The most powerful machine guns in the world. The fastest machine guns in the world The fastest weapons in the world

A weapon that spits metal.

Back in the late 1990s, the Australian company Metal Storm invented a shooting system with a combat rate of over a million rounds per minute. This mind-boggling figure was achieved on a 36-barrel test rig. Naturally, a million bullets were not fired, yet the rate of fire record was recorded after 540 shots.

A million RPM (rounds per minute - shots per minute) is an indescribable figure for an ordinary small arms gun, if only because of the time it takes to reload. Even drum-type aircraft guns do not give a similar rate of fire.

No classic charging mechanisms can work at such a speed, because special ammunition is used in the Metal Storm system. They are a barrel in which bullets are laid one after another, broken by a flammable accelerating mixture (smokeless powder is usually used in small arms as such). Bullets used are not simple, of a special design: when a bullet appears in front of the bullet highest pressure(from the previous shot), it expands and covers the barrel. With the help of electric ignition, bullets are fired one after another, which allows you to achieve breathtaking speed of fire. The electric ignition method makes it possible to achieve impeccable accuracy in the delay between shots. Moreover, you can smoothly adjust the rate of fire of the gun depending on the tasks, simply by setting the appropriate program for the electric ignition controller! The difficulties that arise with a similar approach are numerous, but successfully solved by the developers of the gun. For example, the further the bullet in the barrel, the longer it accelerates (with a similar amount of acceleration consistency) and the greater its speed at the muzzle, which affects the accuracy of shooting. Therefore, the amount of consistency can be different, depending on the tasks and the shooting distance. This problem is solved simply - the ammunition is made non-separable and fully loaded into the barrel. Currently, the US Navy is interested in the system. Not so long ago, the developers showed a layout that shoots from a self-propelled bot. You can read more about this rapid-fire system on the developer's website.

Tunguska M1

In a fraction of seconds, the Tunguska's rapid-fire cannon practically cuts the target in half.

The name of the famous river was dubbed a self-propelled air defense gun, which entered the USSR troops in 1988. It is equipped with eight 9M311M surface-to-air missile launchers, as well as a 30 mm double-barreled anti-aircraft gun. The rate of fire of guns equipped with a cooling system is 5000 rounds per minute, the range for air and ground targets is 4 km. The gun is equipped with a radar installation, an optical sight, a digital computer and navigation equipment. The radar detects targets at a distance of 18 km and "leads" them from a distance of 10-12 km. The gun moves on caterpillars, its total weight is 34 tons, the gearbox is hydromechanical. Batteries "Tungusok" contain up to 6 installations, usually they are followed by a transport-charging vehicle. Installations are used to combat low-flying aircraft and helicopters, but are also applicable to firing at ground targets.

Heckler & Koch G11

While the first bullet fired from the new German machine gun flies to the target, two more pieces manage to fly out of the barrel.

The HK G11 assault rifle is one of the most advanced small arms to date. Its development started in the late 1960s. With the collapse of the USSR and the unification of Germany, work on the G11 stalled, but as intra-European conflicts escalated into full-scale wars, many European countries thought about creating a new machine gun. So the G11 got its second birth.

The Heckler & Koch G11 solves virtually all the problems of modern small arms. The G11's rate of fire (when firing three shots) is 2100 rounds per minute - more than even the Micro UZI (which fires at approximately 1800 rounds per minute).

Such a rate of fire was achieved thanks to the use of a caseless cartridge, unique mechanics and the principle of "accumulation of momentum": when firing bursts of three shots, the barrel, breech and magazine roll back, extinguishing recoil, only after the third shot (a similar system is used in the Russian AN-94 " Abakan). This allows you to achieve very high accuracy when firing bursts. Along the way, the 2nd problem also ventured - now the fighter is obliged to carry for himself not only bullets, but also shells, which are dead weight. The rejection of cartridge cases made it possible to reduce the weight and volume of ammunition, in other words, to increase the payload of a fighter. The G11 magazine holds 50 4.73mm bullets. Bullets of this caliber fly faster than bullets of 7.62 and 5.45 calibers, which increases their penetrating power. Additionally, you can fix 2 horns on top, bringing the number of bullets to 150. For aiming, a composition of optics and a laser marker is used. But with all the G11's own advantages, different reasons not yet put into service, but is in the experimental operation of the German army.

