Empire Rising: Spain

Due to the extremely fast firing rate of the machine gun, we adopted the method of using a canvas belt for ammunition feeding, with a maximum capacity of 333 rounds.

We have implemented the most advanced return spring, ejector system, belt feeding mechanism, and acceleration mechanism in the firearms of the machine gun, using gunpowder gas as the power source. Just pulling the trigger completes the series of actions such as feeding, firing, and ejecting.

With such a machine gun, soldiers no longer need to load bullets while firing, thus saving a lot of time and strengthening the firepower of the machine gun itself.

According to our estimates, the maximum firing rate of this machine gun is 600 rounds per minute, and the barrel’s lifespan is 3,330 rounds.

The current major issue with this machine gun is that the barrel overheating can cause the entire machine gun to be scrapped, and it is difficult to have time to replace the barrel on the battlefield.

We are developing a water-cooled machine gun, which can dissipate heat more effectively than an air-cooled machine gun when there is a water source, extending the barrel lifespan to more than 7,000 rounds.

But even with the above drawbacks, this machine gun can still provide firepower in 5 to 10 minutes that far exceeds what rifles can achieve, helping our army gain greater advantages during offense or defense,” Maxim introduced his developed machine gun slowly, showing considerable confidence even when mentioning defects.

Maxim’s confidence naturally stems from the fact that the machine gun he developed has exceedingly powerful firepower compared to rifles.

Spain’s standard rifle, the Vitali M1872 Rifle, even in the hands of highly skilled soldiers, can only fire 10 to 15 bullets per minute at most.

The maximum firing rate of the Maxim machine gun is 40 to 60 times that of the Vitali M1872 Rifle, which means it takes the full firing effort of 50 soldiers to barely match the firepower of one machine gun.

However, the Maxim machine gun is not without its drawbacks in terms of firepower. Because the Maxim machine gun weighs 27.2 kilograms, at least two people are needed to carry the over 50-pound machine gun during march fighting.

Due to the extremely fast firing rate, the machine gun also requires a large supply of bullets. These bullets also need to be carried by many people, leading to the need for additional loaders, transportation soldiers, and orderlies to operate one machine gun besides the main and secondary gunners.

According to Maxim’s own estimates, to fully leverage the firepower of a machine gun, each machine gun requires at least 5 to 8 soldiers to manage it.

But compared to current rifles, the machine gun’s firepower is still quite superior. 5 to 8 soldiers can exert firepower close to that of 50 soldiers using rifles, which is already quite significant on the battlefield.

Upon hearing Maxim’s various introductions, Carlo nodded with satisfaction and subsequently, smiling, said, ”Mr. Maxim, these fellows are quite eager for the machine gun you mentioned. When can testing begin? I also want to see if this so-called machine gun is truly so magical.”

”It’s ready now, and we can start immediately.” Maxim replied promptly upon Carlo’s inquiry.

This test is something the Royal Military Factory has prepared for a long time, intended to directly showcase to Carlo and the generals behind Carlo the powerful firepower of the machine gun.

”Then let’s begin.” Carlo nodded.

With Carlo’s command, several experts familiar with the Maxim machine gun began to prepare for the pre-test work.

This time, the machine gun test is divided into several parts: First, directly demonstrating the machine gun’s maximum firepower and burst firing design; then, comparing with ten rifles, showcasing the immense firepower of the machine gun.

Next is testing the machine gun barrel’s lifespan and the time required for reloading.

Completing all these tests will fully showcase the machine gun’s advanced and powerful nature. For these military high-ranking officials, they can also judge whether this machine gun has any practical value on the battlefield.

The preparation work quickly concluded, and the machine gun test officially commenced.

The first test was the machine gun’s maximum firepower, a simple method: After replenishing the ammunition, outputting fully while timing for one minute.

Da-da-da! Da-da-da-da-da!

With a signal to start from the time-keeping expert, the Maxim machine gun operated by two gunners began unleashing its firepower.

Bullets rapidly fired from the muzzle, connecting in a stream and making the muzzle of the Maxim machine gun appear to be on fire.

meters away, a large tree trunk was continuously bombarded by the persistent stream of bullets, forming large bullet holes.

Before even one minute was up, the tree was bisected under the relentless onslaught of bullets. The military’s high-ranking officials couldn’t help but applaud, clearly satisfied with the machine gun’s firepower.

”Time’s up.” The time-keeping expert promptly notified the two gunners upon seeing the minute mark.

The machine gun ceased firing quickly, and the two gunners began to tally how many bullets were fired in total.

It’s actually pretty easy to calculate: there are 333 bullets in a canvas belt, and only one and a half belts were consumed within this minute. Counting the remaining bullets in the second belt allows a clear insight into how many bullets the Maxim machine gun fired in one minute.

After a brief count, the experts ultimately provided a very satisfactory figure of 592 bullets.

Of course, there is some time between the end of the marking and the stop of firing. But certainly, the maximum firepower of this Maxim machine gun is at least 550 bullets per minute.

Although Carlo didn’t express his attitude explicitly, his face’s smile showed that Carlo was quite satisfied with the performance of the machine gun before him.

The military high-ranking officials were evident; after achieving the figure of 592 bullets, all the military high-ranking officials, including Duke Serrano, were staring at this machine gun as if they wanted to hold it as they slept.

”Next, the second test: Single-shot firing and burst firing.” The testing expert explained briefly to Carlo and the military high-ranking officials before starting the preparations for the test.

Single-shot firing and burst firing are quite useful for machine guns. After all, the machine gun, as a ravenous beast consuming many bullets, makes it difficult for logistics to supply bullets at all times.

In some situations, single-shot firing can also allow the machine gun to play a role when it is short of bullets. Moreover, if it keeps firing in bursts, the machine gun’s barrel will quickly overheat and become scrapped, causing the entire machine gun to lose combat capability for a significant time.

Changing the machine gun barrel is quite troublesome and has to wait for the barrel to completely cool down before a replacement. Soldiers on the battlefield do not have heat-resistant gloves, and to avoid burns, they can only wait for the barrel to cool entirely.

The time wasted in this process takes at least about half an hour. This means if the machine gun barrel is scrapped, the machine gun will lose its function for the next half-hour or more.

Da-da-da!

Bam!

Bam!

Under the control of the two gunners, the Maxim machine gun demonstrated its methods of single-shot and burst firing, and the switching between them was quite stable.

This has made the military high-ranking officials more satisfied with the Maxim machine gun, even thinking about placing orders for the Maxim machine gun now.

If it weren’t for upcoming related tests, the military high-ranking officials would already be discussing orders with Maxim.

It is worth mentioning that although Maxim and others belong to the Royal Military Factory, the machine gun development project group is separate, and the Maxim machine gun belongs to this machine gun development project group.

All members of the project group naturally belong to Carlo. Carlo holds 95% of the stock of the machine gun development project group, with the remaining 5% distributed among other firearms experts.

Profits earned from future heavy machine gun orders will provide these experts involved in heavy machine gun development with 5% shares.

This is a reward from Carlo to improve their efficiency, giving them ample motivation when developing and improving the machine gun.

Of course, besides the 5% shares, the deserved rewards are also not skimped on. Carlo is quite satisfied with this machine gun test, and after the completion of all the tests, he awarded all firearm experts from the machine gun development project group with rewards, including checks and real estate.

As the head of the development team, Carlo gave Maxim the richest reward. Maxim not only received a property in the Madrid City Center, but also a check with a face value of ten thousand Pessetas.