# Why so little recoil in a Minigun? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 21, 2012, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-little-recoil-in-a-minigun/616401 "2012-03-21T13:18:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![I\_Know\_Nothing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f04885/32.png) [@I\_Know\_Nothing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Know_Nothing)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-little-recoil-in-a-minigun/616401/1 "2012-03-21T13:18:39Z")
I was watching an old recorded episode of Mythbusters and they showed a clip where they tried to shoot down trees with machine guns. A Minigun mounted on a Jeep was the last one tested and it didn’t look like it had any recoil at all. How? Why? ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-little-recoil-in-a-minigun/616401/2 "2012-03-21T13:24:14Z")
Because it’s much heavier in proportion to its projectile than a handgun in the first place and is also mounted on a jeep. ---
**Author:** ![Hermitian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hermitian/32/470_2.png) [@Hermitian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hermitian)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-little-recoil-in-a-minigun/616401/3 "2012-03-21T14:18:20Z")
I din’t see the episode but I suspect that the shooter did not have to manage the recoil because it was bolted to the jeep. The jeep was taking all the backward force. ---
**Author:** ![wheresmymind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/91b2a8/32.png) [@wheresmymind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wheresmymind)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2012, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-little-recoil-in-a-minigun/616401/4 "2012-03-22T03:46:14Z")
Yeah, the M134 has plenty of recoil, which is why you tend to see them mounted onto heavy, sturdy things like trucks, aircraft, or boats. ---
**Author:** ![Otara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a88e4f/32.png) [@Otara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otara)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2012, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-little-recoil-in-a-minigun/616401/5 "2012-03-22T06:07:06Z")
Slower guns like the M2, you can see each round and the vibration and recoil from each shots, even on vehicle mounts. I suspect this might be partly what the OP is talking about. Im assuming its a combination of the round being quite small in comparison, and the rounds firing so quickly its more like a sustained push than seeing individual shots. Also it uses a very different system for feeding rounds - theres no bolt going back and forth. Otara ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2012, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-little-recoil-in-a-minigun/616401/6 "2012-03-22T12:12:06Z")
Rule of cool – physics works differently for action heroes. ---
**Author:** ![Rich\_G7subs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85e7bf/32.png) [@Rich\_G7subs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rich_G7subs)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2012, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-little-recoil-in-a-minigun/616401/7 "2012-03-22T15:31:51Z")
Isn’t some of the energy from the recoil absorbed/converted to motion to move the slide back and chamber another round, as well? Ooops…didn’t see your post Otara! ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2012, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-little-recoil-in-a-minigun/616401/8 "2012-03-22T15:47:15Z")
> [@naita](#): > > Because it’s much heavier in proportion to its projectile than a handgun in the first place and is also mounted on a jeep. To combine your two thoughts, the jeep is essentially part of the gun which makes it even heavier. Mount .40 handgun to a jeep a 4 year old could handle it. Also, I’d imagine a minigun has a much more sophisticated mechanism for handling recoil then a spring and a lightweight slide then moves back an inch or so.