My first gun design...

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fractal

Guest

• Feb 11, 2004

• #1

I have been wanting a .22 caliber Gardner gun for many years and I finally have the project to a point where it is very viable. The model was completed last night and will be taken to the SHOT show in Las Vegas tomorrow. It is a hand crank rapid fire gun from the 1870's, a contemporary of the Gatling. I am hoping that these guns will some day be regarded as highly as the Furr gatling guns. I am planning to make 100 of them. So, guy, what do you think of the model?

[This message has been edited by fractal (edited 02-11-2004).]

 

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fractal

Guest

• Feb 11, 2004

• #2

This is the other side of the gun.

 

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frbush

Aluminum

Joined

Dec 18, 2002

Location

Mesquite,Texas,USA

• Feb 11, 2004

• #3

fractal looks great. Hope you do well at the show. I am building three .22 cal. gatlings for the grand kids right now so I know how much work you are going through. Would like to see the inside of a Gardner as I don't have the slightest idea of how the work. What was your starting point?

 

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dnsbss

Plastic

Joined

Dec 8, 2002

Location

meraux,LA,USA

• Feb 11, 2004

• #4

Don"t want to throw cold water on your project,but I hope that the mag doesn't hold more than 10 rounds, maybe that stupidity will go away in Sept. THE GUN IS BEAUTIFUL !!!!!!!!!!

 

F

fractal

Guest

• Feb 11, 2004

• #5

frbush...My starting point was a lot of luck. I found two owners of original Gardner guns that were willing to let me completely disassemble and examine their guns. Lots of photos and measurements and then I found a complete set of prints to back everything up. I then redesigned it all in 3D for .22Magnum. Which Gatlings are you building? The two sets that I've seen on the market are very different from the original design.

Dnsbss, the stick magazine you see is not really a magazine, just a model. I have a letter from the ATF exempting Bruce feeds from the mazine capacity ban. After the show, I will be submitting the model for a complete classification and review. I am hoping to have it classified as a Title 1 gun in the same line as the Furr Gatlings and Tippmann miniatures. We will have to wait and see exactly how things shake out. I am preparing a pretty exhaustive package that will hopefully allow this project to go through. Worse case, it's a "Any Other Weapon" with all the NFA regs attached and subsequently tiny customer base. All I know is that I will have my Gardner...and hopefully some other people will to!

 

S

sandman2234

Titanium

Joined

Jan 8, 2003

Location

Jacksonville, Florida, USA

• Feb 11, 2004

• #6

Just where does the bullet come out? Appears to have some sort of cover over the end of the barrel. Is that removable?
Nice work. What is the overall length of it?
David from Jax

 

F

fractal

Guest

• Feb 11, 2004

• #7

Actually the cover on the front end has holes for TWO barrels. The main action consists of a reciprocating lock (bolt) and fixed barrel. They multiplied this by as many as ten times. This gun is the two-barreled version.

 

O

ossi

Aluminum

Joined

Mar 6, 2003

Location

Iceland

• Feb 11, 2004

• #8

Beautifullllllllllllllll

 

B

BobB

Cast Iron

Joined

Dec 24, 2003

Location

United States of America

• Feb 12, 2004

• #9

Exellent !

Got any prints ?

 

M

medicmike

Plastic

Joined

May 15, 2002

Location

Southern Oregon

• Feb 12, 2004

• #10

That looks great! If you ever got prints available for sale I am sure they will do well!

 

J

Jaymo

Aluminum

Joined

Jul 3, 2002

• Feb 21, 2004

• #11

I LIKE it!!!!!!
Want one of those.

 

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fractal

Guest

• Feb 24, 2004

• #12

I took the design to the SHOT show in Vegas two weeks ago to gauge interest and I feel it was pretty successful. My friend is making the full size replicas and the two make quite a pair. The American Rifleman magazine and television show will be doing a show on them in the near future. My apologies to the guys looking for plans, but that will have to wait until after my production. Here is a picture from the show...

[This message has been edited by fractal (edited 02-24-2004).]

 

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frbush

Aluminum

Joined

Dec 18, 2002

Location

Mesquite,Texas,USA

• Feb 26, 2004

• #13

fractal, I am using a set of plans that I got from RG-G in Colorado. I have made alot of modifications to the original drawings.

 

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fractal

Guest

• Feb 26, 2004

• #14

frbush, there is a guy down south that sells a set that I thought looked great. I have about half of the prints done in 3D and will try to make a couple in the near future. I posted some drawings from my gun on my new website. I think they are pretty cool...cutaway stuff. You can see them at www.gardnerguns.com ->History ->Design. It's a lot of work getting this to production, but I'm having fun.

 

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fractal

Guest

• Feb 28, 2004

• #15

MUCH BETTER!!!
Finally getting the tripod going. I also finally figured out the blueing and am getting GREAT results. BTW, thats a 12L14 steel being used on all externally visible pins, handles, legs, etc. Machining the curvy little handle on the back was fun. She will be even better by the end of the day. Also, I've updated the website and anyone that was hoping to see the pictures can do so now...sorry for the down time. I'm trying to find a good place to photograph the gun and be able to show its size. It's shown on our dresser in the photo below.

Enjoy...Joe

[This message has been edited by fractal (edited 02-28-2004).]

 

Z

ztarum

Hot Rolled

Joined

Feb 22, 2003

Location

Mickleton, NJ USA

• Aug 17, 2004

• #16

Any new progress on your project? From what I can see on your web page it looks fantastic!