# If that's a "minigun," what the hell is a full-sized gun?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-thats-a-minigun-what-the-hell-is-a-full-sized-gun/483588
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [January 29, 2009, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-thats-a-minigun-what-the-hell-is-a-full-sized-gun/483588 "2009-01-29T18:32:02Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2009, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-thats-a-minigun-what-the-hell-is-a-full-sized-gun/483588/1 "2009-01-29T18:32:02Z")
This has gnawed at me for a while: if that gatling-gun thing Ahnuld uses in T2 is a _mini_gun, what qualifies as a gun-gun? And are rifles and handguns _micro_guns?
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### Author:  [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2009, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-thats-a-minigun-what-the-hell-is-a-full-sized-gun/483588/2 "2009-01-29T18:35:32Z")
Here’s a maxi-gun, Mk-II: [http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/images/h80000/h80528.jpg](http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/images/h80000/h80528.jpg)
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### Author:  [@Santo\_Rugger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santo_Rugger)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2009, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-thats-a-minigun-what-the-hell-is-a-full-sized-gun/483588/3 "2009-01-29T18:36:28Z")
It’s small for a Gatling-style machine gun:
> [@](#):
>
> The “mini” of the name is in comparison to designs that use a similar firing mechanism but 20 mm or larger shells, such as General Electric’s earlier M61 Vulcan.
> **[M134 Minigun](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minigun)**
>
> The M134 Minigun is an American 7.62×51mm NATO six-barrel rotary machine gun with a high rate of fire (2,000 to 6,000 rounds per minute). It features a Gatling-style rotating barrel assembly with an external power source, normally an electric motor. The "Mini" in the name is in comparison to larger-caliber designs that use a rotary barrel design,\[citation needed\] such as General Electric's earlier 20 mm M61 Vulcan, and "gun" for the use of rifle ammunition as opposed to autocannon shells.
> "Minig...
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### Author:  [@Martin\_Hyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martin_Hyde)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2009, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-thats-a-minigun-what-the-hell-is-a-full-sized-gun/483588/4 "2009-01-29T18:37:08Z")
It’s called a minigun because it’s a multi-barreled machine gun (Gatling gun is a commonly used term) that uses 7.62mm rounds whereas most weapons of this type use much larger rounds.
It’s not that it’s a small gun, just small compared to other guns of its type.
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### Author:  [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2009, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-thats-a-minigun-what-the-hell-is-a-full-sized-gun/483588/5 "2009-01-29T18:37:24Z")
[Miniguns](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minigun) pretty much fire standard rifle-caliber ammo (e.g., 7.62 mm). Guns like the 20 mm [M61 Vulcan](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M61_Vulcan) are generally what miniguns are being compared to.
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### Author:  [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2009, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-thats-a-minigun-what-the-hell-is-a-full-sized-gun/483588/6 "2009-01-29T19:00:23Z")
The big, 20mm M-61 was created first. Therefore, when the rifle-ammo version was created, it was the “mini” version of the Vulcan. I’m sure it would have been called something else if it had been made first.
But I’m sure the previous posts made this abundantly, redundantly clear.
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### Author:  [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2009, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-thats-a-minigun-what-the-hell-is-a-full-sized-gun/483588/7 "2009-01-29T19:00:58Z")
Thanks to all!
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### Author:  [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2009, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-thats-a-minigun-what-the-hell-is-a-full-sized-gun/483588/8 "2009-01-29T19:52:36Z")
> [@Santo\_Rugger](#):
>
> It’s small for a Gatling-style machine gun:
> [M134 Minigun - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minigun)
I don’t know jack about guns but that article quotes a rate of 3,000 rounds per minute. That’s 50 per second. That’s a damn lot. Is that correct?
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### Author:  [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2009, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-thats-a-minigun-what-the-hell-is-a-full-sized-gun/483588/9 "2009-01-29T19:58:39Z")
> [@Terminus\_Est](#):
>
> Guns like the 20 mm [M61 Vulcan](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M61_Vulcan) are generally what miniguns are being compared to.
20mm? Pfft, I prefer the [30mm GAU-8 Avenger.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GAU-8_Avenger) 😃
[Here is it next to a VW Beetle.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:GAU-8_meets_VW_Type_1.jpg)
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### Author:  [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2009, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-thats-a-minigun-what-the-hell-is-a-full-sized-gun/483588/10 "2009-01-29T19:58:59Z")
> [@CookingWithGas](#):
>
> I don’t know jack about guns but that article quotes a rate of 3,000 rounds per minute. That’s 50 per second. That’s a damn lot. Is that correct?
