Commando Machine Gun

The Commando Machine Gun (1957) was not a standalone pinball or gun-game cabinet - it was a coin-operated simulation of a .50-caliber machine gun, manufactured by Chicago Coin Machine Manufacturing Company (announced in Cash Box in May 1957) and designed to be installed in banks of multiple guns at carnivals, fairs, and outdoor amusement parks, each aimed at a shared target gallery. Distinct from Chicago Coin's later, unrelated 1972 game of the same name, this version proved hugely popular, drawing demand from U.S. military Post Exchanges as well as international markets including Canada, Belgium, Sweden, Mexico, South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, and Italy - the company even advertised it in French as "Commando Mitrailleuse."

Electrically operated with no compressors or air hoses, each gun held up to 8,000 steel shots and fired them at high velocity. Players could press the trigger for an automatic three-shot burst or hold it down for a continuous stream, with the number of shots per coin adjustable by the operator (initially advertised up to 400, later expanded to a range between 130 and 525). Recommended target distance was 20 to 24 feet. Operators cleaned and lubricated the steel balls, optionally using a separately purchased automatic washing mechanism, before reloading the gun's hopper.

Demand for the Commando Machine Gun remained strong for years: Chicago Coin partnered with trailer builders to custom-build mobile gallery installations, and the game was still being promoted as of late 1960, with production continuing into at least 1962. Its success was significant enough that Chicago Dynamic Industries organized a dedicated "Commando Machine Gun Division" alongside its Chicago Coin and Genco divisions.