Abstract: A high power gas laser and, in particular, a high power continuous wave gas laser. The discharge chamber of the laser has a plurality of first electrodes. The electrodes of opposite polarity take the form of a coil. The first electrodes take the form of a plurality of metal pins protruding from the wall of the discharge chamber. Gas is introduced into the discharge chamber tangentially which circulates with a vortex type motion from the upstream instroduction point to the exit chamber where it is split and exits by a conical flow divider. A portion of the gas travels from the flow divider upstream due to the back pressure of the flow divider resulting in improved vortex flow in the discharge chamber and exits at the upstream end. The discharge chamber of the laser may assume a conical configuration.