No, the article states that the minigun fires at 4,000 rounds per minute or 67 rounds per second. 😃
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### Author:  [@Santo\_Rugger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santo_Rugger)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2009, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-thats-a-minigun-what-the-hell-is-a-full-sized-gun/483588/11 "2009-01-29T20:34:42Z")
> [@CookingWithGas](#):
>
> I don’t know jack about guns but that article quotes a rate of 3,000 rounds per minute. That’s 50 per second. That’s a damn lot. Is that correct?
That’s not even as fast as they get…
> [@](#):
>
> This is the mechanical rate of fire, or how fast the weapon “cycles” (loads, locks, fires, unlocks, ejects). Measurement of the cyclic rate assumes that the weapon is being operated as fast as possible and does not consider operator tasks (magazine changes, aiming, etc). When the trigger is squeezed, the rate at which rounds are fired is the cyclic rate. Typical assault rifles have a cyclic rate of 500–800 RPM. Typical infantry machine guns have rates varying from 600 RPM to 1,200 RPM. **M134 Miniguns mounted on helicopters can achieve rates of fire as high as 100 rounds per second (6,000 RPM)**.
That’s why Gaitling guns have multiple barrels; a single barrel would get too hot to function.
> **[Rate of fire](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rounds_per_minute)**
>
> Rate of fire is the frequency at which a specific weapon can fire or launch its projectiles. This can be influenced by several factors, including operator training level, mechanical limitations, ammunition availability, and weapon condition. In modern weaponry, it is usually measured in rounds per minute (RPM or round/min) or rounds per second (RPS or round/s).
> There are three different measurements for the rate of fire: cyclic, sustained, and rapid. Cyclic is the maximum rate of fire given only...
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### Author:  [@Strassia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Strassia)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2009, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-thats-a-minigun-what-the-hell-is-a-full-sized-gun/483588/12 "2009-01-29T21:13:50Z")
Then of course [there](http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/military_law/1281426.html) is [Metal](http://www.metalstorm.com/) [Storm](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metal_Storm)!
[QUOTE=Wiki]
Metal Storm has created a 36-barreled stacked projectile machine gun, boasting the highest rate of fire in the world. This weapons system has a firing rate capability of slightly more than one million rounds per minute
[/QUOTE]
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### Author:  [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2009, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-thats-a-minigun-what-the-hell-is-a-full-sized-gun/483588/13 "2009-01-29T21:20:23Z")
> [@](#):
>
> 20mm? Pfft, I prefer the 30mm GAU-8 Avenger.
That’s the one the Air Force stuck wings on and called it the A-10, right?
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### Author:  [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2009, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-thats-a-minigun-what-the-hell-is-a-full-sized-gun/483588/14 "2009-01-29T21:25:51Z")
Yes…that’s the gun from the A-10. Nasty, ehe? ETA: [Link](http://www.clubhyper.com/reference/a10gatlinggunss_1.htm) in case anyone is interested.
Was going to mention the metal storm but got beaten too it. 🙂
-XT
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### Author:  [@detop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/detop)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2009, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-thats-a-minigun-what-the-hell-is-a-full-sized-gun/483588/15 "2009-01-29T21:35:16Z")
> [@mlees](#):
>
> Here’s a maxi-gun, Mk-II: [http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/images/h80000/h80528.jpg](http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/images/h80000/h80528.jpg)
You call that a gun ?
Now [that’s](http://www.5ad.org/gun.htm) a gun 😃
With apologies ti\o Crocodile Dundee
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### Author:  [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2009, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-thats-a-minigun-what-the-hell-is-a-full-sized-gun/483588/16 "2009-01-29T21:36:19Z")
> [@mlees](#):
>
> Here’s a maxi-gun, Mk-II: [http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/images/h80000/h80528.jpg](http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/images/h80000/h80528.jpg)
Fancy looking clock tower, did they get sick of cuckoos every hour?
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### Author:  [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2009, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-thats-a-minigun-what-the-hell-is-a-full-sized-gun/483588/17 "2009-01-29T21:36:26Z")
The rate of fire on that sucker, um, sucks. 🙂
-XT
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### Author:  [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2009, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-thats-a-minigun-what-the-hell-is-a-full-sized-gun/483588/18 "2009-01-29T21:52:24Z")
> [@Pushkin](#):
>
> Fancy looking clock tower, did they get sick of cuckoos every hour?
Not a timekeeping device. Notice the numbers do not go to 12.
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### Author:  [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2009, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-thats-a-minigun-what-the-hell-is-a-full-sized-gun/483588/19 "2009-01-29T21:58:29Z")
Heh, the recoil force on the Gau-8 is more than half the thrust of the A-10. That strikes me as exceedingly awesome.
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### Author:  [@whorfin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whorfin)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2009, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-thats-a-minigun-what-the-hell-is-a-full-sized-gun/483588/20 "2009-01-29T23:30:29Z")
> [@mlees](#):
>
> Not a timekeeping device. Notice the numbers do not go to 12.
So what does it do?
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