POTD: Prescription for Peppering – Dr. Gatling’s Bulldog Gatling Gun
Sam.S 12.03.21
Welcome to today’s Photo of the Day! The 1860s were the first initial gains in self-contained cartridges and from there it launched into a whole new world of firearms. What did the world do with that new technology? It attempted and often succeeded at designs formally thought to be impossible or unlikely. Amongst those ideas was a firearm capable of forming a wall of lead! Or simply a gun that can shoot fast. Enter Dr. Richard Gatling and his Gatling gun. This particular Bulldog variant of a Gatling gun is the Model 1877 and fired .45-70 Government cartridges fed by gravity through a top feed magazine.
“This “Bulldog” is no. 204. They also note: “Probably the best of the Gatling Guns, the Bulldog enjoyed a considerable sale in the U.S. and abroad.” They were light enough for use by the cavalry and offered a significant increase in firepower compared to men armed with single shot Springfield Trapdoors. The 1877 was also more enclosed which provided more protection to the various components. It has five barrels, a fixed blade front sight offset to the right, ‘GATLING’S/BATTERY/GUN/PAT. NOV 4. 1862/MAY 9. 1865/FEB 28. 1871/APR -9.1872/MADE BY COLT’S/PAT. FIRE ARMS/MFG CO/HARTFORD, CONN./U.S.A.’ “
Photo Courtesy of Rock Island Auction Company
https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/84/272/us-army-colt-model-1877-bulldog-gatling-gun
