The M134 Minigun is an American 7.62x51 mm NATO six-barrel rotary machine gun with a high rate of fire (2,000 to 6,000 rounds per minute). It features a Gatling-style rotating barrel assembly with an external power source, normally an electronic motor. The “mini” in the name is a comparison to the larger-caliber designs that use a rotary barrel design, such as the General Electric’s earlier 20 mm M61 Vulcan, and “gun” for the use of rifle ammunition as opposed to autocannon shells.