LeMat Revolver

by
posted on April 3, 2014
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
R605QA35.jpg

Q. I recently came into possession of a handful of old prints from the collection of a small-town commercial photographer. One photo, date-stamped September 1945, contains this unusual-looking handgun. The size of the central structure between its octagonal barrel and ejector mystifies me. It has a fixed, notch rear sight and looks to have held 10 rounds. What is this thing?

A. The revolver in your photo is a LeMat Two-Barrel or a close copy of the same general design. The odd structure under the top barrel is actually an additional barrel, designed to contain and fire a shot charge, like a shotgun. The center barrel also serves as the axis around which the revolver cylinder rotates.

The LeMat variation best known to most American arms historians is the percussion version used in limited quantities by the Confederate States during the Civil War. Also called the “grape-shot revolver,” it had a nine-shot .42-cal. revolver cylinder rotating around a .63-cal. shot barrel.

LeMat revolvers were also produced for rimfire, pinfire and center-fire cartridges. The one in your photo looks like the late-production Belgian-made center-fire from the 1880s pictured in Val Forgett’s book LeMat-The Man, The Gun. It’s an interesting and unusual design that is eagerly sought after by collectors.

-Jim Supica

Originally published May, 2006

Latest

Gotw Bmr X Steel Web
Gotw Bmr X Steel Web

Gun Of The Week: Bergara BMR-X Steel

In this episode, the American Rifleman staff is on the range with a rimfire rifle that’s designed to excel in competition. This is the Bergara BMR-X Steel, a bolt-action that offers some match-grade features at a price that won’t break the bank.

Robert "Bob" Nosler Passes Away

Robert "Bob" Nosler, chairman of Nosler, Inc., passed away on Sept. 2, 2025, at the age of 79.

The Armed Citizen® Sept. 5, 2025

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

MRDS: Zenith’s American-Made Roller-Delayed Rifle For The 21st Century

While the roller-delayed blowback mechanism has proven reliable in platforms like the Heckler & Koch G3, Zenith Firearms has taken this innovative operating system and paired it with a modern, AR-style feature set in its MRDS.

Remington Announces 4th Annual Shoot To Cure Fundraiser

Now in its fourth year, the Shoot to Cure fundraiser is scheduled to take place on September 19 at the historic Remington Gun Club in Lonoke, Ark.

Rifleman Review: Walther Arms PD380

For its latest compact carry pistol, the PD380, Walther Arms combined elements of its Performance Duty Pistol series with its legacy PK380 platform.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.