Machine Guns

"Now I have a machine gun. Ho-Ho-Ho." Everybody remembers that line from the movie "Die Hard" when hero John McClane killed one of the first terrorists. Movies such as this involve two sides in combat using high powered weapons: terrorists versus heroes, cowboys and Indians, cops and robbers, etc. For some, their weapon of choice is a handgun, such as a revolver. For others, they prefer a more powerful weapon because it holds more ammunition. A handgun holds between six to twelve rounds depending on the model. A machine gun can hold far more ammunition in its magazine than a handgun's clip or revolving cylinder.

The first machine gun was created by America R.J. Gatling during the American Civil War. This automatic weapon is considered to be the forerunner of weapon technology. After Gatling's model, others developed more effective models of the automatic weapon such as Hiram Maxim (1884), Benjamin Berkeley Hotchkiss (1900), U.S. Army Colonel Isaac Newton Lewis (1911), and John Moses Browning (1910) . The Browning heavy machine gun was adopted as the United States Army's standard weapon in May 1917.

During the World War I era, the automatic pistol replaced the revolver as the weapon of choice for gun users because the pistol did not jam as much. The most recognized automatic weapon invented during the twentieth century was the Thompson submachine gun, or "Tommy Gun," named after its inventor J.T. Thompson. This weapon fired .45 caliber ammunition between 450 to 600 rounds per minute.

Closer to the middle of the twentieth century, both the United States and the former Soviet Union developed a successful automatic rifle. The American M-16 rifle has a target accuracy of up to 500 yards in a hand-held firing stance and 800 yards when the weapon is mounted. Two more popular automatic weapons are the AK-47 automatic weapon made by the former Soviet Union, also known as the Kalashnikov, as well as the Uzi submachine gun made by the Israelis.

People in the market to purchase weapons can visit websites such as www.gunsamerica.com. GunsAmerica.com currently offers AK-47 rifles for a starting price of $379.00. For $450.00, weapons buyers can purchase a Model 1919 .308 caliber Browning Military semi-automatic machine gun. Though expensive to purchase, GunsAmerica.com also offers the Thompson submachine gun. One replica currently sells for $585.00 while a "very rare," factory made, model 1928A22 Tommy Gun is currently selling for $16,000.00.

GunsAmerica.com's disclaimer states "GunsAmerica does not assume liability, nor is any created, by any representations made herein. Obeyance of federal, state and local law is your obligation. You should consult with your local authority(ies)."






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GunsAmerica. GunsAmerica staff. Copyright 2006. September 21, 2006.
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