Nordenfelt .45” Naval machine gun

01. Original name Nordenfelt 0.45” machine gun  
02. Other official names kulspruta m/1875  
03. Popular names   
04. Chamberings .45” Gardner (blackpowder)  
05. Designed by Swedish engineer, Helge Palmcrantz  
06. Design date 1873  
07. In service date(s) 1880s  
08. Adopted by British Royal Navy, Argentina Australia Austria-Hungary Brazil Chile China France Philippine Republic Portugal Spain Turkey United Kingdom United States Uruguay  
09. Production quantities   
10. Mechanism 5 barrels and a top hopper magazine (not fitted on the filmed example); the feed, firing, extraction and ejection cycle is achieved by manual movement of a horizontal lever. Other versions up to 12 barrels  
11. Weight   
12. Mountings Naval pedestal mounts featured quick release so that the mechanism could be stored below decks until needed  
13. Practicality in action A suitable weapon for use against the growing threat of torpedo boats  
14. Comments / Other information Nordenfelt Manually-operated 0.45” Hand operated Naval machine gun. Adopted by the Royal Navy in the 1880’s, chambered for the .45” Gardner round; had 5 barrels and a top hopper magazine (not fitted on the filmed example); the feed, firing, extraction and ejection cycle is achieved by manual movement of a horizontal lever. The Nordenfelt series of weapons was designed by a Swedish engineer, Heldge Palmocraz; production in the UK was financed by a Swedish banker, Thorsten Nordenfelt. During a demonstration held at Portsmouth a ten-barrelled version of the weapon, firing rifle calibre cartridges fired 3,000 rounds of ammunition in 3 minutes and 3 seconds without stoppage or failure