Auto weapons ?

dubtom

Answer me this shooting guru's if you would. I understand the mechanics of a pistol or rifle but have never been able to get my head around automatic weapons, how they work I mean.I honestly cannot see logically how they work, I have never seen the hero in a movie reload a battery or gas into his weapon and continue shooting. For instance, how does an UZI submachine gun fire off all those bullits in seconds if it doesn't have a power source, in saying that does it have a power source?Are automatic guns spring loaded or something. I must admit that I don't have a gun, have never fired a gun and probably never will but this question is something that has niggled me for years.LOL, I know this is probably a stupid question to ye all but I would really like to know.

scargill

http://people.howstuffworks.com/machine-gun.htm

Rovi

Hi dubtom, welcome to the Shooting forum.

See also- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machine_gun

dubtom wrote:

... in saying that does it have a power source?

Therein lies the secret.

Remember your school science/physics class? Equal and opposite reactions?
When a cartridge is fired and the bullet is propelled down the barrel, there's an 'equal and opposite reaction' going in the other direction too. Because the bullet is much smaller and lighter than the gun (and the human holding it), the gun only moves a little bit and the bullet moves a lot

This is the 'kick' you'll have heard of when people fire guns, and it varies depending on the power and size of the cartridge vs. the weight of the gun.

This 'kick' is what operates the mechanism of most machine guns. Some of the backwards pressure of the firing cartridge cycles the works of the gun.
It's all a careful balancing act between gas pressure, springs, etc.


Some 'machine guns' are purely mechanical/clockwork.
The Gatling gun you may have seen in western movies is operated by turning a handle on the side that operates the mechanism.
The 'minigun' is a modern version of this, driven by electric motors.

.

scout

in short you cock the gun ,this losks a spring on the trigger latch
then squese the trigger which releases the latch alowin the spring to push a pin up to the round setting it off the explosion that sends the buttet out the barrel pushes the spring back if you have not let go of the trigger the process will continue

jeffshc1

I have never seen the hero in a movie reload a battery or gas into his weapon and continue shooting.

Good point. People have asked me the same question. (gas operated that is)
Some firearms, gas operated have a port or hole in the barrel. The gas goes through the hole, once the bullet passes and while still under pressure helps operate the cocking mechanism. The gas is the same stuff that pushes the bullet out of the barrel. (As opposed to the kind you put in your fuel tank.)