Video - Shooting the LeMat "Grapeshot" Revolver

duelist1954 · November 21, 2011, 02:26 PM

This is one of the firearms oddities of the Civil War...The LeMat revolver

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgnRE1vOzIg

Rachen · November 21, 2011, 02:45 PM

I left you a comment there

I want to convert mine to .45 ACP.

Is there any way to do it with just a one-piece cylinder design? As opposed to the Kirst/R&D two-piece cylinder?

The loading lever makes a perfect ejector for the spent cartridge cases.

8 or 9 rounds of .45 ACP in the cylinder, with loading and ejection port in the left side of the frame, and loading lever doubling as the ejector.

Thanks.

Hardcase · November 21, 2011, 04:36 PM

Wow, that thing is a lot bigger than I thought it was!

noelf2 · November 21, 2011, 06:14 PM

Thanks for this video. I often wondered about the mechanics of the LeMat. You definitely need some tighter wads for the shot barrel though. A couple of the little beggers ran out of the barrel when you set it down on the bench.

duelist1954 · November 21, 2011, 06:46 PM

Rachen, with enough money anything is possible. If I were you, I'd contact Kenny Howell at Howell's Old West conversions.

duelist1954 · November 21, 2011, 06:47 PM

Noelf2, I fixed that by ramming down a 12 Ga over shot card off camera. Pietta says it is a 20 ga, but I recon it is closer to 18 Ga.

noelf2 · November 22, 2011, 07:56 AM

Or perhaps the barrel is actually 20ga and your wads are for 20ga shotshells.

duelist1954 · November 22, 2011, 01:45 PM

They are the wads I use in my 20 ga. flintlock fowling piece...work perfectly in the long gun.

rclark · November 22, 2011, 04:28 PM

Thanks for the video. Often wondered how the LeMat was put together and how you fired the shotgun barrel. A unique piece of history!

OutlawJoseyWales · November 22, 2011, 07:51 PM

Another well made video thanks,
love the coat BTW.
OJW

savagelover · November 27, 2011, 09:26 AM

interesting,very interesting

Doc Hoy · November 27, 2011, 03:55 PM

Nice sequence but I refuse to admit that a LeMat is worth 850.00 to 900.00.

Just my personal opinion.

CarbineWilliams · November 27, 2011, 05:24 PM

Wow, I kind of want one of those now that I see it in action.

By the way, it's a little known piece of Hollywood trivia that Clint Eastwood originally was going to use one of those LeMat's in 'Pale Rider', but the scene where he swaps out the cylinder to reload took 10 minutes while he wrestled with that retaining pin and unscrewed the barrel, then changed cylinders, then screwed the barrel back on, then had to stop and find a rock to hammer the pin back in...

Just kidding, of course.

Legionnaire · November 27, 2011, 09:14 PM

Very informative video, Mike. I've always wondered about the LeMat, but have never had an opportunity to examine one, much less fire one. I've always thought them very "steampunk" in appearance. Thanks for showing how it all goes together.

Darth Kur · November 29, 2011, 01:28 PM

Nice video. Answers a lot of the things I've been wondering about that particular firearm for quite some time. Damn shame I'll never be able to afford one since they're so ridiculously overpriced.

November 21, 2011, 02:26 PM	#1
duelist1954 Senior Member Join Date: March 14, 2011 Location: Central Pennsylvania Posts: 567	Video - Shooting the LeMat "Grapeshot" Revolver This is one of the firearms oddities of the Civil War...The LeMat revolver http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgnRE1vOzIg

November 21, 2011, 04:36 PM	#3
Hardcase Senior Member Join Date: April 14, 2009 Location: Sunny Southern Idaho Posts: 1,909	Wow, that thing is a lot bigger than I thought it was! __________________ Well we don't rent pigs and I figure it's better to say it right out front because a man that does like to rent pigs is... he's hard to stop - Gus McCrae

November 21, 2011, 06:14 PM	#4
noelf2 Senior Member Join Date: April 14, 2008 Location: Stuart, VA Posts: 2,473	Thanks for this video. I often wondered about the mechanics of the LeMat. You definitely need some tighter wads for the shot barrel though. A couple of the little beggers ran out of the barrel when you set it down on the bench. __________________ Liberty and freedom often offends those who understand neither.

