👉 The Maxim gun, developed by German engineer Max Reichenbach in 1884, was the world's first reliable automatic machine gun. It revolutionized warfare by enabling continuous, rapid-fire ammunition discharge, drastically increasing firepower and changing military tactics. Unlike earlier repeating rifles, the Maxim utilized a recoil system to cycle the barrel with each shot and a bolt-lock mechanism to prevent premature firing, allowing soldiers to maintain a steady rate of fire without manual reloading. Its introduction marked a significant shift towards more devastating and efficient combat strategies, impacting battles across the globe and setting the stage for modern armored warfare.
