From:	"Robert Pendergrast (Tom)" <3011_3@***.EDU>
Subject:	Re: 6 gas vents on a minigun (was Re: Assault cannons)
Date:	Fri, 6 Dec 1996 10:43:34 -0700

> > One question about a minigun. Wouldn't the fact that the barrels are
> > spinning help offset recoil? You know, that principle about trying to
> > rotate something that is spinning? I don't remember the name off the top
> > of my head...
>
> Gyroscopes and all that? If something is spinning, it wants to keep the
> axis in the same direction -- it's what allows you to ride a two-wheeled
> bike without falling over.
>
> Unfortunately, two forces at straight angles don't influence each other,
> and because the bullet's flightpath (in theory, anyway) is at a straight
> angle to the way the barrels spin, the two don't interact. (I'd draw a
> diagram if I could, but ASCII sucks for this :)

Yeah, but isn't the penalty from recoil attributed to the barrel<s>
kicking the gun up at an angle? The spinning would counter that wouldn't
it? (BTW, I'm not speaking from ANY real life experience here, just SRII
and what little intuition I have.)

-Tom-