For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. N/SSA approved. Now, back to that non authoritative article. Roughly 2,900 were produced. A handful are known to have been made illegitimately in the UK by an unknown manufacturer, believed to be the London Armoury Company, but only two examples survive to the present day, and it is doubtful any of the English-made LeMats ever saw service during the U.S. Civil War.[7]. An accurate reproduction of the First Model LeMat, our Cavalry version has a nine-shot, .44-caliber cylinder and rifled 6-3/4 barrel. The central barrel is smoothbore and can function as a short-barreled shotgun (hence the name "Grape Shot Revolver"), with the shooter selecting whether to fire from the cylinder or the smoothbore barrel by flipping a lever on the end of the hammer. I'm just wondering if a break-top design could survive the force of a 20gauge. Was this gun meant for greater things if the world and war hadnt stood in the way? http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BQY/is_8_51/ai_n14694946/. The LeMat, however, married a legacy of repeating and multi-purpose arms to create, what he had hoped, would be the ultimate side arm of the military. GWII The Gambler's Royale - A Debonair Six-Shooter! Apparently, guy who has made way too many posts. EMF Company Copyright 2009-2023 All rights reserved. [3], LeMat hoped to market his adaptable revolver as a primary sidearm for dragoons and other mounted troops. LeMat Cartridge Conversion. The mid-1800s were a time in American history that gave birth to a number of innovative firearm designs, including this truly unique sidearm, also known as the Grape Shot Revolver. Roughly 2,900 were produced, developed in New Orleans in 1856 by Dr. Jean LeMat and backed by Pierre G.T. The basic idea is a revolver, in which the axle is a shotgun barrel, and you have a shotgun shell as well as 9 rounds of whatever ammunition you want. Modern reproduction of a LeMat cap and ball Revolver. If it were labeled in a shotgun gauge it would not be legal. From a legal standpoint, the fact that you can shove shotshells in there is a happy coincidence. The Le Mat revolver is considered the most awesome hand-held firing weapon ever produced. Beauregard, besides being LeMat's cousin, was one of the first U.S. Army officers to resign and join the Confederacy. A few years before the nuclear war broke out, people who loved the LeMat revolver made a model with modern improvements. var theDate=new Date() Good luck with that. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. The revolver uses #11 caps. The Man in Black is seen reloading his LeMat by breaking the weapon in half (the barrel and cylinder assembly from the frame), showing that the pistol has a . Made in Italy by Pietta. [3] While having better sales than its pinfire relative, the centerfire LeMat also had no real commercial success due to the invention of the double-action system. that addresses what you've just written. Dove tailed front sight and rear sight located on the hammer nose. [1], Approximately 900 revolvers were shipped to the Confederate States Army and 600 to the Confederate States Navy through Bermuda to avoid the Southern Naval Blockade. Most of our videos are about lever action rifles and other cowboy guns, including carbine and shotguns, sixguns, black powder, hunting, outdoors, and primitive skills. All of our LeMat defarbing is done in-house by Gunsmith David Stavlo. Could it be done? Uberti black powder revolvers are exact replicas of their famous predecessors, and are built to perform reliably and safely with modern black powder loads. I've never heard or read where the caliber of a firearm determines its legal status as either a handgun or a long gun. This nine-shot revolver with a 20GA single-shot barrel was a favorite among Confederate cavalry officers. The outbreak of the American Civil War provided a rare opportunity for all manner of weapons inventors and arms manufacturers to profit by offering their products to the war departments of either the Union or . They are going to be converted on the Cooper system i.e a cylinder cap with 9 firing pins in .38 S&W with the shotgun barrel staying percussion. The hammer was slightly too short to reliably fire it. of the National Firearms Act (NFA) and/or ATF Rule (etc.) Ashley Hlebinsky Beauregard. Are all smoothbore barrels under 18" SBS, even if the receiver never had a buttstock? And it might be more than a 9-shot cylinder, since the cylinder would rotate around the shotgun barrel! Grips are checkered two piece European walnut. GOB, you were not kidding! I live in Boise, so there are a couple (small) firearms manufacturers in the area, and CCI is up in Lewiston. Beauregard, who was to become a general with the Confederacy. smoothbore 6.75 round barrel made the LeMat a fearsome weapon to face. Either ATF didn't care on that one and never bothered to pursue it, or it was designated a sporting cartridge. Serial Number: 12150. . 