Book Review—Death Rattle: The British Soldier’s Machine Gun 1870 - 2015

by
posted on June 13, 2019
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
death-rattle.jpg

"Whatever happens, we have got The Maxim gun, and they have not.“ — Hilaire Belloc, The Modern Traveller (1898)

John Hutchins’ book, Death Rattle, is the definitive treatise on the machine gun as used by British forces from 1870-2015. Gatlings, Gardners, STEN’s and Brens (as well as dozens of others) are covered in great detail and supported by shockingly clear and detailed photos of the guns and their accouterments. Close up detailed photos show how each gun functioned, and a substantive number of period photos show soldiers using the guns during their long and storied history.

This is not your typical “gun book” as you may be used to perusing. The introduction, “30,000 Operations,” gives the reader a look at many of the contemporary thoughts and reviews on the whole idea of the machine gun entering into the service of the British military. Essays on the technological advances and reactions as to the morality of the use of such a “weapon of mass destruction” provide an interesting commentary on the subject matter at hand. The closing chapter, “The Future,” also deals with the question of the 20th century arms race. Given chemical and nuclear choices, does the machine gun represent the furthest man is willing to take his technological advances in warfare? Interesting thoughts to ponder while also learning how Maxim’s 1881 design evolved into the Vickers—eventually the bane of trench-dwelling infantry during the Great War (1914-1918).

While most books of this nature have dwelled mostly on American Browning designs and Maxims, this is the first book to clearly delineate the evolution of British automatic firearms from their infancy to current use. From crew-served Gatlings to the Minimi, every model and type are thoroughly documented in the 512-page tome. Well indexed, this is a “must have” for any shooter or collector of these workhorses of the Empire. tommyatkinsmedia.co.uk

Latest

Gotw Wilson Combat Divison 77 Project 1 Web
Gotw Wilson Combat Divison 77 Project 1 Web

Gun Of The Week: Wilson Combat Division 77 Project 1

Join American Rifleman staff on the range in this video to get a closer look at Wilson Combat’s somewhat cryptically named “Division 77 Project 1.” 

The Armed Citizen® July 18, 2025

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

Review: POF-USA LMR BASE Rifle

The Patriot Ordnance Factory LMR Base offers a .308 Win. chambering in a lightweight, AR-15-size package, which makes it a capable platform for today's new gun owner. And it comes at a fair price.

2025 Accessory Of The Year: Wyoming Sight Drifter

For each of the past 23 years, the editors of American Rifleman have convened to select our top picks for the past year’s best and most innovative products. Here are the most recent winners.

Henry Donates Rifles To Support Young Leukemia Victim

Henry Repeating Arms has donated a limited run of 50 “Team Keane” Golden Boy .22 lever-action rifles to support 13-year-old Keane Rhodes of Universal City, Texas, who is currently undergoing aggressive treatment for ALL T-cell leukemia.

Rifleman Review: Springfield Armory Echelon

Springfield Armory introduced its Echelon in 2023, bringing a modernized, chassis-style, striker-fired handgun to the market that has since seen several notable line extensions.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.