I voted other, for materials and manufacturing processes. Can you imagine how Glock might have done had they come out around 1900? Not many people trusted anything plastic back in those days.
Well I have to agree with you a little bit. But I have to say that Richard Gatling's creation the Gatling Gun changed the way weapons were made. If it was not for him, the Maxim, and the browning may have not been made as soon. So I give all the credit to R.J. Gatling.
The Gatling gun didn't introduce a new fundamental principle in firearms design.
I disagree, it was the FIRST that I know of (correct me if I am wrong) gun that could fire more that a few rounds per minute. It was the first gun to have 6 or 10 barrels. Before that the best guns would be the Spencer, or the Enfield, and the Kentucky long rifle, which are all 3 muzzle loading rifles
According to Wikipedia, the innovation was the gravity-based ammunition feed. The rotating mechanism was the same as revolvers commonly used, and the mitrailleuse used multiple barrels in the same way.
While feeding rapidly from a magazine is important, I'd rate recoil operation higher.
E: The Gatling originated in 1861, when revolvers had been around for some time.
I think we just have to agree to disagree on this one. but atleast gatling was an AMERICAN
Maxim was born in America and was paid to leave the country by Thomas Edison.
E: OK, I can't find a source on Edison paying him to leave the country so that may be apocryphal. In any case, he lived here for 40 years before leaving.
And what does being an AMERICAN have to do with anything?
Nothing, I was just trying to make Gatling look better.
You're wrong. The Puckle and the Belton both predate the Gatling by nearly and over a Century.
To answer the original question, I'm with the nuclear fission crowd.
