[LeMat]

If anyone has one, I'd like to hear about your experiences. This is without a doubt the most accurate BP pistol I have ever shot (I used to live about 30 minutes from EMF Co. down in SoCal. They used to give a 10% discount when you came in and slapped down cash. Spent way too much money there!).

I've had a love affair with the LeMat for over 20 years and finally ended up with one back in 2000 when Navy Arms was blowing them out for right around $300.00. A good friend apparently felt that I deserved to own one and gave it to me for Christmas. Bless his heart.

With 22 grains of FFFG, it'll give me 3" at 25 yards. Anything stouter than that and the loading lever pops up. Should be using it for IDPA! :lol:

 

[azmick]

What do you load the center barrel with?

 

[xtimberman]

There were several of them at Gen. P.T.G. Beauregard's home in New Orleans. I remember admiring them as a boy on school field trips. I wonder if Hurr. Katrina left them alone?

Here is an original one for a stout price. They don't turn up for sale very often. Click on Handguns and scroll down to the LeMat:

http://www.stevebarnettfineguns.com/frm_inventory1.htm

My dad and I went by there last spring and I actually got to closely examine it!

I've heard about that loading lever problem, and I wonder what can be done to prevent it from happening?

xtm

 

[LeMat]

What do you load the center barrel with?

Either shot or a ball (can't recall the ball size). I have never used the center bbl. I understand that it can be difficult to keep the shot in place if firing the cylinder first.

One thing I forgot was that I used .454 size balls once and ended up bending the loading lever a smidge. Seems to like .451 better anyway and I still get some lead shaved when ramming them in.

 

[LeMat]

I've heard about that loading lever problem, and I wonder what can be done to prevent it from happening?

xtm

Other than wrapping a thong around the barrel, I dont' know. It's kept secured with a simple spring "clip" and I have tried to adjust that a little. Still, anything past 23 grains will usually pop it up.

The nice thing is that it will generally pop back down and not bind the cylinder. Not like the Walker I had - once it poppped down, that was it. Complete pain it the tookus.

 

[xtimberman]

We've got a cap and ball revolver thread going in the Black Powder Forum. Why not post a photo of your revolver over there?

xtm

 

[cxm]

My great, great grandfather, a surgeon in the War of Northern Agression, carried a "brace" of LeMats... I remember seeing them back home in Mississippi when I was a kid...

Unfortunately I don't know who wound up with them... I 'd sure like to have them... I hope they didn't get traded in for a pair of tennis shoes...

Great grand was reputed to be something of a character living to a ripe old age... family history says he was regarded as one of the better surgeons of the era because he was able to take off an arm or a leg faster than just about anyone else :?

Later on he gained some noterity by being among first to do small pox vaccinations in the area during the late 1880s... apparently he was able to get enough to do a couple of vaccinations and then after those festered he used the serum produced to do other vaccinations!!! and did them successfully.... :shock:

Anyway, I'd sure like to find his LeMats...

FWIW

Chuck

I've heard about that loading lever problem, and I wonder what can be done to prevent it from happening?

xtm

Other than wrapping a thong around the barrel, I dont' know. It's kept secured with a simple spring "clip" and I have tried to adjust that a little. Still, anything past 23 grains will usually pop it up.

The nice thing is that it will generally pop back down and not bind the cylinder. Not like the Walker I had - once it poppped down, that was it. Complete pain it the tookus.

 

[xtimberman]

Steve Barnett still has an original one for sale on the link I posted above.

Whatever relative has the LeMats is unlikely to just hand them over when you ask for them! I've had to pay dearly to obtain family firearms and other items that were out of my possession - usually far more than "market" value. But that makes it more difficult for them to howl and demand the items back at a later date.

xtm

 

[LeMat]

My great, great grandfather, a surgeon in the War of Northern Agression, carried a "brace" of LeMats... I remember seeing them back home in Mississippi when I was a kid...

Unfortunately I don't know who wound up with them... I 'd sure like to have them... I hope they didn't get traded in for a pair of tennis shoes...

Great grand was reputed to be something of a character living to a ripe old age... family history says he was regarded as one of the better surgeons of the era because he was able to take off an arm or a leg faster than just about anyone else :?

Later on he gained some noterity by being among first to do small pox vaccinations in the area during the late 1880s... apparently he was able to get enough to do a couple of vaccinations and then after those festered he used the serum produced to do other vaccinations!!! and did them successfully.... :shock:

Anyway, I'd sure like to find his LeMats...

FWIW

Chuck

That, Sir, is awesome!!!