Gatling Gun

Historical Record

Provenance & Service

Patented by Richard Jordan Gatling in 1862, the hand-cranked rotary gun used multiple barrels to share the heat and mechanical load of sustained fire, achieving rates up to 400 rounds per minute. It saw limited Civil War service, was widely exported, and was used at the Battle of San Juan Hill in 1898. The principle returned in the 20th century as the M61 Vulcan and GAU-8.