MovieChat Forums > The Magnificent Seven (2016) Discussion > Gatling Gun Scene

Gatling Gun Scene

posted 8 years ago by KnightsWhoSayNii
7 replies | jump to latest

I enjoyed the movie until the ridiculous ending with the Gatling Gun. The Gatling Gun is no more accurate than any other rifle on the battlefield, it just had a higher rate of fire. I don't even know if a modern weapon like an M60 could have had the accuracy or firepower depicted in the film. So the gun is a half mile away and chews up the entire town?

I tried to suspend my disbelief, but it was just flat out too unrealistic and stupid.

Kind of ruined the movie for me.

[–] mail-2217 8 years ago

Well... not to mention that the 'army' just charges straight on with no strategy or tactics. Mighta been OK in a movie from the 40's, but come ooooooooooon.

Why? I came into this game for the action, the excitement... Listen, kid, we're all in it together.

[–] Movie_Riggs 8 years ago

Look up gatling guns. Some of them had pretty good ranges, and aim hardly matters with a gun like that. Unrealistic, but not 100%.

[–] dsmaz 8 years ago

The Magnificent Seven (2016)

The Gatling Guns used in the time period of this film were chambered in .45-70 Government, which had a muzzle velocity of 1.600 feet per second and a 300 grain lead bullet and had a range of well over a mile. In fact the Army's standard target in the time the caliber was used was a 6 x 6 wooden target at 600 yards, well over the distance shown in this film and the .45-70 round was also used to shoot bison (buffalo) in the late 1800's. So modest cover would not have saved you and the range for the Gatling gun in the movie was more than accurate.

[–] bryhain84 8 years ago

From that range the shots would not have been grouped as depicted, especially when they were swinging the barrel back and forth. Of course this isn't as bad as showing soneone tracking a far away target who swings the barrel across the screen instead of the barely discernible movement which would be accurate.

[–] jpmonette 8 years ago

I agree...and I doubt it would have had that much destructive power at that range as depicted in the film.

[–] polsixe 8 years ago

The only thing was they only reloaded once, the first magazine lasted several minutes, it wasn't the belt fed type, the mag was only 18" long.

[–] The-Destroyer-of-Worlds 8 years ago

Yeah i don't know a ton about gattling guns. I am almost certain the magazine capazity could not have been as great as depicted on the first magazine based on size alone. As far as range and power i am not that sure either but i did a quick google search to determine when smokeles powder was invented and it said 1884. So it was probably firing black powder which would befar less poweful that the same caliber round in a modern firearm. The grouping at that range did seem unrealistic, but maybe those guns were super duper accurate. I feel like they could have approached slower and brought the gun into a more effective range. Not sure why a larger, better equiped attacking force would be in such a hurry during this battle.