How was the gatling gun invented?
Gatling perceived a need to lay down rapid fire from a fixed position to keep hoards of insurgents pinned down, whilst releasing defending forces to be deployed more efficiently. The only real choices of weapons previously were a repeater rifle or a revolver. Both limited by their mechanical action, neither of which could lay down a blanket of rapid fire. The advantage of the Gatling design was that it was super simple and, because the barrels could be easily cooled, had less chance of bullets jamming so continuous fire of 200 rounds per minute was achieved. Patented in 1861, early versions used percussion caps. But by 1867 the gun had been improved to use metal cartridges. One handle loaded, fired the round, ejected the case and rotated the barrels. The rate of fire was determined by the speed at which the firing handle was spun. Thinking that nobody would want to face the carnage deliverable by this weapon, Gatling believed that the gun would bring an end to war.
