First Machine Gun (1 Viewer)


So basically a giant flintlock revolver - interesting it used a cylinder and single barrel versus Gatling's multiple revolving barrels. Wonder if it would have been more successful if the technology had been applied to handguns and long guns of the time. Apparently the square bullets were a marketing ploy appealing to religious zeal:

He even went further with his religious card (to attract more investors) by designing two types of rounds: the conventional ball shape one and the square bullets. The round ones were to be used against the Christian enemies only. While, the square bullets were to be used against the Muslin Turks, as he believed that they would cause a greater amount of damage. According to the patent, these square bullets would “convince the Turks of the benefits of Christian civilization.”

https://sofrep.com/news/the-puckle-gun-for-shooting-square-bullets-into-non-christians/
 
I was first made aware of the Puckle gun as a secondary pupil in the 1960's by my technical teacher, a Mr Puckle. He claimed to be a descendant of the inventor of this strange weapon, and he stressed the square bullets for Muslims.
I will accept the teachers today can be interesting but there were some strange characters around in the mid '60's and I even although the school I was in was for pupils the had passed The Qualification Examination --known as the Qually, i.e pupils who were the more able. In Scotland often called a senior secondary or academy.
Don't think Mr Puckle would be in the profession today.
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