Although I have seen many photos of the 240-round Broadwell drum mounted on Gatling guns in use by the Royal Navy and the British Army, I have only one showing the Broadwell feed on an American naval Gatling gun. Specifically, it shows a long Gatling aboard USS Trenton, which served as a guinea pig warship for a variety of new ordnance. I know the Broadwell had its problems, with a short center spindle and two angled ribs on the base plate fitting two grooves atop the receiver (a different configuration from any other feed mounting) and held there merely by gravity. Too great an angle of the gun could cause problems with both the ammo feed and the retention of the drum atop the gun. Is it known if the Broadwell drum saw much use on USN Gatlings, and whether found on both long and short Gatlings?
As far as the Accles drum, I have seen it only in drawings, and only on short Gatlings. Can anyone expand on how common it was in USN service, on what specific Gatlings, and when used?
Thanks,
Nelson
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