7.62 mm PK light machine gun
with a machine gun box with a capacity of 200 rounds.
Rate of fire - 650 rds / min;
- 250 rds / min

The rate of fire is one of the most important characteristics of the combat properties of weapons, directly related to the reality of firing.

The rate of fire is determined by the number of shots fired from a given type of weapon per unit of time (usually per minute). The rate of fire, or theoretical rate of fire, and the practical, or combat, rate of fire and mode of fire are used as characteristics of the rate of fire of a weapon.

The theoretical rate of fire - the rate of fire - is a characteristic of the weapon itself, its suitability for rapid loading for a subsequent shot.

The practical rate of fire is a characteristic of the entire “ammunition-weapon” complex, since it takes into account the time for aiming, changing empty magazines with loaded ones, etc.

The desire to increase the rate of fire is associated with the need to hit a target, often returning fire from a weapon that does not provide 100% hit in a single shot (launch), in the shortest possible time. In addition, the target may be within the reach of one or another weapon for an extremely limited time. So, for example, modern air combat on a collision course can last a fraction of a second. The more shells fired during this time, the higher the probability of hitting the enemy.

rate of fire

The rate of fire is a characteristic of the rate of fire of an automatic weapon. It is determined by the number of shots that can be fired from an automatic weapon with continuous automatic fire. The rate of fire is completely determined by the time between two consecutive shots in the queue, called the cycle time of the automation.

Thus, the rate of fire characterizes the highest rate of fire of a weapon, which is ensured by its technical capabilities, mainly by the design and operating conditions of the automation system. It does not take into account the breaks in firing between separate bursts that are necessary in real conditions to transfer fire from one target to another; for loading weapons when changing magazine or tape; for aiming, etc.

Selecting the rate of fire for various kinds automatic weapons are produced based on their tactical purpose, as well as on the conditions for ensuring the reliable operation of weapon automation.

The optimal rate is the rate at which both the highest actuality of firing at typical targets for a given weapon and the reliable operation of the weapon's automation are ensured. When determining the optimal rate from the point of view of the actual shooting, one should take into account the effect of the rate on the probability of hitting moving targets, the effect of the rate on the value of the combat rate of fire and dispersion of bullets, as well as ensuring the required burst length when firing.

It is known that when shooting at moving targets, the probability of being hit increases with an increase in the rate of fire. In view of this, in the designs of automatic weapons designed to fire at fast-moving targets, they strive to increase the rate as much as possible.

APS 9mm automatic pistol.
Rate of fire - 600 rds / min;
practical rate of fire

When shooting at moving live targets (such as a running gunner), which have a relatively low movement speed, the effect of the rate with the existing shooting errors is small.

An increase in the rate of fire leads to a slight increase in the combat rate of fire, however, due to the smallness of the cycle time compared to the time intervals spent when firing in real conditions, its change does not have a very large effect on the combat rate of fire. More significant is the influence of the rate on the dispersion of bullets during firing, which depends on the characteristics of the device of the weapon and its stability during firing. This influence is usually the greater, the less stable the position of the weapon during firing. Therefore, for models of manual automatic weapons that have relatively poor stability when firing, changing the rate can be useful to reduce dispersion.

The value of the rate of fire should also provide the ability for a given weapon to fire with the most advantageous burst length. In this regard, an increase in the rate of fire, for example, over 700 - 800 rounds per minute, makes it difficult to fire in short bursts, which are usually set for manual automatic weapons. On the other hand, with a decrease in the rate of fire, the maximum burst length that can be fired in a short period of time decreases, corresponding to the time the target appears on the battlefield, as well as the time allotted for firing, taking into account enemy return fire. This circumstance is important for such types of weapons as, for example, easel machine guns, where the probability of hitting a target increases significantly with an increase in the length of the burst, which is why an increase in the length of the burst is often used to increase the reliability of destruction.

