'Machine' Gun with no moving parts

[Rob52240]

Project Metalstorm's 36 barrel prototype uses electronic ignition an no casings.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEu9LLQpOF8

Shown firing at 600 rounds per minute, 30K rounds per minute, 60K rounds per minute & 1 Million Rounds Per Minute.

[Sonicblu]

Just went to NRA museum had one there built in the late 1890 I think could fire 12 shots more of a semiauto though.

[Yossarian]

I've honestly never understood the point of this.  It's not *really* 1E6 rounds per minute, or 60K or 30K, or 300 - it's more like 36 rounds per minute, and that's being generous, since you'd probably need to be superman if you want to reload that thing in less than a minute.

So at the end of the day, what's the point of this?  I can't imagine any practical use for this sort of device.  I suppose it'll have some useful spinoff - if anyone knows what it is - please let me know.

[4deck]

I agree with yoss on the timing.

But I can tell you. Having it wired up to a remote controlled infra-red detection device. And a maybe a warning siren. Would scare the living shyte out of me. Especially when you see your friends bloody mess next to you. Now all it has to do is be placed on a perticular road you dont want anything travelling on.

[Reschke]

I had one of these as a kid.

mini canon and I bought it from Dixie Gun works also.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8kNiUcdQzw&NR=1

[Shane]

So at the end of the day, what's the point of this?  I can't imagine any practical use for this sort of device.  I suppose it'll have some useful spinoff - if anyone knows what it is - please let me know.

auto fed mag... perfect for our starship troopers in dealing with those pesky BUGS...  


or the Zombie Apocalypse... 

[icepac]

Jared-Syn reaches out, expresses his displeasure, and commands you put on your 3D glasses.



He also commands that once you have them on, you watch the intro.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_vxTQhDXwo

[tmetal]

ROF doesn't consider reload time because the average reload time is different for every gun. Reload time is not needed when you are trying to figure out how soon one bullet will leave the barrel of a gun after the preceding bullet has done the same.  ROF could easily be calculated in seconds rather than minutes, it is just a way to measure and compare how fast one gun fires vs another gun.

I could see how something like metalstorm could find a use as a replacement for the CWIS system. set it up on the perimeter of a base or on a ship and use it to destroy incoming enemy munitions while they are still in flight.

[Maverick]

It's kind of a neat little toy. I see it as little more than a longer ranged and more complex claymore mine without the wide field of fire. Not terribly practical IMO

[Penguin]

I know next to nothing about guns, but a crazy idea just popped into my head.  What if you took four of those metalstorm barrels, (with the firing mechanism and everything) and slapped on a break-action and stock.  It would work just like a double-barreled shotgun, only that the shells would be much longer (only that there would be four barrels instead of two).  It would offer a rate of fire unparralled, and offer many capabilities if used in a shotgun role (i.e. being able to switch from breaching to buckshot to non-lethal and back again with the flick of a switch).

My only question would be how you would carry ammo because those 600*500*7mm sticks could get pretty unwieldy. 

-Penguin

[fbEagle]

I've honestly never understood the point of this.  It's not *really* 1E6 rounds per minute, or 60K or 30K, or 300 - it's more like 36 rounds per minute, and that's being generous, since you'd probably need to be superman if you want to reload that thing in less than a minute.

So at the end of the day, what's the point of this?  I can't imagine any practical use for this sort of device.  I suppose it'll have some useful spinoff - if anyone knows what it is - please let me know.

You don't have to reload. The shells are stacked one on top of each other in the barell so in theory one barell could hold hundreds of rounds since the shells are caseless theirs no moving parts

[Yossarian]

You don't have to reload. The shells are stacked one on top of each other in the barell so in theory one barell could hold hundreds of rounds since the shells are caseless theirs no moving parts

But then you need bloody long barrels if you want any appreciable duration of fire at 1,000,000 rpm!

[redman555]

How is this even considered a "machine gun"....and how is it considered 1,000,000 rounds per minute? Its basically a cannon with like 40 barrels....that all fire at the same time.

-BigBOBCH

[phatzo]

I think its intended use was as a silent sentry, a booby trap so to speak.

[allaire]

How is this even considered a "machine gun"....and how is it considered 1,000,000 rounds per minute? Its basically a cannon with like 40 barrels....that all fire at the same time.

-BigBOBCH

It's considered 1 million rounds a minute because of cyclic rate.  The cyclic rate of a weapon is how many rounds it can fire under perfect conditions i.e. not having to reload and not worrying about "problems". A m-16 has a cyclic rate of over 700 rounds per minute.  How possible is that?