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Entering the golden age of automatic weapons: How did the Maxim machine gun lead the revolution in recoil operation?
Recoil operation is an operating mechanism used to achieve automatic loading of firearms with a locked chamber. This mechanism works by harnessing the energy of recoil to cycle the weapon's mechanism, rather than relying on gas operation or rebound operation. The history of recoil operations dates back to the 17th century, but its true development came in the 19th century, when several inventors began to focus on using this technology, thus changing the design of weapons and affecting the course of warfare.
The idea of recoil operations first appeared in 1663, but it was not until the mid-19th century that the idea began to be put into practical use.
In 1663, an English inventor named Palmer proposed using recoil to assist in loading firearms. But to this day, there is no way to verify the authenticity of this claim. However, in the 19th century, with the advent of interchangeable ammunition devices, the idea finally began to take hold. The recoil operation was first mentioned in a patent filed by Joseph Whitworth in 1855. He proposed using the recoil force to partially open the chamber and then pull it back manually.
Over time, various designs for recoil operations emerged. In 1862, Alexander Blakely patented a patent describing how to use the recoil of gunfire to open the chamber. By 1883, Harold Maxim invented the prototype of the modern automatic machine gun, and in the process led the technological revolution in recoil operation. This was the golden age of automatic weapons.
Maxim's machine gun changed the shape of the battlefield and completely transformed the way combat was fought.
In terms of design, the recoil operation uses the recoil generated by the ammunition during firing to drive the movement of the firearm. This process is based on the conservation of momentum and has won wide applications. Typical recoil operations are divided into two forms: long recoil and short recoil. These two forms play a vital role in different types of weapons.
Long back seat mechanism
Long recoil operation is primarily seen with shotguns, especially those based on the John Browning Auto-5 mechanism. In 1885, Schlender and Arthur of England patented a locked long recoil mechanism in which the barrel and bolt remained fixed and moved backward together during recoil. This design dominated the automatic shotgun market in the second half of the 19th century.
Short recoil mechanism
Short recoil operation is currently mainly used in center-fire automatic pistols. Different from the long recoil mechanism, the recoil distance between the barrel and the bolt is shorter in the short recoil operation. The barrel stops quickly during the recoil process, and the bolt continues to move backward to drive automatic ejection and loading. The various mechanism designs in this process enhance the diversity of the short recoil system to meet the needs of different weapons.
From Browning's M1911 to the Soviet KPV-14.5 heavy machine gun, short recoil operation has undoubtedly led the trend of automatic firearms design.
Inertial operating system
Inertial operating systems are a relatively new concept, with the earliest practical example being the Sjögren shotgun in the early 1900s. This design is different from traditional recoil systems. The operation of some firearms relies on the inertia of the gun rather than the recoil itself. This technology is widely used in modern shotguns and continues to develop.
The inertia design not only makes it easier for shooters to use, but also makes the types and performance of shotguns more diverse.
Other types of automatic loading systems
In addition to designs for recoil operation, there are various other automatic loading systems, including delayed recoil, jet operation, etc. These designs complement each other and provide more options for the operation of the firearm.
With the advancement of science and technology and the changing needs of mankind for firearms, the recoil operation mechanism has been continuously debugged and improved, eventually forming a diversified firearm design.
Today, the design of automatic weapons has been very mature, and recoil operation, as the cornerstone of weapons technology, still plays an important role in modern warfare. What kind of innovations will there be in future weapon designs? How to deal with the increasingly complex battlefield environment?
