LeMat Revolver

[hinamanra]

Does anyone here own and shoot a LeMat? How do you like it? I'm not a BP pistol shooter, flintlock hunting and shooting have always been my passion but I always thought that I wanted a BP revolver. Recently I saw the movie Quigley down under and there was a LeMat so I had to find out what it was and did a little reading about it. A 9 shot .42 revolver around a 18 ga barrel? That got my attention, then watching Mike Beliveau aka "Duelist1954" on youtube "Firing the LeMat revolver". His was a reproduction .44/20ga and that just put me over the edge so now I think that I need one. I just wanted some input before I spend the $700+ on one so give me the good, bad and ugly. Thank you.

 

[nick_1]

several of Louie Lamour's characters favored the le matt

 

[JRL1164]

I don't have one but I like you they've always caught my eye. I've watched Mike Beliveau's video on them and enjoyed it. Hope you get some good feedback on them, I'd be curious myself.

 

[Auldjin]

Even if I were not in the UK, I doubt I would be tempted to shoot mine.

 

[Flintlock Whiskey]

What scene was there one in Quigly?
I understand the loading lever seems to be a weak point.

 

[Flintlock Whiskey]

What scene was there one in Quigly?
I understand the loading lever seems to be a weak point.

Oddly enough there is one in the Bruce Willis future dystopian movie Twelve Monkeys.

 

[hinamanra]

What scene was there one in Quigly?
I understand the loading lever seems to be a weak point.

Come to think about it, it wasn't Quigley down under it was in Forsaken.

 

[hinamanra]

Even if I were not in the UK, I doubt I would be tempted to shoot mine.View attachment 232393

It that an original?

 

[Auldjin]

Yes, it is. It is in the 1400s. It has been in my family since the 30s so for more than half its "life".

 

[Calum]

What scene was there one in Quigly?
I understand the loading lever seems to be a weak point.

'morning,

The loading lever is a major weak point. Because of the shot barrel, it's not centerline, it's offset. And it's attached to the side of the frame by a single screw. The upper screw that you see is for the ram itself, so that it can pivot.

And whatever you do, never take the sideplate off! Learned that the hard way. The mainspring is actually two pieces, and getting them lined up, and to stay in place while you place the plate back on...

Mike

 

[Packrat]

I bought one years ago, don' have it now, (DUMB) it was fun to shoot and I had no problems with the loading lever.
STORY, Onw day when I lived in California my Wife and I went out into the desert to camp and do some shooting, I had a 53 Parker Hale rifle and the Le Mat. I had a table set up and as I was loading the rifle a Natl. Forest Ranger ( LEO) pulled in behind where I was set up. SHE got out of the vehicle and said, "I see you are camping" yes said I, She said you know no camp fires!, yes said I, I have a coleman stove. Then she asked about my shooting. I told her I had picked this spot because there was a high berm behind where my Bullitt would impact and I could see if hikers or off roaders came by All good up to here. She than asked what I was shooting I told her i was shooting an ASSAULT WEAPON. Well you could see the little hairs on the back of her neck stand tall. she asked and what is that? I said it's a 1862 LeMat revolver. She looked at it and said that's no assault weapon. . Ever the Gentleman, I pointed out that California's new Assault weapons ban listed large capacity magazines. I pointed out this was a NINE shot revolver, when most were five or six and it also had a 20 ga shot gun under the barrel (seems Large capacity to me) and it's main purpose was to clear a hole in Union Infantry lines, if that wasn't assault I didn't know what it was
She left with the order to pick up my trash, when I showed her the 4 bags that I had already picked up

 

[ormond tony]

I have one, the cavalry model. I don't think they make the other models, or I just haven't seen any. I really like it:
1. nine shots better than six
2. accurate at 30 to 40 feet off-hand
3. loading lever is a nuisance, but I carry a small pliers to tighten 'clip'.
4. the shotgun barrel is a 'hoot'. I load it with powder, #000 buckshot (or breakdown whatever shotgun shells I have), then put some TOW on top. 'Accurate" to 6 feet.
I've taken it apart to load and clean. All you do is unscrew the RB barrel and loading lever. Easy. But I haven't taken the insides apart: trigger, hammer, etc. I have to find some instructions first.

Best part is that at my range, the RSO will let me fire the shotgun at targets. He stands behind. He gets a kick out of it.

Got it at an ACE hardware in Blue Ridge, GA. Who'da thunk.

