Leonardo da Vinci designed an organ gun, a multi-barrel weapon intended to fire repeated volleys.
The design arranged many small gun barrels in rows, resembling the pipes of a musical organ. Because several barrels could be loaded and fired in sequence, the weapon was meant to increase the speed and density of fire compared with a single cannon or hand gun.
Leonardo’s military studies included numerous proposals for artillery, fortifications, bridges, and battlefield machines. The organ gun was a design concept rather than a famous battlefield weapon personally produced by Leonardo. Its practical operation would have depended on loading, ignition, recoil control, and the strength of its supporting frame.
The name can cause confusion because organ guns are also a broader class of historical multi-barrel firearms. Leonardo’s version is significant as an example of his attempt to solve a military problem through repeated fire and coordinated barrel placement.