42 or . But that means a smoothbore barrel. Copyright 2022 Federal Firearms All Rights Reserved. It's got the look of the originals but the bore of an reproduction. The original was a 16 guage shotgun, but besides being very rare, this would be quite a handfull. The LeMats that found their way through the U.S. Navy blockade were stamped with British proof marks from the Birmingham Proof House, leading to the misapprehension that the pistols were manufactured in the UK. Berdan's Sharpshooters,' this green jacketed regiment of volunteers left a lasting legacy on small unit tactics and modern warfare. The Lemat revolver was a .42 or .36 caliber cap & ball black powder revolver invented by Jean Alexandre LeMat of France, which featured an unusual secondary 20 gauge smooth-bore barrel capable of firing buckshot. N-SSA approved. The final models of the LeMat were produced in .36 or .44 caliber in response to these criticisms, but too few of them managed to get past the Union blockade of the South during the Civil War to be of any actual use. The cylinder held both .40 and .42 ammunition and a larger .60 caliber/20 gauge shotgun ammunition. It saw service with the armed forces of the Confederate States of America during t Carried BP before that. General Beauregard's personal engraved LeMat, which he carried throughout the war, is preserved at the Museum of the Confederacy in Richmond, VA. I think 20 guage is the limit of what could be reasonably handled, and even that may be too much. Looks this is not the 1st time this thought has come up in other places: You an attorney? ". The Mossberg "Just in Case" is a Title 1 "firearm," not a "shotgun," because it does not possess a buttstock, and hence is not intended to be fired from the shoulder, but the barrel is 18" or greater and the OAL is 26" or greater so it is not a Title II firearm. As a result, LeMat sought manufacturing outside of the United States. GERMAN WWII SPANISH CROSS NEXT OF KIN MEDAL, Tacsol X-Ring Takedown TSS Barrel Matte Black, 4229 Royal Ave STE. Word was they got BATF exemption, but it has never went into production. The LeMats minimal use during the Civil War was in the hands of the Confederacy. Russian Slug Reload Accuracy With Fired Extra High Brass Hulls At The Range, Pistol Z Challenge: Franken Pistol: S&W Victory TandemKross Volquartsen: Sk Pistol match Special. The judge gets by with it because of that, and being rifled I believe. Initial intentions were to market it to the U.S. Army, partnering with LeMats wifes cousin Major P.G.T. [2], Last edited on 20 February 2023, at 00:27, armed forces of the Confederate States of America, U.S. Patent 15,925 issued on 21 October 1856, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=LeMat_Revolver&oldid=1140415441, This page was last edited on 20 February 2023, at 00:27. A forum community dedicated to survivalists and enthusiasts. The Custom LeMat revolver is used by the Man in Black. Pistols. were made by John Krider of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1859, including the first 250 prototypes. If you want a 20 ga shotgun in a pistol without it being considered a title II weapon, make the shotgun barrel a muzzle loader. The LeMat revolver was a .42 or .36 caliber cap & ball black powder revolver invented by Dr. Jean Alexandre LeMat of New Orleans, which featured an unusual secondary 16 gauge smooth-bore barrel capable of firing buckshot. The cylinder is 9 shot .44 caliber. When war broke out, LeMat received Confederate contracts for the production of 5,000 revolvers, and plans were laid to manufacture the gun abroad and then import them into the Confederacy, which lacked the necessary facilities to produce the weapon locally. Imagine so, but most likely it would end up being 410, so then whats the point? LeMat originally chambered his pistol for .40 (or .42) caliber revolver bullets, with a .60 (20 gauge), Lemat Revolvers for sale (Lemats revolver for sale). At least with rifle calibers. No box but have original manual. cylinder and rifled 6.75 octagonal barrel with 1:30 twist. Many designers and companies waited in the wings for the patents to expire in the 1850s, years before the Civil War began. They made a LeMat carbine. Contact us to learn more about firearms that guarantee an awesome shooting experience. Still, as these were non-standard ammunition sizes (.36 or .44 caliber were most common for contemporary revolvers), LeMat owners had to cast bullets (instead of being issued from general military stores). You can post now and register later. Contact Form 7 or GravityForms plugin is required! An accurate reproduction of the first model LeMat, this Cavalry version has a nine-shot. (A 2.5" .410 000 buckshot load only has 4 balls of shot. I'd want