BTW the older one above is an army model. The next one down looking new is cavalry. I think there was a navy edition, also.

 

[Brazos John]

I bought a replica on another forum, and couldn't wait to get it.
When I did, I snapped a cap or two, then loaded it.
Turns out that the hammer is offset a bit, and hits the edge of the opening where the nipples are, and won't fire the cap. I know where to send it, but I haven't, yet.
I was disappointed that a well-known forum member would sell something that didn't run right, or to mention the issue before selling it.
I've since discovered that the hammer misalignment is common.
It can be corrected, but make sure you ask about it before you commit.
YMMV.

 

[Relic shooter]

Even if I were not in the UK, I doubt I would be tempted to shoot mine.View attachment 232393

Thanks for posting, nice seeing the real deal

 

[Coinneach]

I bought one years ago, don' have it now, (DUMB) it was fun to shoot and I had no problems with the loading lever.
STORY, Onw day when I lived in California my Wife and I went out into the desert to camp and do some shooting, I had a 53 Parker Hale rifle and the Le Mat. I had a table set up and as I was loading the rifle a Natl. Forest Ranger ( LEO) pulled in behind where I was set up. SHE got out of the vehicle and said, "I see you are camping" yes said I, She said you know no camp fires!, yes said I, I have a coleman stove. Then she asked about my shooting. I told her I had picked this spot because there was a high berm behind where my Bullitt would impact and I could see if hikers or off roaders came by All good up to here. She than asked what I was shooting I told her i was shooting an ASSAULT WEAPON. Well you could see the little hairs on the back of her neck stand tall. she asked and what is that? I said it's a 1862 LeMat revolver. She looked at it and said that's no assault weapon. . Ever the Gentleman, I pointed out that California's new Assault weapons ban listed large capacity magazines. I pointed out this was a NINE shot revolver, when most were five or six and it also had a 20 ga shot gun under the barrel (seems Large capacity to me) and it's main purpose was to clear a hole in Union Infantry lines, if that wasn't assault I didn't know what it was
She left with the order to pick up my trash, when I showed her the 4 bags that I had already picked up

You never mentioned what she was wearing......

 

[Dark Angel]

Come to think about it, it wasn't Quigley down under it was in Forsaken.

Had me scared for a moment, there with your comment about a LeMat in Quigly Down Under. Seen the movie about a dozen times. didn't remember seeing one. thanks for clearing that up,

 

[mhb]

Several years ago, a friend who has now Gone West had a very nice (in appearance) reproduction LeMat. He wasn't satisfied with the accuracy, though it functioned perfectly. I inspected it and discovered that the .44 barrel had NEVER BEEN RIFLED. The importer/distributor would not replace it, and the manufacturer wasn't interested, either. An example of a known syndrome with Italian reproductions: if it looks good, it's good enough. Dolce far niente...
Just a cautionary tale - Caveat Emptor.

mhb - MIke

 

[RaiderANV]

Yes, all three models were reproduced as I have one of each brand new unfired still in their original boxes.

 

[kh54]

I just wanted some input before I spend the $700+ on one so give me the good, bad and ugly.

I don’t mean to offend but good luck with that. After buying my NIB, never fired, Pietta cavalry model back in April, I started watching Gunbroker listings to see if I had made a good deal. (It was not in my plan to buy one but it was offered to me for what I thought was a good price.) There have been a half dozen or so sold on GB in the past three months for between about $1,050 and $1,375. There’s one listed now but it is in a case with accessories and I think will sell for even more.

I inspected it and discovered that the .44 barrel had NEVER BEEN RIFLED.

Wow - I had to immediately go get mine and check it. Phew! Rifling is there.

 

[Hawk54]

Several years ago, a friend who has now Gone West had a very nice (in appearance) reproduction LeMat. He wasn't satisfied with the accuracy, though it functioned perfectly. I inspected it and discovered that the .44 barrel had NEVER BEEN RIFLED. The importer/distributor would not replace it, and the manufacturer wasn't interested, either. An example of a known syndrome with Italian reproductions: if it looks good, it's good enough. Dolce far niente...
Just a cautionary tale - Caveat Emptor.

mhb - MIke

I have a Hawes 1860 Army that looks brand new. When they bored the barrel they didn't remove the circular boring grooves the whole length of the barrel before rifling it. So you have boring marks with rifling over them. Amazing how these get through inspection and quality control. The other parts are worth what I paid for it but kept it as is as a curiosity. Must have been the last one off the line on Friday and they were in a hurry to get home.