A Rockwell CZ53 personal minigun is capable of firing 5mm rounds at over 60,000 RPM[1] with an ammunition capacity dependent on the type of feed mechanism. (120 round unknown[2], 200 round belt-fed drum[3], and 240 box – with accompanying extra belt backpack[4]) The CZ53 personal minigun makes up for the small 5mm round by sending a hail of bullets toward its target. Its sheer size, coupled with its trademark sound, is enough to send anyone in its path running for cover. It's a great weapon for suppressing fire, letting others flank the unsuspecting enemy.[5][6] When the Great War struck, it was already an aging design and was slowly being replaced by the more advanced CZ57 Avenger minigun.[7] The minigun was the favorite weapon of the Mariposa super mutant during the Unity's time, and allowed many of the super mutants to wield them effectively with only one arm.[8]
Characteristics[]
Being the most common big gun, the minigun is comparatively easy to find and repair, as well as one of the few big guns easy to find ammunition for; nearly every super mutant brute encountered with one has at least 30 5mm rounds for it. It is also carried extensively by Brotherhood of Steel units, Brotherhood outcast units, Enclave soldiers, as well as occasionally on some raiders, and slavers. This is offset somewhat by the minigun's high rate of fire quickly using up ammunition. Though it does use up ammunition as quickly as the Gatling laser, the minigun is designed as a sustained-firing weapon, and its rate of fire of 20 rounds per second means that it can use up 240 rounds in only 12 seconds of continuous firing. Because of this, those who intend to make use of it should buy additional ammunition, which is generally quite plentiful and cheap at shops.
When firing the minigun without V.A.T.S., there is a wind-up time between holding the fire button and when it actually fires. It usually takes under a second to begin shooting. This can be negated by tapping the fire button repeatedly to keep it spinning while not actually firing.
A fully-repaired minigun can fire 3333 5mm rounds, about 14 belt-feeder boxes, before breaking.
Variants[]
Eugene, a unique minigun that has notably better firepower.
Sim version Operation: Anchorage, a sim-only version of the weapon found only on American T-51b units, which differs only in health (essentially non-degrading).
The minigun is known to disappear from non-player character follower's inventories.
Brotherhood Outcasts occasionally hold the minigun like a rifle, without the ammunition box on their backs.
When using a minigun in 3rd person you cannot fire as far downward as you can in first person.
Bugs[]
PCPlayStation 3Xbox 360 Very rarely the minigun can actually jam while firing. The barrel will quickly move left and right as if the gun is repeatedly warming up but no bullets will fire.
A Brotherhood of Steel paladin shooting a feral ghoul with a minigun.
Use of the minigun in V.A.T.S.
Sounds[]
References[]
↑ 1.01.1In-game description: "{1200}{}{Minigun}" "{1201}{}{A Rockwell CZ53 Personal Minigun. A multi-barrelled chaingun firing 5mm ammunition at over 60,000 RPM. Min ST: 7.}" (PRO ITEM.MSG (Fallout), PRO ITEM.MSG (Fallout 2))
↑In-game description: "{38900}{}{Avenger Minigun}" "{38901}{}{Rockwell designed the Avenger as the replacement for their aging CZ53 Personal Minigun. The Avenger's design improvements include improved, gel-fin, cooling and chromium plated barrel-bores. This gives it a greater range and lethality. Min ST: 7.}" "name_lightMiniGun = {Avenger MiniGun}" "desc_lightMiniGun = {Rockwell designed the Avenger as the replacement for their aging CZ53 Personal Minigun. The Avenger's design improvements include improved, gel-fin, cooling and chromium plated barrel-bores. This gives it a greater range and lethality.}" (PRO ITEM.MSG (Fallout 2), Items.txt)