at least a 3" .410 for more shot. Reference the photo below: I was able to have this done legally, due to the Savage Arms action being 'non-designated' from the factory. Quality concerns prompted LeMat to consider production at the Birmingham Small Arms Company in Birmingham, England, but production was never mounted there. The revolvers were manufactured in Paris in 1864 and many senior Confederate officers carried LeMat revolvers. The USAS 12 and streetsweeper were killed by name in the act, but they threatened that they could have killed them as weapons greater than .50 even if they had not been named. With todays metallurgy it is totally unnecessary for a revolver to have a gap. 1861 Models; 1862 Models . Chamber one in .308 over 3" 12ga. The newer models were generally unsophisticated, even if effective and innovative weapons. Smoothbore pistols are specifically defined as AOWs. Nine .44 cal rounds and one .20 Gauge Shotgun all in a hand held revolver. These rare revolvers were known to be a favorite of many high ranking Confederate officers. The Pietta LeMat Cavalry .44-Cal. Part revolver, part shotgun, the Le Mat was a favorite of several noteworthy Confederate officers during the Civil War. United States distributors include Navy Arms Company, Dixie Gunworks and Cabela's. Canadian Distributors include Marstar Canada, among others. Not sure how that would work, only reason the LeMat works is the barrel being the cylinder pin. downside instructions are less than fundamental. Obviously, the LeMat revolver was not as successful as the namesake would have hoped. It is estimated that 2,900 were produced in Lige, Belgium, and Paris, France. Besides, I think a 12gauge might be a little hard on the wrist, if you shot it as a pistol. The LeMat Revolver The introduction of multi-shot revolvers and rifles gave settlers and hunters a new and distinct advantage over the single shot belt pistols and long rifles of an earlier era. By http://img436.imageshack.us/img436/2671/50bmghandgun21vr.jpg. And at least with reproductions, you have a better opportunity to fire the gun. Ste., 1-D, Santa Ana, CA 92705 | 800-430-1310 | 949-261-6611 | Fax 949-756-0133. A "shotgun" reciever which never had a stock, would be classified as a AOW. First off, forget the shotgun barrel. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. Early second model French-made LeMat revolvers are even rarer to come across, making them extremely desirable for collectors. & Y. and Amoskeag), Remington 1858 New Model, .36 Navy and .44 Army, Colt Walker, 1st Model Dragoon & Whitneyville Hartford, Colt Baby Dragoon, Wells Fargo and Pocket Revolvers, M1859,1863 & 1874 Sharps Rifles and Carbines, Bags, Boxes, Lock Covers & Powder Storage. It saw service with the armed forces of the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War of 1861-65 and the Army of the Government of National Defense during the . Also, ATF measures handgun bore diameter differently than they measure rifle bore diameter - .50 BMG actually throws a .51 caliber bullet, which is okay for rifles, not for handguns (measuring land to land vs. groove to groove in the bore). The LeMat revolver was a . In total, just under 3,000 LeMat revolvers were produced between 1856 and 1865. United States distributors include Navy Arms Company, Dixie Gunworks and Cabela's. Canadian distributors include Marstar Canada, among others. the damn thing will be HEAVY, but FUN! Dixie Gunworks Army model LeMat revolver Caliber: .44 (revolver), 20 ga shotgun Barrel: 6.75 inches OA Length: 14 inches Weight: 3 pounds 8 ounces Capacity: 9 rounds (revolver), 1 round (shotgun) Sights: Large cone front sight, hammer nose rear sight Finish: Blued steel Action: Single action revolver, single shot shotgun [3], LeMat originally chambered his pistol for .40 (or .42) caliber revolver bullets, with a .60 (20 gauge) smoothbore barrel, and had a jointed ramrod (mounted on the right-hand side of the frame), which was used to load both barrels. Back in the late '70's-early '80's there were a number of guns like these built on Smith N-frames but they were pricey then, let alone now. David's LeMat work was recently featured in the Fall 2017 issue of. Raven Beauregard, who was to become a general with the Confederacy. For the Red Dead Redemption 2 variant, see LeMat Revolver (RDR 2). Saiga-12.com Corporation Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service. Additionally, the loading process with the utilization of a ramrod was not convenient, especially considering the development of rear loading cylinders around the same time. Same process as SBS/SBR/etc., but the transfer tax is only $5. , Dixie Gun Works. October 2019 edited October 2019. There are a metric shit load of break top 12ga singles around, this is a do-able project! The design of the LeMat Revolver is based on a real life LeMat Revolver.The in-game version of the weapon is manufactured by D.D. It saw service with the armed forces of the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War of 1861-65. He secured a U.S . 