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LeMat (Grape Shot Revolver)

History

The "LeMat" was a Civil War (1861-1865) revolver that originated in the resource-starved Confederate States of America. The LeMat is a private development that began in 1855 as a heavy weapon for cavalry (cavalry) officers, designed by Dr.

Credit goes to Jean-Alexander-Francois Le Matte of New Orleans, Louisiana. In 1856, he received a U.S. patent for the revolver.

The LeMat revolver consists of a 9-round rotary cylinder (chamber for "cap and ball" ammunition) and a 16-gauge shotgun barrel that sits below the 7-inch main barrel. This allows users to launch battles from a distance using their traditional ammo supply and shut down (or equivalently defend) opponents using available shotgun rounds. The firing of the weapon is a single action that requires a manual movement of the hammer before firing each chamber. Use primers to drive black powder charges.

The operator simply moves the lever on the hammer itself to a secondary position to fire lead rounds from the lower barrel. Both movements use the same hammer action, the hammer contains a rotating hammer. The standard 9-round barrel is fired when the lever is in the "down" position. When the lever is in the "up" position, the shotgun barrel below is removed.

The LeMat revolver earned the Confederate nickname "Grapeshot Revolver" due to its shotgun capability.

Dr. U.S. Army Major P.G.T. Beauregard helped LeMat put his revolver into production, which would later serve the Union throughout the war. Since the South lacked the local manufacturing capacity to produce domestic firearms for future large-scale wars, foreign sources were heavily used to produce firearms.

Some of the original molds for the revolver actually originated in Philadelphia and were done by John Creed, although other LeMats came from studios in London, England, and Paris, France. During the American Civil War, LeMat's services were limited because many incoming guns were claimed during the effective Union blockade.

Notable owners of LeMat guns include Confederate generals JEB Stuart and Braxton Bragg.

In terms of design, the LeMat proved to be a very large, heavy and bulky sidearm that swung around in action. It weighs 3 pounds and has an overall length of 356 mm (13.25 inches). Of particular note is its inaccurate range, as the weapon has an effective range of only 40 yards and a muzzle velocity of 620 feet per second. The maximum range is an ambitious 100 yards. However, like most other pistol designs, the LeMat's value is only realized at close range due to its devastating firepower.

Interestingly (and to a certain extent unfavorable) LeMat owners had to create their own. Due to the uniqueness of the weapon, the 42 caliber bullet. The overall finish is Cold Steel Blue with walnut handles. The frame is open and the hammer thorns are placed within reach of the main hand. As usual, the rotary cylinder is centrally mounted.

The upper barrel was octagonal (like other revolvers of the time), while the lower barrel was rounded on the outside and smooth on the inside. Reloading cartridge ammunition was an inherent limitation of many blaster-based revolvers of the time, and the LeMat proved no exception. Install the primer before the marbles, then install the primer. The lower barrel is a single shot design and needs to be reloaded after firing.

Aiming is carried out through a rear notch with a front column.

From 1856 to 1865, approximately 2,900 LeMat revolvers were made. A lighter version was produced at the end of the Civil War. 36 caliber and 28 gauge shotgun barrel.

Some LeMats have also been modified for "pinfire" operation to match the growing popularity of French-made stand-alone cartridge ammunition (separate primers and balls are no longer required). The carbine version combines a longer barrel with a full rifle stock for more accurate shooting.