Reducing the maximum burst length that can be produced in a limited time has a particularly noticeable effect on reducing the probability of hitting when firing at group targets by the method of uniform dispersion of bullets along the front.

Most modern models of small arms automatic weapons have a rate of fire of the order of 500 - 700 rounds per minute, which is considered acceptable from the point of view of the combat use of these weapons. However, these rate limits were largely due to the requirement to ensure the reliability of the operation of automation mechanisms.

At a lower rate of fire, the speed and kinetic energy of the moving parts of the automation are insufficient to ensure the failure-free operation of the automation, especially when favorable conditions operation (dusting, grease, dry parts, etc.).

The use of a higher rate worsens the reliability of the weapon, significantly reduces the survivability of its parts. The most favorable rate of fire, from the point of view of ensuring the reliability of the weapon, sometimes does not correspond to the desired rate under the conditions of combat use. To obtain the optimal rate, which ensures the maximum reality of shooting, in some models of automatic weapons, special deceleration and acceleration mechanisms are used.

Practical rate of fire

The practical rate of fire is understood as the rate of fire that can be achieved when firing from a given type of weapon while maintaining its inherent accuracy and taking into account the type of fire and the time spent on aiming, loading the weapon and transferring fire from one target to another.

The practical rate of fire is the main characteristic of the rate of fire of both automatic and non-automatic weapons. It has a direct impact on the reality of shooting, determining the number of targets fired per unit of time. Of particular importance is the practical rate of fire when firing during the most critical and intense periods of combat, for example, during attacks and counterattacks. Increasing the practical (combat) rate of fire is the main means of ensuring a high density of fire on the battlefield, determined by the number of bullets per linear meter of the front.

The practical rate of fire depends on the following technical (design) characteristics of the weapon: aiming time; weapon loading time; magazine or tape capacity; the cycle time of the automation, the degree of training of the shooter and the shooting conditions.

The aiming time (in seconds) depends on the properties of the weapon that ensure the speed and convenience of working with the sight, guidance mechanisms and trigger mechanism, as well as on the shooter's training and external conditions (the nature of the target, its visibility, etc.). In the general case, the value of the aiming time is determined by the time of setting the sight, the time of aiming the weapon, taking into account the transfer of fire from one target to another, and the time of impact on the trigger when opening fire.

9-mm pistol "Parabellum" R.17 (artillery model)
with a 32-round Leer magazine.
Practical rate of fire - 64 rds / min

The aiming time can vary over a wide range even for weapons of similar design. So, for example, for hand weapons, it can be from 1.5 to 3 seconds, for heavy machine guns from 5 to 10 seconds - when performing only horizontal aiming, when the targets are at the same line, and up to 20 - 30 seconds - when performing horizontal and vertical guidance.

The loading time of the weapon (in seconds) depends on the properties of the weapon, which determine the speed of loading the weapon when changing the magazine or belt (in automatic weapons), or filling the magazine with cartridges and reloading (in non-automatic weapons), as well as on the training of the shooter and his position during shooting. Approximate loading times for magazine-fed weapons are 3 - 5 seconds; with tape feed 5 - 8 sec.

The capacity of the magazine or tape is a constant value for each specific type of weapon. With an increase in power capacity, the loading time per shot is reduced, which contributes to an increase in the practical rate of fire.

The value of the power capacity for various types of weapons is set based on their combat purpose.

The cycle time of the automation, as already mentioned, is directly related to the rate of fire, which is a well-defined value for each specific type of weapon.

The burst length can vary over a very wide range, ranging from two to three shots to a number of shots equal to the weapon's power capacity. The choice of one or another queue length depends on the type of weapon and the nature of the combat mission it performs.

Specific burst lengths for different types of weapons are chosen depending on the nature of the target; its size; visibility and range; as well as from the design of weapons; its stability when shooting; power capacity and allowable fire mode. With an increase in the firing range, a decrease in the visibility and size of the target, the length of the burst is usually increased to increase the reliability of hitting the target.

Thus, among the considered main factors that determine the value of the practical rate of fire, only the cycle time and power capacity have a constant value for a given type of weapon. Other factors may acquire various meanings, causing a different value of the practical rate of fire that the weapon will have under certain firing conditions. Among them, the burst length has the most significant effect on the value of the practical rate of fire.