36 caliber shots from a top barrel, while the lower barrel delivered a massive 16 gauge shotgun blast. During testing, the revolver fired 170,000 rounds of .357 magnum ammunition and was still in spec at the end of testing. Made by Uberti. N/SSA approved. Handguns are the most common group of firearms. Beauregard, who was to become a general with the Confederacy. The Civil War-era LeMat revolver is one of those rare oddity weapons that is so rare, collectors might consider a modern reproduction model for two reasons: Not only does it cost much less than an original antique-you can fire it too. The action is smooth and tight. This gun was built by a world class gunsmith (that would be me). Blue finish with case hardened frame and Blade front sights. David lightly sands the checkering to simulate wear before the grips are stained dark and sealed with an oil finish. Other than that, "rifle" or "pistol" caliber isn't really relevant. . anyway, is it possible to recreate one of these? LeMat Revolver, USA 1855 Made of cast metal (zamak) Can be cocked and dry fired like the original Non-firing replica. Just $1 per month , The LeMat fires a .42-caliber bullet from a rifled barrel, and 20-gauge from a second barrel below, By If you built a modern-day LeMat revolver that used a 20-gauge fixed cartridge in a barrel with a smooth bore, the result would be an AOW. This infamous revolver is must-have addition to any black powder collection! I'm not all that impressed with the ballistics I've seen for .410 out of a Judge, but I imagine it is sufficient at bad breath range. Others become highly collectible. Your email address will not be published. Wilderness Survival, Hiking and Camping Forum. The octagonal rifled barrel is 6 3/4" long. Beforehand, I spoke to Odin's James Dennis, who knew the Outlaw guys would turn to engraving, so he went a different route. Accurate details like the swivel lanyard ring and trigger guard spur duplicate those found on originals. Tomahawks & Tomahawk Parts and Accessories, M1826 and M1836 Water's and Johnson Pistol, M1861 Special Musket (Colt,L.G. It was developed in New Orleans in 1856 by Jean Alexandre Le Mat, whose manufacturing effort was backed by P. G. T. Beauregard, who became a general in the Confederate States Army. I was thinking about how 12gauge shotguns are allowed to throw a .67 caliber slug, because they are labled as 12 gauge (and meet ANSI Specs for those shells), and not .67 caliber, even if they have rifled barrels. Would it be feasible to recreate this, perhaps in .357 mag/[.410/28/20 guage]? The finished pistol is a near perfect copy of the original Confederate-imported LeMats. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. Really? The drilling though was the opposite of a LeMat, typically featuring a double barrel shotgun with a single rifled barrel below, creating an upside-down triangle. This worn finish gives the gun the look of a 150 year old original while allowing the gun's bore, chambers and mechanism to remain in new condition. JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. The LeMat is a cap and ball revolver with a single-shot, smooth bore barrel of buckshot beneath the main barrel, allowing players to switch between revolver and shotgun ammunition at their leisure. The user of this pistol was able to switch between revolver and shotgun using a pivoting striker on the hammer. PLEASE point us to the section/title/code (etc.) Beauregard, who was to become a general with the Confederacy. The closest I can think of would be the Judge and it's copycats, but I don't know of one that has the two barrels like the LeMat. MEC Sizemaster 12 Gauge Single Stage Shotshell Reloading Press (812012). . This nine-shot revolver with a 20GA single-shot barrel was a favorite among Confederate cavalry officers. Canadian distributors include Marstar Canada, among others. It would be a big heavy ungainly thing in anything modern vs a front stuffer. The LeMat was designed in 1855 (patent received in 1856). No shotguns with shorter than an 18" barrel and they also can't be less than 26" total or else you need a $200 tax stamp. Working closely with manufactures, Taylor's firearms are crafted to our specifications using high-quality machining, and innovative designs; all part of Keeping The Legend Alive! Which are effectively secret. The Pietta company of Brescia, Italy has manufactured modern reproductions of the LeMat revolver since 1985. The buyer will supply a signed copy of local dealer's . Once registered as such, the action's serial number is to forever remain so (such is my understanding anyway). per usual, it's not the NFA but the friggen ATF that plagues Americans with