Leonardo da Vinci sketched an organ gun, a multi-barreled weapon with many small guns arranged in rows.
The design resembles a large musical organ because its barrels were grouped in parallel lines. The arrangement was intended to fire multiple projectiles and could be adjusted or reloaded in stages. Leonardo proposed versions with barrels mounted on a frame, combining concentrated fire with a relatively organized layout.
The term “organ gun” is broader than Leonardo’s design. Historical organ guns appeared in different forms and were used by several armies, especially in Europe and Asia. Some were hand-held, while others were mounted on carriages or defensive platforms.
Leonardo’s sketch should not be confused with a machine gun in the modern sense. It did not use automatic loading, continuous fire, or a modern cartridge system. Its practical effectiveness would have depended on barrel quality, ammunition handling, ignition, and crew coordination.