Gun Fires Million Bullets an Hour

1910

NEW YORK. — A gun that, its inventor says, can shoot a million bullets an hour at a cost of $20, that uses neither powder nor compressed air, and that fires bullets that do not require shells, was shot for the enlightenment of a delegation of New York reporters. The reporters saw the gun shoot, but they were not permitted to see that part of the gun out of which the little steel bullets came with such rapidity.

A Swiss named Bangerter was introduced as the inventor. In order that the secret should be maintained, that part of the mechanism that it is said causes the rapid shooting was covered with oilcloth. Only the motor that operates the gun and the little bucket-like receptacles into which the bullets are poured by the quart were visible to the reporters.

There were targets made of a series of big boards arranged in box fashion, each plank about a foot behind the one in front of it. There were four boards in each target. When the bullets started to fly, they riddled the target into a pile of splinters a foot high, and they did it in less than a minute. All in all, it was estimated that no less than 15,000 bullets pierced the target.

The reporters were permitted then to enter the gunroom. They saw a motor from the wheel of which a belt was operated. The belt connected the motor with another wheel which was a part of the mechanism on the top of which was the oilcloth covered weapon out of which the bullets came. They also saw the little buckets, on either side of the gun, into which the bullets are poured as they are needed. The reporters asked to see the gun in operation. Mr. Bangerter ordered another target swung into position. There was another whirl and a second storm of bullets struck the target. The fusillade lasted about ten seconds. Again was the target demolished.

But Mr. Bangerter and his associates refused to say anything about what was under the oilcloth in the little gunroom. They did give out a typewritten statement, however, saying that one of those guns "could face an army of thirty regiments of soldiers or 30,000 men, and could mow down that entire body of men as easy as a knife cuts the grass. There is no earthly possibility for any army to successfully face the fire from a gun of this kind which pours a veritable hailstorm of bullets into the attacking forces, who must either sacrifice their lives or turn in retreat."

It was stated that Col. Rogers Birnie and Maj. Tracy C. Dickson, ordnance department, United States army, who are stationed at the Sandy Hook proving grounds, and Maj. William G. Haan, coast artillery corps, U.S.A., had witnessed a test of the gun and that they had pronounced it a wonderful invention, and had requested that a gun be made for testing purposes at Sandy Hook.