Maxim "Prototype": The First Practical Machine Gun
This video explores the Maxim 'Prototype', considered the first practical machine gun. It details Hiram Maxim's pioneering recoil operating system, patented in 1883, and its application in this proof-of-concept machine gun. The Prototype featured a unique hydraulic rate of fire control, adjustable from 1 to 500 rounds per minute, and a combined trigger and accelerator lever. The description highlights the rarity of this artifact, with only three known to exist, and provides information on visiting the Royal Armouries collection where one is housed.














