LeMat revolver (How are you doing Mec?)

[Rachen]

Hi to all of you guys, I am new to this forum, but I have been at the blackpowder forum at Voy.
I might acquire a beautiful Cavalry LeMat revolver and if anybody owns one here, can you help me out?
I just want to know the firing characteristics, maximum loads that you guys used, and the characteristics of the entire revolver in general.
Thank you.

 

[mec]

links to old posts:
http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=178831&highlight=lemat

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=85457&highlight=LeMat

 

[deadin]

Neat gun! However, they are heavy. I found the grip to be very awkward and unless you have strong, large hands they are almost impossible to cock one-handed. I had problems with the balls wanting to back out under recoil. It seems the chamber mouth was slightly narrower than the chamber proper and was swaging the balls a little too much when seating them. I used a ream to chamfer the mouths a little and this helped.

Dean

 

[mec]

The chamber mouth problem is not too surprising but I had two of them at one time or another and both were dementioned correctly and worked very well in the revolver mode. Shot Barrel ignition provided a lot of problems and the loading lever tends to bounce all over the place. The grip and overall weight are odd alright.

 

[deadin]

I forgot about the loading lever problem. Yes! (It's been a few years)
I never did get to fire the shotgun barrel. My range wouldn't allow it. I did pop a few caps on it and seem to remember that it wasn't very reliable.

As an aside, I had called Navy Arms about getting a parts list and owners manual for it and was"informed" (wink wink) that it wasn't a "shotgun" barrel, but rather a "70 cal. smoothbore" barrel. Guess they didn't want anybody to think they were selling sawed-off shotguns.


Dean

 

[Rachen]

Wow

Wow Mec, you look like Van Helsing fighting the supernatural.
Neat coat.

 

[mec]

Supernatural in any case. Thats the house at the bull run battle field right after the battle. See the lounging soldiers in the background.

VTI gun parts and Taylor both filled comprehensive parts orders I sent them. they had to get them from Italy-a thing Navy Arms tried to do without success. While Pietta did a fine job on the LeMats I had, this is one of the revolvers they choose not to honor with much after-sale support. So far as I know, dixie has a few Loading lever parts and mainsprings but there are no domestic supplies of lockwork.