This is a thing of beauty. It's one of the most powerful guns of the 19th century, and every military worth its salt fielded them. Not a lot of them around these days, either, so you should be able to get plenty for it.
-Expert
Facts[]
- Fact 1: Benjamin B. Hotchkiss invented this machine cannon in 1872; the rapid-fire, cavalry-portable gun was designed for the quick, highly-mobile fighting emerging in the American Indian Wars and Spanish-American War.
- Fact 2: The Hotchkiss had five 37mm barrels and could fire up to 43 rounds per minute at a range of one mile. Each round weighed 1.5 pounds.
- Fact 3: Several variants of the Hotchkiss rotary were produced, including turret-based shrapnel cannons and ship-mounted anti-torpedo guns.
- Fact 4: The horse-drawn Hotchkiss field cannon required a second wagon for ammunition storage. Shells were so heavy that the standard ammo cart carried only 170 extra rounds.
- Fact 5: The Hotchkiss company, based in France, branched out from the weapons industry in 1903, and produced a successful line of automobiles through most of the 20th century.