Changing the rate of fire in the range from 300 to 1000 rounds per minute has little effect on the value of the practical rate of fire, especially with increased aiming time and loading time.

The increase in power capacity is much more effective tool increasing the practical rate of fire, including with large values aiming time and loading time.

The considered cases do not cover the whole variety of factors influencing the magnitude of the practical rate of fire. The latter, for example, can noticeably decrease due to delays in firing caused by insufficient reliability of the weapon's mechanisms, as well as due to interruptions in firing necessary to change the barrel (in weapons with an interchangeable barrel).

In the Manuals on Shooting (NSD) and the Service Manuals, specific values \u200b\u200bof the practical rate of fire, sometimes referred to as the combat rate of fire, are usually given. At the same time, it must be borne in mind that the practical rate of fire indicated in the Instructions and Manuals of the service is established on the basis of experimental firing under the most favorable conditions corresponding to the minimum values of aiming time and loading time. Therefore, it should be considered as the limiting value of the combat rate of fire, which in reality will be lower than the noted values due to the influence of the combat situation, the permissible fire regime and other reasons that cannot be taken into account.

fire mode

The mode of fire is understood as the rate of fire of a weapon obtained when performing a given fire mission, based on the established type of fire (single, short or long bursts, continuous) and the firing time. For each type of weapon, there is a limiting mode of fire, determined by the technical capabilities of the weapon, related to ensuring the failure-free operation of its mechanisms, maintaining the strength and survivability of parts, and safe handling when firing.

11.43 mm Thompson submachine gun M.1928A1.
Rate of fire - 600 - 725 rds / min;
practical rate of fire
- single fire - 40 rds / min,
- automatic - 90 rds / min

Prolonged firing at a high rate of fire can lead to excessive heating of the barrel, which sharply reduces its survivability, worsens the accuracy of shooting and there is a danger of self-ignition of the live charge of the cartridge in the chamber. The latter circumstance reduces the safety of handling weapons, in this case an accidental shot can occur when the bore is not closed (for example, when eliminating delays in firing when the moving parts of the automation are on the sear).

In view of this, it is necessary to pay special attention to the timely cooling of the barrel during firing, especially in automatic weapons capable of continuous fire for a long time and fire in long bursts (single, heavy and heavy machine guns). In these weapons, in order to ensure a high rate of fire, which is required in certain periods of combat, the barrels are usually made more massive, which protects them from excessively rapid heating. In addition, this weapon is equipped with spare barrels, which allow you to quickly replace the heated barrel during firing.

To obtain the required mode of fire, along with barrel cooling, it is necessary to periodically clean and lubricate the parts of small arms in order to eliminate delays in the operation of its mechanisms and ensure the necessary survivability.

Thus, the limiting mode of fire limits the increase in the rate of fire in excess of a certain rate, at which a violation of the normal operation of the weapon is possible.

Since for each specific type of small arms, the burst length has the main influence on the rate of fire, the latter should be set taking into account not only ensuring the maximum actuality of firing, but also maintaining a normal fire mode. The specific values of such a burst length, as a rule, are indicated in the Manuals on Shooting and Service Manuals, which also provide the norms for the maximum number of shots before cooling or replacing a heated barrel.

Sergei Monetchikov
Photo by Vladimir Nikolaychuk
and from the author's archive
Brother 10-2008

Articles » Workshop
Mercenary 8804 0

Rapid-fire weapon with a rotating block of barrels - an indispensable element of fantastic action films and computer games. Movies often feature pumped-up Rambos with a six-barreled machine gun, pouring lead on the villains. Thanks to Hollywood, these "lawn mowers" are firmly entrenched in the glory of a superweapon. At the same time, cannons and machine guns, working according to the scheme of the American inventor Richard Gatling, have long been in service with a number of countries. The destructive power of "multi-barrels" is really amazing. RIA Novosti publishes a selection of the most formidable weapons with a rotating block of barrels.

