The Gatling Gun was one of the precursors to the modern machine gun, and the first support weapon to possess a mechanical cycle of function; while previous rapid-fire guns had required multiple barrels to fire multiple shots, Dr. Richard Jordan Gatling's gun instead used a mechanism resembling a rack of bolt-action rifles with their bolts interfacing with cams to operate them as the barrel group was rotated by a hand crank, using a single common feed source. The gun was initially used with paper cartridges in metal chamber sleeves, but switched to brass metallic cartridges with their invention. Many models of Gatling were produced in various calibres, usually with six barrels but some with up to ten., such as the model featured in this page. Despite self-contained brass cartridges replacing the paper cartridge in the 1860s, it wasn't until the Model 1881 that Gatling switched to the 'Bruce'-style feed system (U.S. Patents 247,158 and 343,532) that accepted two rows of .45-70 cartridges. While one row was being fed into the gun, the other could be reloaded, thus allowing sustained fire. The final gun required four operators. By 1886, the gun was capable of firing more than 400 rounds per minute. This model has the "Accles drum" of the rotary type with steel slides and brass housing and brass handle on top. Drum accommodates 104 rounds of ammunition. The iconic Models 1883 have been used in several famous Hollywood films , such as "Gunga Din", "Vera Cruz", "Guns of the Magnificent Seven" and "The Real Glory".
