With the trend of building AR-style SBRs or AR-pistols that use the 9mm magazine in the real steel and airsoft industries, Tippmann Armory just went crazy in building their own 9mm gun. How crazy? Well, it is a Tippmann Armory 9mm Gatling Gun!
When we hear about Tippmann, we always associate the name of Paintball, and in recent years Airsoft as well. But under the Tippmann Armory brand, they are in the airgun business with their Rolling Block series which are rifles that modern versions of the Remington rolling block Model 1 variation.
The 9mm design that was on display at the SHOT Show 2019 is a scaled down version of the 1865 Gatling Gun, a multi-barrel rotary cannon. Just like the original Gatling gun, it is a hand-cranked rotary gun rather than than a true automatic rotary cannon which we see in the form of the Vulcan minigun these days.
To feed this mini 9mm Gatling Gun, one can load 9mm Glock magazines. While it operates like the 1865 Gatling Gun, it does not totally look like as its wheels look more contemporary unlike that the original which of course uses the wheel designs seen in vehicles of the 19th Century. When fired the casings from the 9mm rounds fall to the bottom of the gun.
Now, the price you say? According to the company representatives at the SHOT Show 2019, the dealer price if US$3,000 which means the retail price will be higher ones retailers put in their markup. That’s a bit steep for something that you would put on display rather than bring it to the range for some handcranking action. But there will always be people with money to burn that will be interested in a novelty gun.
Will one be made for airsoft? It is doable given than there are already mini-guns in airsoft. I’m pretty sure that the power source will be HPA to make it work.
Here is a video from the Armory Blog for a quick walkthrough of the gun:
Photo source: Tippmann Armory on Facebook.