Most famous

The American rapid-fire M134 Minigun is perhaps the most famous Gatling gun in existence. Fighters about the brave US Marines or footage of military chronicles from the Middle East rarely do without this six-barreled colossus of 7.62 mm caliber. Since the 1960s, American gunsmiths have managed to introduce it wherever possible. M134s are installed in the hatches of army Hummers, on guard towers, patrol boats, helicopters, armored personnel carriers, and fortifications. Still six thousand rounds a minute - a serious argument in any critical situation.

Contrary to stereotypes in weapons, Gatling schemes do not fire all barrels at the same time. In the M134, the cartridge is sent to the lower, cooled barrel, the shot is fired from above, the cartridge case is ejected to the right. Thus, the barrels shoot in turn, have time to reload and cool down while the remaining five "work". Such a scheme eliminates the main obstacle to ultra-high rate of fire - weapon overheating. Most other machine guns with a rotating block of barrels work in a similar way.

The "big brother" of the M134 is the 20mm M61 Vulcan six-barreled aircraft gun. For almost 60 years, it has been put on American combat aircraft, attack helicopters and land chassis. This system is capable of effectively hitting both air and ground targets. But, like the M134, today it is considered obsolete.

The fastest

Russian installations AK-630M-2 "Duet" are a modern modification of the Soviet six-barreled ship systems AK-630. The new system differs from its predecessor primarily in the presence of two guns and a complex electronic “stuffing”, which makes it possible to largely automate the process of targeting and tracking targets. One "Duet" is capable of unleashing a record ten thousand 30-mm shells per minute on the enemy. This is more than enough to destroy any air target at a distance of up to four kilometers and at altitudes up to five kilometers. - be it a supersonic aircraft, a drone or a cruise missile. And at close range, naval "six-gunners" are capable of severely damaging or even destroying a small warship. Complexes of the AK-630 family are the last and strongest line of defense of the naval squadron.

To date, AK-630M-2 are installed in the stern of five small missile ships of the Buyan-M project, as well as on a large landing ship"Ivan Gren", which is to join the Northern Fleet in November this year. In addition, the Ministry of Defense plans to re-equip a number of other ships carrying older AK-630s with Duets.

The most armor-piercing

The pinnacle of the development of weapons with a rotating block of barrels, perhaps, can be called the American aircraft gun GAU-8 Avenger - the main armament of the A-10 Thunderbolt II attack aircraft. The mass of the entire cannon installation with a cartridge supply system and a full drum of 30 mm shells - almost two tons, and the A-10 refueled and prepared for takeoff weighs ten tons. The plane is actually built around this three-meter seven-barreled monster. Actually, it is the gun that is the only reason why Thunderbolt II attack aircraft remain in the ranks of the US Air Force. - in terms of their flight performance and on-board equipment, they are significantly inferior to machines of the same class in other countries.

GAU-8 per minute fires up to 4200 armor-piercing sub-caliber shells with a depleted uranium core at a target. Due to the colossal recoil and the danger of propellant gases entering the air intakes, pilots usually fire short bursts of two to three seconds. This is enough to completely cover a column of a dozen heavy combat vehicles. The A-10 was conceived as an anti-tank aircraft, the specifics of its combat use provides for attacking a target along the upper hemisphere, which is least protected by armor. In Afghanistan and Iraq, attack aircraft armed with GAU-8 showed good results. However, in a war with an enemy with advanced air defense, the chances of these subsonic aircraft to survive are rapidly decreasing.

The heaviest

The four-barreled YakB aircraft machine gun of 12.7 mm caliber was created in the late 70s specifically for the latest Mi-24 attack helicopters at that time. The baptism of fire of large-caliber Soviet "gatlings" took place in Afghanistan. Army aviation pilots immediately fell in love with the new machine guns for their exceptionally high density of fire and nicknamed the YakB-12.7 "metal cutter". This weapon justified its nickname more than once: in August 1982, near Kandahar, one helicopter "cut" in half a bus that was at the head of a caravan of dushmans with a burst of machine guns. The Afghan fighters were also lucky that the Mi-24 hit across the column, and not along - with a maximum rate of fire of 5500 rounds per minute, it could riddle the entire caravan in one go.

