A Swarm of Angry Bees: The American 180 .22LR Submachine Gun

Forgotten Weapons
Forgotten Weapons
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Published 2017-03-25
The American 180 is a .22 rimfire submachine gun that fires at 1200-1500 rounds per minute or more, and feeds from drums of 177 to 275 rounds capacity. While it makes a great recreational machine gun, it was actually initially developed with law enforcement sales in mind. The notion was that the .22LR cartridge posed a minimal danger of overpenetration and was extremely easy to control, and the many repeated hits that could be made with the American 180 would make up for its lack of ballistic effectiveness. And that's not necessarily incorrect.

Several law enforcement agencies did actually buy the guns, and one police shooting involving one is documented, from 1974. It never became really popular with police agencies, though, and production basically ground to a halt in 1986 when it became impossible to manufacture new machine guns for the civilian market.

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All Comments (21)
  • @locklear308
    "How do we make up for the 22LR not having that much power?" "Fuller auto"
  • @judgebigmansion3492
    This is the firearm equivalent of an airsoft AEG: - 180+ rounds per mag - vibrates instead of recoiling - rate of fire of a vulcan cannon
  • @asystole_
    The fact that they marketed it to law enforcement and didn't give it a semi-auto select fire capability is genuinely hilarious.
  • @jamesmcilvenny2294
    She weighs 4.5 kg and fires 5 cent bulk ammo cartridges at 1200 rounds per minute. It costs over 12 dollars to fire this weapon for 12 seconds.
  • @Chobittsu
    "Recreational machine gun" Probably one of the most American phrases I've ever heard.
  • @josephfranzen5626
    “How many rounds per minute?” completely straight face “All of them”
  • @xra1750
    Me: “Mom I want a Lewis gun” Mom: “we got Lewis gun at home” The gun:
  • @gangweed9979
    He forgot to mention that u can take it into casinos as a holdout weapon with high enough sneak
  • @MatthewDoye
    The gun you load all week and shoot on Sunday.
  • @Parrotchuter
    “A cool, fun, recreational machine gun”. Back to, phases that are incredibly American.
  • @sultanofsauce9816
    Favorite part: “This is about the closest thing you’ll get to owning a swarm of angry bees.”
  • @SvendleBerries
    A 290 round drum version in semi auto only? lol "So, how often would you like to have to reload?" "No."
  • @daddydoc1115
    "290 round magazine but it was only semi auto. It didn't sell well" I wonder why....
  • @infamoushacker4chan883
    "Hey hey, no full auto in the building!" "That's not full auto." "That's not full auto?" "This is full auto." 18:40
  • @puttputt524
    When people argue whether a glock, AR 15 or shotgun is best for home defense, I’m in the camp of full auto 22lr
  • @RZombie45
    “Want a Thompson or a Lewis gun?” Me: “yes”
  • @asherhockersmith8271
    Nothing like a red dot appearing on your chest to make you reconsider whatever mischief you might be up to
  • @Dekko-chan
    “22. : safer and less lethal” Most murica thing ever.