds unless plugged into a vehicle's power supply. The system could be broken down quickly into two portable loads of roughly 42 pounds (19 kg) each through a quick-release fitting at the end of the belt chute. The electronic controls contained a burst limiter and enabled the automatic clearing of the gun after bursts. The rate of fire could be adjusted from 400 rpm to 4,000 rpm, with later editions claiming a theoretical cyclic rate of up to 6,000 rpm.
Building Electric Circuits: A Step-by-Step Guide
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The XM214's linkless feeding system
The XM214 Microgun is an American prototype 5.56 mm rotary-barrelled machine gun. It was designed and built by General Electric as a scaled-down, smaller and lighter version of the M134 Minigun. The XM214 was initially developed for aircraft applications, but was later developed into a man-portable weapon system, known as the GE Six-Pak. The Six-Pak system consists of the XM214, the power module, and the ammunition module, which includes two 500-round, factory-packed, and disposable cassettes mounted to a holding rack.
The XM214s linkless feeding system is a key feature of this weapon. In the past, the most satisfactory means of storing cartridges for automatic guns and conveying them to the guns was through belts formed by cartridge-carrying links. However, with the increasing rate of fire of automatic guns, there were resulting increases in acceleration and deceleration in the supply systems. The linkless feeding system was designed to address this issue.
The linkless feeding system in the XM214 uses a helical drum to store and feed ammunition. The unit had an ammunition capacity of 1,500 to 3,500 rounds and a loaded weight of 186 to 300 pounds (84 to 136 kg). The linkless feeding system allowed for a high rate of fire, with a nominal rate of 6,000 rpm, and adjustments to 1,000 or 10,000 rpm if desired.
The linkless feeding system also contributed to the weapon's reliability. Because each round is handled individually and precisely controlled throughout the system, gun jams are far less likely to occur. The high reliability of linear linkless technology results in lower maintenance costs when compared to conventional link-fed ammunition feed systems.
Electricity's Role in Heart Revival: Defibrillator's Shocking Truth
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The XM214's 5.56 mm ammunition
The XM214 Microgun is an American prototype 5.56 mm rotary-barrelled machine gun. It was designed and built by General Electric as a scaled-down, smaller and lighter version of the M134 Minigun, weighing 85 pounds (38.5 kg) with 1,000 rounds of ammunition. The XM214 fires M193 5.56x45mm ammunition, which was also used in the M16 rifle. This was a major selling point for the Microgun, as it meant that the US Army and US Air Force could use standard rifle ammunition.
The 5.56x45mm ammunition used in the XM214 has a Remington-designed bullet and uses IMR4475 powder, resulting in a muzzle velocity of 3,250 ft/s (991 m/s) and a chamber pressure of 52,000 psi. The 5.56mm round is relatively small and lightweight, allowing soldiers to carry more ammunition for the same weight compared to larger and heavier cartridges. The 5.56mm cartridge also has favourable "battle zero" characteristics and produces relatively low bolt thrust and free recoil impulse, making it suitable for lightweight arms and automatic fire.
The 5.56x45mm cartridge was adopted as a standard in 1980 by NATO members, who selected it as a second, smaller-caliber cartridge to replace the 7.62x51mm cartridge. The 5.56x45mm NATO cartridge has a service pressure of 537.3 MPa (77,929 psi) and a rifling twist rate of 178 mm (1:7). The SS109/M855 NATO ball variant of the 5.56x45mm cartridge can penetrate up to 3 mm of steel at 600 meters, while the M995 armour-piercing cartridge can penetrate up to 12 mm of RHA steel at 100 meters.
The XM214 Microgun's use of 5.56mm ammunition was also its downfall, as it suffered from accuracy issues at high speeds and had limited range compared to the 7.62 mm Minigun.
Effective Ways to Descale Your Electric Kettle at Home
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
An electric minigun loads rounds with the help of an external power source, such as an electric motor, which drives the mechanism that spins the barrels. The loading, firing, and ejection functions are performed simultaneously in different barrels as the whole assembly rotates, allowing for a high rate of fire.
The rate of fire for an electric minigun can vary depending on the model and configuration, but they typically have a high rate of fire ranging from 2,000 to 6,000 rounds per minute. Some models, like the XM214 Microgun, have been tested at even higher rates, reaching up to 12,000 rpm.
The multi-barrel design of electric miniguns allows for a much higher rate of fire compared to single-barrel weapons. For example, a five-barrel rotary gun firing 1,000 rounds per minute only fires 200 rounds per barrel per minute, which is a sustainable rate that avoids overheating issues seen in single-barrel designs.