November 22, 2011, 07:56 AM	#7
noelf2 Senior Member Join Date: April 14, 2008 Location: Stuart, VA Posts: 2,473	Or perhaps the barrel is actually 20ga and your wads are for 20ga shotshells. __________________ Liberty and freedom often offends those who understand neither.

November 22, 2011, 04:28 PM	#9
rclark Senior Member Join Date: February 12, 2009 Location: Butte, MT Posts: 2,622	Thanks for the video. Often wondered how the LeMat was put together and how you fired the shotgun barrel. A unique piece of history! __________________ A clinger and deplorable, MAGA, and life NRA member. When guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns. Single Action .45 Colt (Sometimes colloquially referred to by its alias as the .45 'Long' Colt or .45LC). Don't leave home without it. That said, the .44Spec is right up their too... but the .45 Colt is still the king.

November 21, 2011, 02:45 PM	#2
Rachen Senior Member Join Date: May 10, 2006 Location: Weekend cowboy Posts: 542	I left you a comment there I want to convert mine to .45 ACP. Is there any way to do it with just a one-piece cylinder design? As opposed to the Kirst/R&D two-piece cylinder? The loading lever makes a perfect ejector for the spent cartridge cases. 8 or 9 rounds of .45 ACP in the cylinder, with loading and ejection port in the left side of the frame, and loading lever doubling as the ejector. Thanks.

November 21, 2011, 06:46 PM	#5
duelist1954 Senior Member Join Date: March 14, 2011 Location: Central Pennsylvania Posts: 567	Rachen, with enough money anything is possible. If I were you, I'd contact Kenny Howell at Howell's Old West conversions.

November 21, 2011, 06:47 PM	#6
duelist1954 Senior Member Join Date: March 14, 2011 Location: Central Pennsylvania Posts: 567	Noelf2, I fixed that by ramming down a 12 Ga over shot card off camera. Pietta says it is a 20 ga, but I recon it is closer to 18 Ga.

November 22, 2011, 01:45 PM	#8
duelist1954 Senior Member Join Date: March 14, 2011 Location: Central Pennsylvania Posts: 567	They are the wads I use in my 20 ga. flintlock fowling piece...work perfectly in the long gun.

November 22, 2011, 07:51 PM	#10
OutlawJoseyWales Senior Member Join Date: August 18, 2010 Location: Florida Posts: 237	Another well made video thanks, love the coat BTW. OJW

November 27, 2011, 09:26 AM	#11
savagelover Senior Member Join Date: March 5, 2011 Location: Alpine,,NY Posts: 254	interesting,very interesting

November 27, 2011, 03:55 PM	#12
Doc Hoy Senior Member Join Date: October 24, 2008 Location: Naples, Fl Posts: 5,440	Yes Nice sequence but I refuse to admit that a LeMat is worth 850.00 to 900.00. Just my personal opinion. __________________ Seek truth. Relax. Take a breath.

November 27, 2011, 05:24 PM	#13
CarbineWilliams Member Join Date: November 24, 2011 Location: VA Posts: 66	Wow, I kind of want one of those now that I see it in action. By the way, it's a little known piece of Hollywood trivia that Clint Eastwood originally was going to use one of those LeMat's in 'Pale Rider', but the scene where he swaps out the cylinder to reload took 10 minutes while he wrestled with that retaining pin and unscrewed the barrel, then changed cylinders, then screwed the barrel back on, then had to stop and find a rock to hammer the pin back in... Just kidding, of course.

November 27, 2011, 09:14 PM	#14
Legionnaire Senior Member Join Date: July 25, 2000 Location: Central TX Posts: 1,503	Very informative video, Mike. I've always wondered about the LeMat, but have never had an opportunity to examine one, much less fire one. I've always thought them very "steampunk" in appearance. Thanks for showing how it all goes together. __________________ Cogito, ergo armatus sum.

November 29, 2011, 01:28 PM	#15
Darth Kur Junior Member Join Date: September 8, 2010 Location: Asheville, NC Posts: 14	Nice video. Answers a lot of the things I've been wondering about that particular firearm for quite some time. Damn shame I'll never be able to afford one since they're so ridiculously overpriced.