Re: Chainguns vs. Gatlings

In a message dated 4/24/00 12:18:03 AM Central Daylight Time, 
kaladorn@home.com writes:

<< If so, then there is a union of the sets Chaingun and Gatling gun.
And
 someone suggested the 5.56 minigun was like an MG. It must have a
 difference - I recall in Predator where Governor Ventura had his
minigun
 out and was mowing trees.... when he stopped firing, he barrells kept
 spinning - I assume by an electric motor (don't know if there was a
 chain involved - though it'd be the simplest way to drive such a system
 that I can think of). That "electrically driven" part is one of the big
 distinctions between a Gatling weapon like the 5.56/7.62/20mm/30mm
 multi-barrelled canons and a blowback operated MG. How many of these
 systems use chains (which I'd suggest also would involve an oil sump)
or
 some other drive system for the rotors, I can't imagine. >>

The mini-guns have a battery pack, or are plugged into the vehicle
electrical 
system - electric motors.