This 1960s US Military Gun Can Fire Up to 6,000 Bullets per Minute

24/7 Wall St. Insights

• The M134 Minigun could fire up to 6,000 rounds per minute, making it one of the most rapid-fire weapons introduced in the 1960s.
• Changing military needs, and an increasingly technological society, during the 1960s led to the development of military guns like the M16 assault rifle, which had a maximum range of over 11,000 feet.
• New military weaponry allowed the U.S. military some semblance of strategic control when facing conflicts like the Vietnam War or crises throughout the Cold War.
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Across the board, the 1960s represented a time of significant social and technological advancement. Innovations included new synthetic fabrics for clothing, LEDs, the ATM, and even video gaming systems. As the world changed, so did the United States’ military. The 1960s brought on the Vietnam War and the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia, among other crises, necessitating that the U.S. military’s weaponry be efficient, effective, and technologically savvy. Many famously well-known guns were manufactured and used during the time period, and weapon development in the 1960s shaped today’s military armament. (Here are the most powerful militaries of the 1960s).

Many dynamic weapons from this decade continued to influence small arms for years to come. This decade was privy to the development of anti-air countermeasures as well as grenade launchers. Although many were developed and discarded over the years, a handful still live on. (From flintlocks to future weapons, take a look at the evolution of firearms throughout history.)

Here, 24/7 Wall St. more closely examines the guns of the 1960s. To identify American military guns introduced in the 1960s, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed a catalog of small arms from Military Factory, an online database of military vehicles, arms and aircraft. We ordered these guns alphabetically. We also included supplemental information regarding type of small arm, year introduced, manufacturer, firing action, caliber and feed.

This post was updated on September 3, 2025 to clarify service entry dates and exclude weapons which were primarily civilian or developed in the 60s but not used until the 70s.

Why We’re Covering This

The 1960s saw significant advancements in firearms and new gun features. These weapons helped the U.S. establish power and control in Vietnam and during the Cuban Missile Crisis but have also shaped the defense industry for decades since. By exploring the American-made military guns introduced in the 1960s, we can better understand U.S. strategy during the Cold War and how changing weaponry suited military needs.

Here is a look at the American-made military guns introduced in the 1960s:

ArmaLite AR-18

• Type: Automatic rifle (mostly for export)
• Year introduced: 1969
• Manufacturer: ArmaLite
• Firing action: Gas-operated, rotating bolt, short-stroke piston
• Caliber and feed: 5.56x45mm NATO; 20-, 30- or 40-round detachable box magazine

CAR-15 Commando

• Type: Carbine variant of the M16
• Year introduced: 1966
• Manufacturer: Colt
• Firing action: Semi/full auto, gas-operated, locking bolt
• Caliber and feed: 5.56x45mm M193; 20- or 30-round detachable box magazine

China Lake Grenade Launcher

• Type: Pump-action grenade launcher
• Year introduced: 1968
• Manufacturer: China Lake Naval Weapons Center
• Firing action: Manually-actuated pump-action, repeat fire
• Caliber and feed: 40x46mm SR; 3-round tubular magazine

Colt M16

• Type: Assault rifle
• Year introduced: 1964-1966
• Manufacturer: Colt
• Firing action: Gas-operated rotating bolt
• Caliber and feed: 5.56x45mm NATO; 20- or 30-round detachable box magazine, 100-round beta C-Mag drum

FIM-43 Redeye

• Type: Man-portable air defense system
• Year introduced: 1968
• Manufacturer: General Dynamics
• Firing action: Blast fragmentation, tail-chase
• Caliber and feed: 70mm; Single shot

M134 Minigun

• Type: Six-barrel gatling gun
• Year introduced: Mid 60s
• Manufacturer: General Electric
• Firing action: Electrically driven, belt-fed
• Caliber and feed: 7.62x51mm NATO; 4,000-round linked belt

M28 / M29 Davy Crockett

• Type: Tactical nuclear recoilless rifle system
• Year introduced: 1961
• Manufacturer: Rock Island Arsenal
• Firing action: Manually actuated
• Caliber and feed: 120mm, 155mm; Single shot

M67 Recoilless Rifle

• Type: Portable anti-infantry / anti-armor weapon
• Year introduced: 1961
• Manufacturer: State Factories
• Firing action: Recoilless, reusable launch tube
• Caliber and feed: 90mm; Single-shot

M72 LAW

• Type: Anti-tank rocket launcher
• Year introduced: 1963
• Manufacturer: Talley Industries
• Firing action: Single shot disposable tube
• Caliber and feed: 66mm; Single-shot

M79

• Type: Grenade Launcher
• Year introduced: 1961
• Manufacturer: Various contractors
• Firing action: Single shot, breech-loaded, reusable
• Caliber and feed: 40x46mm; Single shot

Remington M40

• Type: Bolt-action sniper rifle
• Year introduced: 1966
• Manufacturer: Remington Arms
• Firing action: Bolt-action, rotating bolt
• Caliber and feed: 7.62x51mm NATO, .308 Winchester; 5-round integral box magazine

Smith & Wesson Model 76

Submachine gun Model 76 (CC BY-SA 2.0 DEED) by Staffan Vilcans

• Type: Submachine gun (developed for law enforcement and Navy SEALs; military adoption was niche)
• Year introduced: 1967
• Manufacturer: Smith & Wesson
• Firing action: Blowback-operated
• Caliber and feed: 9x19mm parabellum; 14-, 24- or 36-round detachable box magazine

Stoner 63

• Type: Modular assault weapon
• Year introduced: 1963
• Manufacturer: Cadillac Gage Company
• Firing action: Gas-operated, rotating bolt
• Caliber and feed: 5.56x45mm NATO; 30-round detachable box magazine, disintegrating link belt, 75-round drum

Winchester Model 1200

• Type: Pump-action slide shotgun
• Year introduced: 1968
• Manufacturer: Winchester Repeating Arms Company
• Firing action: Manual pump-action slide system
• Caliber and feed: 12-, 16- or 20-gauge; 4-, 5-, 6- or 7-shot capacity