It is this machine gun that holds a unique and still unbeaten record. On October 27, 1982, during an air battle, an Iraqi Mi-24 was able to shoot down an Iranian F-4 Phantom II fighter from a YakB-12.7. This is the only documented case in the history of world aviation when a helicopter was able to destroy a supersonic jet aircraft using an airborne machine gun. In many ways, this was achieved thanks to the excellent accuracy of weapons. However, the YakB-12.7 had some reliability problems. The experience of Afghanistan has shown that the machine gun is rather capricious and prone to contamination. This shortcoming was eliminated in the YaBKYu-12.7 modification, which was put into service in 1988.

Most Common Rifle: M16

Country: USA
Designed: 1959
Weight: 2.88-3.4 kg (depending on modification)
Length: 986-1006mm
Caliber: 5.56mm
Rate of fire: 700-900 rds / min
muzzle velocity: 948 m/s

The rifle was developed by the American company Armalite, in 1959 Colt began its production, in 1961 the US military department purchased an experimental batch of rifles, and in 1964 it entered service with the US Army. Until today, the M16 remains the main armament of the American infantry. The first serious baptism of fire it took place in Vietnam, and later it was used in all armed conflicts involving the United States. This is a 5.56mm automatic rifle; its automation is based on the use of the energy of powder gases. To date, there are more than 20 modifications and varieties of rifles, and it is produced not only in the USA, but also in Canada, South Korea, China, Iran, Germany.

The most famous machine gun: the Maxim machine gun

Country: Great Britain (modification - Russia)
Designed: 1883 (modification - 1910)
Weight: 64.3 kg (44.23 - machine with shield)
Length: 1067 mm
Caliber: 7.62mm
Rate of fire: 600 rds / min
Muzzle velocity: 740 m/s

It is difficult to say that the Maxim is included in the list of the best small arms over the past 100 years, because the Anglo-American inventor Hiram Maxim received the first patents for individual elements of the new weapon in the summer of 1883, and in October 1884 demonstrated the first working model. But one of the most famous varieties of "Maxim" appeared in 1910, which allows him to "fit" into the century.

The principle of operation of "Maxim" is simple and based on the use of barrel recoil. The powder gases from the shot throw the barrel back and actuate the reloading mechanism: the cartridge is removed from the tape and goes into the breech, the bolt is cocked at the same time. 450 rounds of ammunition were placed in a canvas belt, and the machine gun's rate of fire reached 600 rounds per minute. True, powerful weapons were not perfect. Firstly, the barrel was very overheated and required a constant change of water in the cooling casing. Another drawback was the complexity of the mechanism: the machine gun jammed due to various problems with reloading.

In Russia, the production of a machine gun began in 1904 at the Tula plant. The most famous Russian modification of "Maxim" was a 7.62-mm easel machine gun of the 1910 model of the year (the initial caliber of the machine gun was .303 British or 7.69 mm in the metric system). In the same year, the designer, Colonel Alexander Sokolov, designed a wheeled machine gun machine - it was this machine that gave the weapon a classic look. The machine greatly facilitated the issues of the march and the movement of a heavy machine gun from position to position.

But the total weight of the machine gun with the machine was still large - more than 60 kg, and this is not counting the supply of cartridges, water for cooling, etc. Therefore, by the 1930s, formidable weapons began to rapidly become obsolete. The last modernization of the Soviet-style machine gun survived in 1941 and was produced in Tula and Izhevsk until the very end of World War II; it was replaced by a 7.62 mm Goryunov machine gun.
"Maxim" had many modifications: Finnish M / 32-33, English "Vickers", German MG-08, 12.7-mm (large-caliber) for the British Navy, etc.

The most legendary weapon of the Second World War: 7.62 mm Shpagin submachine gun

Country: USSR
Designed: 1941
Curb weight: 5.3 kg with drum
magazine, 4.15 kg with sector magazine
Length: 863 mm
Caliber: 7.62mm
Rate of fire: 900 rds / min
Sighting range: 200–300 m

The predecessor of the Kalashnikov assault rifle in service with the Soviet army was the Shpagin submachine gun (PPSh). Created to replace the Degtyarev submachine gun, the PPSh was primarily designed to simplify production as much as possible and entered service in 1941. And although the Sudayev design of the 1942 model of the year (PPS) is often considered as the best submachine gun of the Second World War, it was the PPSh that became an integral part of the image Soviet soldier as the only mass-produced automatic weapon Soviet army the first year of the war.

