Would a Gatling Gun be a Class III weapon?

Josey Wales says it ain’t Class III...

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For years a gentleman named Furr built & sold miniature Gatlings in .22 RF cal. which still come up for auction occasionally. They are a hoot to shoot, but are banned in some states like CA and MA, etc. Hand crank attachments to operate pairs of M1 Carbines or Ruger 10-22 rifles are still around but also banned in some states. Ed.
 
amazingflapjack said:
I remember a rig that utilized 2 30 cal carbines side by side at an angle that put the 30 round mags at about a 90% angle from each other with a central crank and an aircraft sight-looked neat, and was evidently effective-anyone remember?
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Yes, I remember those. Back in the early to mid '90s I used to see those for sale at gun shows. The dealer had a pile of shot out ROK M-1 carbines on the table, plus those kits. I recall that around $150 got you the kit and two of those beleaguered looking carbines. You could just buy one of the carbines for $50. I guess they worked as a novelty, I never met anyone who owned one of the kits. I did see one of the assembled kits for sale a year or two ago, guy wanted $750. I suppose when you figure what those USGI carbine actions go for now that price is not as insane as it seems.
 
Racer X said:
Oh, you can buy new ones. US Armament | 1877 "Bulldog" Gatling Gun

out of stock at classic firearms Colt Defense CGG1877HSCM Gatling For Sale - ClassicFirearms.com

just over 50k
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One of the guys at US Armament brings one of those Gatlings to our club for youth day every year. The kids, and us adults, love shooting it. It's become the highlight of youth day. They're very nice guns. When I win the lotto I'll get one to display in the gun room/library of my mansion.
 
Dixie Gun Works in Tennessee sells them, http:/wwwdixiegunworks.com, under antique firearms, Gatling Guns. Hand built from original Colt plans. Half scale, on carriage, .22 rimfire and full scale on tripod .45/70 also hand built. MODERN LONGGUN RULES APPLY.
 
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31FordA said:
One of the guys at US Armament brings one of those Gatlings to our club for youth day every year. The kids, and us adults, love shooting it. It's become the highlight of youth day. They're very nice guns. When I win the lotto I'll get one to display in the gun room/library of my mansion.
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I first saw them on an episode of "Top Shot" That polished brass just SHINED! If I won the lottery, I'll buy TWO. One to shoot, and one to put on a matching tripod next to my antique 8x10 wooden view camera.

Oh, and I would learn to reload.
 
The distinction which determines if the Gatling gun is Class III or not is simple. The method used to drive the mechanism is the determining factor. If a hand crank is used to drive the gun's operation, is NOT classed as an NFA weapon. However, if an electric motor is used to drive the gun's operation, is classed as an NFA weapon.
 
There's a few Gat gun build forums on the net. Mostly for reduced size & 22cal but some builders boost the specs and produce larger models.
Plans/blueprints avail along with some of the harder to make parts if you don't have the equip and experience.
Lots of Q&A.
Title I firearm as far as the Fed is concerned. State laws may disagree with the idea all together.

RG-G is one company that sells plans.
GatChat is their discussion board forum

D&E also sells plans for the Gatling and a Broadwell feed system
Gatling Gun Forum is their discussion forum I think. It's quite well set up.


Gatling Guns by RG-G, Inc.

GatChat, Gatling Gun Discussion Forum


http://www.modelgatlinggunplans.com/

Gatlinggunforum
 
It's been about 10 years since I was at Dixie Gun Works. They had a demo Gatling on display and were selling them. I don't remember the price, but not cheap. There is a Cavalry historical group at Fort Hood, and they have a Gatling with which they perform firing demonstrations at various historical events. They also have a cannon. Their Gatling looks like it is a replica. I have seen it fired several times.
 
a Hand cranked GG New manufacture or Old Is a Semi auto weapon Period.
 
Mrnurse said:
a Hand cranked GG New manufacture or Old Is a Semi auto weapon Period.
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No, it is manually fired. A semi automatic fire arm uses either gas or recoil to cycle the action. Think of a Gatling as a very large double action revolver. To make a DA revolver fire, you have to cycle the trigger. To make a Gatling fire, you have to turn the crank.
 
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There was a guy here in Monroe Cnty , Ohio that built many Gatling Guns. He has since sold out business & tooling. They
weren't class 3 and they weren't cheap. I'm thinking they started
out about $30K when he folded and he couldn't keep up with the
demand.
 
Back in 2012, Colt brought one of their 1877 BullDogs to the SHOT show in Vegas along with 15,000 rounds of 45-70 ammunition.

It was out on the firing line for Range day and they let everyone in the media shoot it.

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gat%202.jpg

It was probably to cool event of that years SHOT Show for me :cool:

The hand loader in me felt a pain walking away from the giant pile of once fired brass
 
Muley Gil said:
No, it is manually fired. A semi automatic fire arm uses either gas or recoil to cycle the action. Think of a Gatling as a very large double action revolver. To make a DA revolver fire, you have to cycle the trigger. To make a Gatling fire, you have to turn the crank.
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Doesn’t matter to me.

I want one of these.

Think the gov would let me?

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Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
I can't believe this thread has 36 responses to a question where there's a straightforward answer. A Gatling gun is mechanically operated(cranked) weapon and therefore is not a Class III "machine gun".
Jim
 
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