Man-Portable Mini-Guns?

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by Rupert

I don't think a water jacket and condenser is particularly complex. Heavy, though.

The piping to connect it all together(assuming the weapon isn't in a fixed mount) is likely to be complex, fragile, and failure prone.

[Fred Brackin]

Originally Posted by Varyon

Recycled coolant was what I was thinking. .

That's what you'll need for vacuum use for almost anything but as long as you have air a forced air cooling mechanism might be an option.

You might as well be using an electric chaingun mechanism so you can use that to power small intake fans near the weapon's breech, pipe it along the barrel and exhaust it near the muzzle. It would probably make a muzzle brake work better and even diffuse the IR signature of firing to some degree.

[Anthony]

I would note that if your only requirement is large numbers of projectiles downrange an Atchisson assault shotgun with 12 gauge is putting out 60 projectiles per second.

[Pursuivant]

Originally Posted by Rupert

The minigun might make sense for a light anti-drone weapon for the US military. For much of the rest of the world a KPV or a couple of DShK's with whatever the fire-control system is mounted with them would be a better choice

The Ukrainians have been really inventive with anti-drone weapons. I saw video of one which consisted of 6 linked pintle-mounted AK-74s. Not man-portable, but easily created from locally-available resources.

Earlier in the war, some truly ancient Soviet era came out of hiding on both sides, including DP-27/28 and even PM M1910 Maxim guns (retrofitted with red dot laser sights!).

Since the U.S. spends so lavishly on defense I could easily see a revised version of the ill-fated 1980s Sergeant York DIVAD in use. Mount a light chaingun in 5.56mm NATO on a light vehicle, give if computer targeting ability and night vision/IR sights, maybe short range radar or sound-detection gear. Make it easily dismountable for stationary defense.

[Ulzgoroth]

Originally Posted by Pursuivant

Since the U.S. spends so lavishly on defense I could easily see a revised version of the ill-fated 1980s Sergeant York DIVAD in use. Mount a light chaingun in 5.56mm NATO on a light vehicle, give if computer targeting ability and night vision/IR sights, maybe short range radar or sound-detection gear. Make it easily dismountable for stationary defense.

Even against drones, 5.56 seems likely to have sub-par useful range. It'd likely be worth going with full-caliber minigun at least.

[Rupert]

Originally Posted by Ulzgoroth

Even against drones, 5.56 seems likely to have sub-par useful range. It'd likely be worth going with full-caliber minigun at least.

As soon as you're talking about mounted weapons, pretty much everybody goes straight to 7.62x51mm GPMGs, at the minimum.

[The Colonel]

Originally Posted by Pursuivant

The Ukrainians have been really inventive with anti-drone weapons. I saw video of one which consisted of 6 linked pintle-mounted AK-74s. Not man-portable, but easily created from locally-available resources.

Earlier in the war, some truly ancient Soviet era came out of hiding on both sides, including DP-27/28 and even PM M1910 Maxim guns (retrofitted with red dot laser sights!).

Since the U.S. spends so lavishly on defense I could easily see a revised version of the ill-fated 1980s Sergeant York DIVAD in use. Mount a light chaingun in 5.56mm NATO on a light vehicle, give if computer targeting ability and night vision/IR sights, maybe short range radar or sound-detection gear. Make it easily dismountable for stationary defense.

I've seen some chatter about, efffectively, CIWS for AFV to bring down ATGM - whether conventional guns, DEW or MetalStorm style systems - presumably these could also swat drones? Especially as the difference between an ATGM and a suicide drone is probably quite small...

[King Leonidas]

they exist. https://youtube.com/shorts/2B6hf87E3uQ?feature=share
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nUADMhYO1c 7.62 variant
. realisticly you will need to be a bit of a strongman to carry this around for anytime top guy navy seals deal. and you would need a dedicated ammo carrier. also reloading that in the middle of combat is probably a no go. and probably takes 30m but i have no idea

[HANS]

Originally Posted by King Leonidas

they exist. https://youtube.com/shorts/2B6hf87E3uQ?feature=share
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nUADMhYO1c 7.62 variant
. realisticly you will need to be a bit of a strongman to carry this around for anytime top guy navy seals deal. and you would need a dedicated ammo carrier. also reloading that in the middle of combat is probably a no go. and probably takes 30m but i have no idea

Not really. In the first video, the chap is shooting blanks, like the actors in TERMINATOR 2, PREDATOR, etc. He can still barely hold on to the thing.
In the second video (and all similar ones I have ever seen), the chap fires one shot and the recoil (not Rcl) completely blows him off target. So no, absolutely not viable as a handheld weapon. And that's before the weight of the ammo etc. dragging you down ...

Cheers

HANS

[HANS]

Originally Posted by Ulzgoroth

How do you figure it wasn't intended to be manportable? The 6Pak configuration was specifically depicted deployed on infantry tripods in promotional material unless sources are actively fabricating evidence for some reason.

AFAICT it was never intended to be fired hand-held, rather than set up on a tripod. And it doesn't look like the ergonomics of doing so would be at all practical even ignoring the weight and recoil problems.

GE intended it to be used "in vehicles, small boats, or emplaced on the ground." It was offered on a tripod, but together with the tripod and the standard 1,000-round ammo can it weighed 38.6 kg. Your mileage may differ, but I don't consider that manportable. At best it means you can lift it off a lorry and put it in a prepared position.

The Microgun would have made slightly more sense as a handheld weapon than the Minigun because of the reduced recoil, but it would still be stupid.

Cheers

HANS