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| © 2012 Soldiers Memorial |
Caliber: 37 mm
Range: 4,000 m
Rate of Fire: 60-80 explosive
shells per minute
- Designed and manufactured by the Hotchkiss Munitions Company in the early 1870s. Though Hotchkiss was based in France, its founder, Benjamin Hotchkiss, was American. Hotchkiss left the U.S. for France during the Civil War because of the American military's resistance to funding new types of weaponry.
- Used primarily by the militaries of France and Brazil, served as the primary gun on torpedo boats in the Argentine navy. The Hotchkiss Revolving Cannon was also purchased for use in the Chinese and American militaries.
- The turning of a hand crank caused the automatic loading, firing, and extraction of the empty cartridge cases - all actions being performed continuously during the rotation of the crank.
- Though the Hotchkiss Revolving Cannon's official rate of fire was 60-80 rounds per minute, the aiming and positioning that was necessary for use on the water dropped the average rate of fire to about 15 rounds per minute when used at sea.
- The shell size and propellant charge were carefully balanced so that the gun would have virtually no recoil, making it ideal for use at sea.
References:
- Hogg, Ian V. The Complete Machine-Gun. New York: Exeter Books, 1979.
- "Hotchkiss Revolving Cannon - History." Anti-Torpedo Boat and Machine-Guns of the Victorian Era (1862-1900). 2010. http://www.victorianshipmodels.com/antitorpedoboatguns/Hotchkiss/hotchkisshistory.html (accessed February 29, 2012).