nefarious problems. Nothing about Title II designation came up. [3], In addition to General Beauregard and Colonel LeMat, LeMat's revolver was used by such famous Confederate officers as Major Generals Braxton Bragg, J. E. B. Stuart, Richard H. Anderson, and Captain Henry Wirz. I'd like to make a modern version that I don't have to front-load. Patented in 1856 by Jean Alexandre LeMat, a Frenchman living in New Orleans at that time, the revolver was a cap and ball muzzle-loader featuring a central smoothbore shotgun barrel, which also served as the axis for an enlarged revolver cylinder, typically .42-cal, that fired down a longer 6.75-inch parallel barrel. The Le Mat revolver is considered the most awesome hand-held firing weapon ever produced. 36 caliber cap & ball black powder revolver invented by Dr. Jean Alexandre LeMat of New Orleans, which featured a rather unusual secondary 16 gauge smoothbore barrel capable of firing buckshot, and saw service with the armed forces of the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War of 1861 - 1865. Developed in New Orleans in 1856 by Dr. Jean LeMat and backed by Pierre G.T. Confederate gun runners were able to slip shipments of the gun through the U.S. Navy blockade, and it is estimated that about 2,500 made it into Confederate service. Made in Italy by Pietta. I think there's a reason none of these gimmicky guns last long on the market. TheLeMat revolverwas a .42 or .36calibercap & ballblack powderrevolverinvented byJean Alexandre LeMatofFrance, which featured an unusual secondary 20gaugesmooth-bore barrel capable of firingbuckshot. 5 yr. ago Yeah, with room for rimmed caridges, a big center chamber and two barrels that thing is going to weigh a ton. The LeMat revolver, one of the coolest guns in Civil War collecting. Made By Pietta. The revolver would be fine addition to any collection of Civil War handguns or Confederate collection and is certainly priced very . The mid-1800s were a time in American history that gave birth to a number of innovative firearm designs, and this truly unique, unusual sidearm was also known as the Grape Shot Revolver. Developed in New Orleans in 1856 by Dr. Jean LeMat and backed by Pierre G.T. I would love to see one made that cammed the cylinder into the barrel like a Nagant. I've got to take Gary's tack here, what ruling? (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); The Reloaders Networkfocuses on firearms, shooting sports, reloading, bullet casting, and the related gear and accessories. LeMat had a contract to make his gun for the Confederate states. But what about its design? There is an extraordinary collection of LeMats from the Clifford Young estate to be sold April 26, 2016, at Cowan's Auction in Cincinnati, and the remainder of his over 30 LeMats to be sold at a later sale. It looks like present political tides are in our favor, and doubtless there would be strong public opposition. A pivoting striker on the hammer is used to . Just leave that alone and make no attempt to convert it. So you would be stuck with a single action style weapon. The conical ball cast by the LeMat mold throws a heavy punch and the shot capacity is unmatched in any BP revolver. Many firearms that do not see immense success become a forgotten chapter in history. Gambler's Royale. After the introduction of cartridge-firing firearms, the LeMat system appeared in pinfire, but this version is exceedingly rare. Later, during the American Civil War, a lighter .35-caliber pistol with a .55-caliber (28-gauge) smooth bore barrel was produced. In his collection is found the lowest serial number . Contact us to learn more about firearms that guarantee an awesome shooting experience. IMI used conventional rifling in their prototype pistols, but went with polygonal rifling in their production .50 Desert Eagles. Unlike other wedge retained black powder revolvers, the Le Mat is . The most notable historic example is known as the drilling. This site uses cookies to improve your experience. Effective range of the LeMat was, Be the first to review LEMAT REVOLVER 44 CALIBER. Beyond the realm of self-defense was a tradition of hunting that combined rifles and shotguns into one firearm. This revolver features a Walker style grip, square brass trigger guard, steel backstrap, and oval notches on the cylinder. The player will need to acquire this weapon to achieve 100% completion. It saw service with the armed forces of the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War of 1861-65. Original "COL. LEMAT" markings are present on the barrel. These are available in a limited quantity. Ed Harris' LeMat Conversion Revolver in HBO's WestWorld - YouTube 0:00 / 5:18 Ed Harris' LeMat Conversion Revolver in HBO's WestWorld Forgotten Weapons 2.51M subscribers Subscribe 816K views. So it is impractical to use that angle and enforce it consistently.