Watch: M134 Minigun, history, and how it works

For a long time now, I have been a subscriber to the YouTube channel called Forgotten Weapons. There, the host Ian McCollum presents a wide variety of obscure and rare firearms. What I find interesting is that Mr. McCollum aside from production details, history and anecdotes for each weapon, field strips them (when is not a delicate specimen) and explains the internal workings, what principle makes that particular weapon to operate and how or why it has come to be that way.

In this video the protagonist is not a “forgotten” weapon, not even close since the M134 Minigun is the main or secondary armament in many vehicles currently used by the US armed forces and its signature sound is sweet as a lullaby when a lot of firepower is what the situation calls.

Image courtesy of US Navy