Lemat revolver

[David LaPell]

I got an offer on a Lemat reproduction revolver tonight. I am not sure which version it is, Army, Navy, or Cav (I always liked the look of the Cav personally). The owner has never shot it, it is still in the box, there is just one little wear spot in the bluing on the cylinder that has been touched up with cold blue. Is $375 good for this? I have always liked the Lemat but are they finicky at all with the nine shot cylinder and shotgun barrel?

 

[seagill]

I'd jump on it! Cabelas has them on sale for $800. I've wanted one for years, awesome gun..

 

[Class III]

For $375 I'd be all over it. A buddy has one and it is a hoot to shoot.

Class III

 

[feralmerril]

I remember driveing through new mexico in 1960. I stopped at some old store near where billy the kid was buried. Some real old man tried to sell me a lemat he swore had belonged to the kid. I was only 19 at the time but even then I could see it was reblued. Had I bought it and put it in a drawer untill now I probley could have made out!

 

[semperfi71]

Price is great. The loading lever is very thin and lacks solid leverage from what I have heard. They can break supposedly. But, an enterprising gunsmith could probably cobble up a hand-held loading lever.

 

[MR. IHC]

my father bought one from cabellas for over 800 bucks. they are fun.

 

[buckeyeshooter1]

beem wanting one for years, at the price buy it!

 

[JcMack]

Did not J.E.B. Stuart carry one for a while? I've read that in actual use during the War, the smoothbore shot charge would loosen up and possibly not fire. This due to recoil from the other chambers firing. Dixie Gun Works seems to carry replacement parts.

 

[Wyatt Burp]

What a steal! And I prefer the one with the trigger spur, if that's what you meant, too.

 

[Texas Star]

Did not J.E.B. Stuart carry one for a while? I've read that in actual use during the War, the smoothbore shot charge would loosen up and possibly not fire. This due to recoil from the other chambers firing. Dixie Gun Works seems to carry replacement parts.

Stuart was known to have at least one. Don't know about his other guns.

R.E. Lee had a pair of engraved 1851 Navy .36's with wooden grips. I think he carried them in saddle holsters.

Col. J.S. Mosby favored Colt .44 M-1860's captured from the Yankees, and his unit made very extensive use of them at close range.

We could probably have a topic on which famous Civil War people used which guns, if anyone is interested.

 

[deadin]

Had one 4 or 5 years ago. Heavy, awkward grip, almost impossible to cock one handed (for me anyway).
Mine needed to have the mouths of the chambers reamed as they were so tight that they would shave lead enough that there wasn't a good tight fit when seated and the balls would "walk" out under recoil, jamming cylinder rotation.

Still, at 375.00, I would grab it! They're neat!!!

 

[JcMack]

We could probably have a topic on which famous Civil War people used which guns, if anyone is interested.

I would enjoy that. I tried to be a student of the War of the Northern Aggression but my failing memory takes the fun out learning.

 

[canoeguy]

My Uncle got one about 20 years ago, the guy selling it represented it as authentic....

My Uncle gave a lot of money and trade for that gun, I think there was a restored 1940 Ford in the trade somwhere, he probably had over $15,000 in it before the deal was done. He was so proud of that revolver, showed it to everyone who came to visit...

A couple years ago he went to sell it, expecting to get $35,000 - $40,000 dollars. Everyone who examined it declared it a fake! He educated himself on original Lemats, and unfortunately, it was a fake. Education came too late for him, what a deep disappointment.