File:NORDENFELT RAPID-FIRE GUN.jpg

English: Manufactured by Maxim-Nordenfelt, London, England - Nordenfelt 5-barrel rapid-fire gun. Fed by from an overhead hopper which on the forward stroke a carrier block delivered the cartridge into line with the barrel. Breechblock then moved forward to chamber the rounds and an action block, containing the firing pins, moved in behind the breechblock and lined up with the caps of the cartridges. As the handle reached the end of the forward stroke, the firing pins were tripped and the barrels fired. On the return stroke of the lever the action block moved away, the breech opened and extracted the empty cartridge cases, and the carrier block moved into place to collect a fresh loading of cartridges from the hopper. The whole action was very robust and very reliable and it could handle virtually any size of cartridge in complete safety. The hopper is missing on this piece. The Nordenfelt remained in British service until 1903. According to Army records this weapon was taken from a Spanish ship. Although there is no confirmation, there is a belief that this weapon came from the Vizcaya.