Fastest fire weapon: Metal Storm MK5

Country: Australia
Designed: 2004
Number of barrels: 36
Caliber: 9mm
Estimated rate of fire: 1,080,000 rds / min
Theoretical maximum rate of fire: 1,620,000 rds/min

The super-rapid weapon of the Australian company Metal Storm Limited is unlikely to ever enter mass production, but it is impossible not to mention it. The founder of the company, James Michael O'Dwyer, invented and patented a high-speed fire system, the theoretical rate of fire of which reaches 1,000,000 rds / min. The Metal Storm machine gun has no moving mechanical parts, each of the barrels contains several rounds at the same time, and the shots are fired by means of an electronic impulse. The critical problem faced by the developers was the impossibility of supplying so many rounds in a timely manner. Therefore, the rate of fire shown in the tests is calculated, and the functionality of the "iron storm" is reduced to nothing when used in real combat operations. However, the company is developing in various directions and uses Metal Storm technologies in weapons that have a more realistic chance of getting into the series.

Most Popular Pistol: Colt M1911

Country: USA
Designed: 1911
Weight: 1.075 kg
Length: 216 mm
Caliber: 45th
Muzzle velocity: 253 m/s
Sighting range: 50 m

One of the most popular pistols in the world is the M1911 designed by John Browning chambered for .45 ACP (11.43 x 23 mm). This weapon was in service with the US Army from 1911 to 1990, and since 1926 the pistol has not been subjected to any upgrades. Despite the name of the developer, the pistol was produced by Colt factories and entered exactly as the Colt M1911. Its main advantage was its structural simplicity and fault tolerance. The gun was in service in more than 40 countries around the world and is very popular to this day.

Most Repeating Gas Pistol: Reck Miami 92 F

Country: Germany
Weight empty: 1.14 kg
Length: 215 mm
Caliber: 8, 9, 15mm
Food: magazine for 11 (for the 9-mm version), 18, 20, 24, 28 rounds

RECK Miami 92F is a gas pistol manufactured by the German company Umarex, which is an exact copy of the classic Beretta 92 pistol. RECK gas pistols are available in 8 and 9 mm calibers. The 9mm version has a quite normal magazine with a capacity of 11 rounds, but the 8mm RECK Miami magazines can hold from 18 to 28 (!) rounds depending on the modification. Except for prototypes, curiosities and a 40-round magazine for the Mauser, the RECK Miami 92F has no competitors in the field of repeatability.

Fastest fired mass-produced weapon: M134 Minigun

Country: USA
Designed: 1962
Weight: 24–30 kg (machine gun body with electric motor and power mechanism)
Length: 801 mm
Caliber: 7.62 mm (0.308)
Rate of fire: from 300 to 6000 rds / min (effective -
3000–4000)
Muzzle velocity: 869 m/s

Of course, prototypes can be much faster, but among the mass-produced weapons, the M134 Minigun series aircraft machine guns are considered to be one of the champions in this indicator. These 7.62-mm six-barreled machine guns work according to the Gatling scheme and are capable of releasing up to 6000 rounds per minute. A new cartridge is fed into the upper (cooled) barrel, the shot is fired from below. The rotation of the trunks is provided by an electric drive. The M134 received its baptism of fire in the Vietnam War. By the way, contrary to misconceptions, in the "Predator" and "Terminator" it is not this machine gun that is used, but its younger brother XM214 Microgun, which did not go into the series.

