does "minigun" really exist?

[jackallee]

i saw a kind of heavy weapon called "minigun" is many movies and games, but i just wonder if it is really exists, or ever existed. and if the answer is positive, is that a kinda weapon that can be held by a single man?

[jeff]

Jack
It exists in all types of ammunition. 7.62mm, can be mounted on helos and fired by door gunners, awesome firepower. 20mm is for antiaircraft and is called a Vulcan. 30mm is mounted on the A-10 and can open up a tank no problem.
Rates of fire depend but, i think, 3000-6000rounds per minute is about right.
I've never seen a man mounted version, except in movies.
Jeff

[baboon]

The Minigun is a 7.62mm electrically-driven gatling gun- one chamber, six barrels, which rotate over the chamber. This enables the gun to fire at such a high rate without melting the barrel. It is mainly used on helicopters and boats. There are ground mountings for it, but it chews up an incredible amount of ammo and is itself rather heavy, so it is best fired from helos etc. The USAF's original " Spooky " gunships had three Miniguns mounted in the side. A man certainly couldn't fire it hand-held, much less carry enough ammo.

[reconsweden]

What enables the gatling type weapons to reach rate of fire´s like 100rounds/sec is quite simple: One barrel is loaded at the same time as the next barrel is "fired" and the next one is ejecting the spent case. This means that it does all three things at once compared to a "ordinary" weapon.
With every seventh round a tracer it looks like it fires a stream of light, very effective from choppers where a ordinary MG would spread the fire to thin.
I belive that I have seen a version in cal. 5.56 but don´t quote me on that.
BTW: I have carried a FN MAG plus 1500rounds of ammo plenty of times and I wouldn´t want to carry a gatling style weapon, ammo PLUS the battery that powers the barrels...



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Videre Non Videri

[MT]

The 5.56mm version is the XM-214 "Six-Pack" and to the best of my knowledge was produced in very small numbers. There was just not enough weight and size savings to balance the firepower loss from the M134 7.62mm. The weight of a complete Xm-214 with 1000-rounds is 38.6kg, rate of fire fully adjustable from 400-4000rpm.

[PathfinderJr3325]

Yes, there was a 5.56 version, but it wasn't worth it, firepower-wise. Stembridge Gun Works made the minigun mod for Terminator 2,
and I would assume the predator.

[Boatman]

Although I don't know of the weights of a ground-based system, the "minigun" in a podded version for tactical aircraft, with 1500 rounds, weighs 325lbs (SUU-11B/A is the name of the pod). Also, there is a pintle-mounted version, for utility helos, which comes with 4000 rounds, and weighs 535lbs loaded. The M134 itself weighs 56.5lbs with the motor, and that's not counting any tripod or other mounting or ammunition. The Army version has a reduced rate of fire of "only" 4000rpm cyclic, producing 175lbs of recoil force at that speed (the USAF version also has a 6000rpm rate, producing 300lbs of recoil). Not something I'd particularly care to lug around, but I could see it being conceivable to have it mounted on a vehicle (a Hummvee, perhaps, as everyone seems to be fond of finding a way to put everything on them).

Boatman

[Boatman]

Also, just for reference, there is a 12.7mm (.50cal) version of the gatling principle being pursued and produced by General Dynamics called GAU-19. They are looking at using this weapon on sea, air, and land vehicles. I don't have as much info on this weapon as the M134, but it weighs 76lbs, has only 3 barrels (as opposed to the typical 6 barrels of most gatling-type guns), fires at 1000 and 2000rpm cyclic, and has 650lbs of recoil at 2000rpm. Pictures and info can be found at http://www.gdarm.com/GDAS_Products/GAU19A_Pintle/gau-19ap.htm
That's my last 2 cents

Boatman

[apok]

anyone know if Stembridge Gun Works has a website? or where i can find pics of the minigun from predator or Terminator 2. ive seen that pic of the GE silver minigun.

[PathfinderJr3325]

I haven't found a Stembridge website, but they had a double feature in Guns Magazine a while ago.

[josepy]

They make a man portable 7.62 version. I saw in carried by Jesse Ventura on the movie "Predator".

J/K

[k_miller]

Josepy:

Movies are made for entertainment. Yes Jesse Ventura did have one in "Predator", but would not have had it if he was a real operator on a real mission. You could never carry enough ammunition to make it effective due to the high rate of fire. Also, you must also lug around a battery as they are electric.

I will admit that it does look impressive on film, though.

k_miller

[josepy]

Miller

"J/K" means just kidding.

Thanks for the lesson Salt.

[D.E. Watters]

Stembridge Gun Rentals, which provided firearms for film productions from 1916 to 1999, modified at least two real M134 for use in films such as 'Predator' and 'Terminator 2'. The cyclic rate was reduced to 1700rpm in order to reduce torque and to lower the voltage required to power the motor which rotates the barrels.

Stembridge quit the gun rental business due to the oppressive legal climate in California, and their firearms collection was put for sale, including their pair of modified M134. For $125,000, a qualified individual could buy one, including the associated movie props, spare parts, and live barrels. For additional money, Stembridge's Minigun wrangler Dan Sprague would provide instruction on its use and maintenance. However, I believe that both have been sold.

[k_miller]

Josepy:

Thanks for explaining "J/K". I was hoping that you were kidding.

k_miller