LeMat Revolver

by
posted on April 3, 2014
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

Forehand & Wadsworth British Bull-Dog right-side view nickel-plated gun revolver with black grip
Forehand & Wadsworth British Bull-Dog right-side view nickel-plated gun revolver with black grip

I Have This Old Gun: Forehand & Wadsworth British Bull-Dog

Many eagle-eyed NRA members viewing the 1993 Western “Tombstone” no doubt recognized the Forehand & Wadsworth British Bull-Dog so deftly welded by actress Joanna Pacula, portraying Big Nose Kate, during a contemptuous card game between Doc Holliday and Ed Bailey.

Medal Of Honor Marine Receives Henry Repeating Arms Tribute

Henry Repeating Arms presented a Spirit of the Corps 250th Anniversary Tribute Edition rifle to Maj. Gen. Livingston for going above and beyond the call of duty on May 2, 1968, during the Battle of Dai Do in Vietnam.

Preview: Duramag 1911 DS Magazines

Duramag’s 1911 DS Magazines are compatible with numerous 9 mm Luger-chambered 2011-style handguns on the market.

Colt Monitor: The FBI’s “Fighting Rifle”

In the years between the World Wars, a rare variation of the Browning Automatic Rifle proved its reputation as an effective, devastating automatic rifle for combat between the country’s lawmen and its outlaws.

The Armed Citizen® May 19, 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.

Report Shows Inventory, Prices Have Dropped At Firearm Retailers

Nearly all gun and related gear inventories at retailers dropped in the last 12 months. So have most prices paid at the counter, according to the year-over-year comparison detailed in the latest RetailBI report.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.