Updated LeMat

4

4V50 Gary

Staff
A retired machinist who is taking a summer class at Trinidad State JC NRA's summer gunsmithing program brought in his home built .357 Maximum over a 28 gauge revolver. It's a break open ala Webley but the lockwork is single action only. I'll see if I can get a photo or two.
 
Looking foreard to seeing, this one. ... 28GA. !!!

Sounds interesting and what a project to bite into !! .... :eek:

Be Safe !!!
 
Wouldn't that constitute a SBS? Or maybe a DD?
I understand that Taurus could not license a 28 ga super judge for sale here.
 
Legally, it would be OK if the shotgun barrel had some rifling.

But I question any break top in a powerful cartridge; the original LeMats were open top, but both charges were fairly light, nothing like the .357 Maximum.

Jim
 
There was someone who would convert replica LeMats to 38 SPL - way back when. I don't remember the details.

Maybe Taurus could build a Judge with 410s around a 12 gauge? :D
 
One drawback (and which existed in the original LeMat) is that the cylinder has to be pretty big because a shotgun barrel, even .410, is a lot bigger than the normal crane or quill. And since the cylinder is big, the frame has to be big, also. That, of course, will allow more rounds in the cylinder, but it also means even more weight.

And, FWIW, I don't want to even think about the recoil of a handgun firing a 3" Magnum shotshell.

Jim
 
My apologies

Sorry, no pictures. I didn't see the fellow on Friday. From Tues-Wed he was a regular in the classroom I was in and was busy using the pantograph to engrave the pistol barrel with its caliber. The cylinder was about 3" in diameter and at least 2" long. As an older gentleman, he would not try to fire it off hand and sandbagged from the bench.
 
If I remember correctly the original LeMats had a 20 gauge shot barrel, so a 28 would allow the cylinder to be slightly smaller in diameter.
 
If the LeMat breaks open like a Webley, I believe that would allow you to load a shotgun shell just like you would your normal cartridge.
 
I know that at least a few pinfire LeMats were made, but it was my understanding that all of the ones used by the Confederacy were percussion.
 
Sure, warn't no way us'ns could get them funny little cattiges.
But that is the first mention of the CSA in this thread.

Additional Google finds that there was a centerfire in 1869. Even the central shot barrel was breechloading.
http://www.horstheld.com/0-Lemat-25.htm

Johnny Ringo on tv, 1959, had a LeMat, described in wiki
"Ringo's LeMat most resembles the historical percussion model LeMat but features a top break cartridge-fed design."
Unfortunately imfdb has no coverage beyond a bare mention.
There are some pictures showing the gun layout in publicity photos on the www.
 
Last edited:
"Sure, warn't no way us'ns could get them funny little cattiges."

The cartridges weren't the problem. From what I'm reading, they were the standard 12mm pinfires.

The South used some thousands of pinfire revolvers obtained from the French and smuggled through the blockade.

The issue is the production of pinfire LeMats.

I can't find any hard and fast numbers, but it would appear that the production numbers wouldn't occupy all 10 fingers...

And yes, I was the first to mention the CSA. They were the primary user of the LeMat.
 
Probably because it had been invented by Jean Alexander Le Mat from New Orleans in conjunction with P. G. T. Beauregard a noted Confederate General before the Civil War.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top