The most officer pistol: Mauser C96

Country: Germany
Designed: 1896
Weight without cartridges: 1.13 kg
Length: 288mm
Cartridge: 7.63 x 25 mm, 9 mm x 25 mm, etc.
Muzzle velocity: 425 m/s
Sighting range: 150–200 m without stock

Mauser C96 evokes in us a firm association with a man in a leather jacket and the abbreviation Cheka. This model began to be produced in Germany in 1896; the pistol stood out for its excellent accuracy, high effective firing range, and “survivability”; its main disadvantages were bulkiness and serious weight. Surprisingly, the Mauser was not officially in service with any army in the world (maximum - partial local use), while more than a million copies were produced, and officers different countries preferred it as a personal weapon to all competitors.

The most famous repeating rifle: M1 Garand

Country: USA
Designed: 1936
Weight: 4.31-5.3 kg (depending on modification)
Length: 1104 mm
Caliber: 7.62 mm
Muzzle velocity: 853 m/s
Effective firing range: 400 m

The American M1 Garand rifle is the first self-loading rifle adopted as the main infantry weapon. It was introduced for a long time: in 1929, designer John Garand built the first prototype, but it only came to mass production and putting into service only by 1936; numerous improvements did not give the desired effect, and the new weapon constantly failed. Only the M1 generation, which was finalized and put into production in 1941, gained popularity. It is still used as a sporting weapon to this day.

Most common weapon: Kalashnikov assault rifle

Country: USSR
Designed: 1974 (modification AK-74)
Curb weight: 3.5–5.9 kg
Length: 940 mm (without bayonet)
Caliber: 5.45mm
Rate of fire: about 600 rds / min
Sighting range: 1000 m

The Kalashnikov assault rifle, the most widespread small arms in the world, has gained extraordinary popularity due to its reliability and ease of maintenance and has been produced in the amount of more than 100 million copies. There are several dozens of its modifications; in the original version (AK-47) it had a caliber of 7.62 mm, but in the modification of the AK-74 a 5.45 mm cartridge is used, and in the versions of the "hundredth" series - also 5.56 mm. In addition to the USSR, the machine was produced by Bulgaria, Hungary, East Germany, China, Poland, North Korea, Yugoslavia, and it was used in almost all countries of the world and in almost all armed conflicts of the second half of the 20th century.

MOSCOW, September 24 - RIA Novosti, Andrey Kots. Rapid-fire weapons with a rotating block of barrels are an indispensable element of fantastic action films and computer games. Movies often feature pumped-up rambos with a six-barreled machine gun, pouring lead on the villains. Thanks to Hollywood, these "lawn mowers" are firmly entrenched in the glory of a superweapon. At the same time, cannons and machine guns, working according to the scheme of the American inventor Richard Gatling, have long been in service with a number of countries. The destructive power of multi-barreled guns is truly amazing. RIA Novosti publishes a selection of the most formidable weapons with a rotating block of barrels.

The Russian fleet has grown "Pantsir". Others won't have it for a long time."Shell-ME" reliably protects the ship within a radius of 20 kilometers (the height of the air defense dome is 15 kilometers) from all modern means of air attack: cruise missiles, supersonic anti-ship missiles, bombs and drones.

The most famous

The American rapid-fire M134 Minigun is perhaps the most famous Gatling gun in existence. Fighters about the brave US Marines or footage of military chronicles from the Middle East rarely do without this six-barreled colossus of 7.62 mm caliber. Since the 1960s, American gunsmiths have managed to introduce it wherever possible. M134s are installed in the hatches of army Hummers, on guard towers, patrol boats, helicopters, armored personnel carriers, and fortifications. Still, six thousand rounds per minute is a serious argument in any critical situation.

To replace Makarov: Kalashnikov introduced a new pistolThe PL-15K was created on the basis of the full-size PL-15 pistol and has similar internal mechanisms and principles of operation of automation with it. The weight of the pistol without cartridges was 0.72 kilograms. Magazine capacity - 14 rounds.

Contrary to stereotypes, Gatling guns do not fire all barrels at the same time. In M134, the cartridge is sent to the lower, cooled barrel, the shot is fired from above, the cartridge case is ejected — on right. Thus, the barrels shoot in turn, have time to reload and cool down while the remaining five "work". Such a scheme eliminates the main obstacle to ultra-high rate of fire — weapon overheating. Most other machine guns with a rotating block of barrels work in a similar way.