Early automatic gun

[magpie]

Would anyone know what this is and the size of shell, I was thinking it must be something like 60mm.
Thanks, Andy

 

[Big Dave]

A Vickers / Maxim design ? Possibly 47mm ? Only a guess !

 

[Gspragge]

No doubt a Maxim, but it isn't in the catalogue of the period so it is likely a one of.
It rather looks like a 47mm , to figure out the round it would likely be best to
consider a Nordenfelt type as it looks to be more powerful than the equivalent
Hotchkiss. But if there was only one we may never know more. It was likely
frightfully expensive. The regular 1pr for comparison.

 

[HAZORD]

It looks more like 57mm/6Pdr size.

 

[Falcon]

It was likely frightfully expensive.

I'm sure it was. The amount of machining and fitting work involved must have been thousands of man hours. Of course it would all have been done manually as well.

 

[magpie]

Thanks for the replies so far, I was looking at the length of the rounds being nearly up to his knee so thought of it being something like 5-6pr, makes you wonder what happened to it and if it worked or not.
Thanks, Andy

 

[Tony Williams]

The thought did cross my mind that he might just be a very, very small man :wink:

But the pistol grip suggests probably not...

 

[reccetrooper]

I think the man in the photo is Sir Hiram Maxim. Lots of photos on the net showing him with various of his inventions, and there are some similarities, although in most photos he is older looking with white hair and beard.