Talk:Full-automatic (military)

Real human beings firing Miniguns

It's open to question whether "real human being" is the ideal phrase, but I really did not want to use something as neutral as "himself or herself", in getting across the idea of unreality in action movies. Now, I happen to have a high regard for Arnold Schwarzenegger's genuine comedic talent, and I know the man has a fine ability to laugh at himself. Nevertheless, there's a clip from Predator in which, IIRC, he's firing a 7.62mm rotating-barrel machine gun from the hip.

Offhand, there isn't physical room on his body to carry the amount of ammunition that he apparently fired, not even addressing the weight. The particular machine gun is not self-contained in the sense of being gas- or recoil-operated, but uses an electric motor. Where's the battery or recoil? When it comes to the noise and recoil, even a helicopter gunner, firing such a weapon from a mount, still has to exert a fair amount of muscle strength to keep it in the right direction, and must have ear protection.

Rambo doesn't do much better. In the average action movie, it's a tossup as to whether that the hero couldn't possibly, from a volume standpoint ignoring weight, carry all the ammunition he fires, or whether he'd never fire that much because the recoil would put him flat on his back.

Howard C. Berkowitz 09:01, 17 July 2008 (CDT)