LeMat revolver, 2nd type

Description

The revolver was invented and patented to French doctor from New Orleans Jean Alexander Francosis LeMat. It was the most unusual revolver of Civil War, used by the Confederates. The patent dated to 1856. The main unusual feature of it was two barrel design, where one othe, smothbore was the axis for cylinder with nine chambers, which shot through second rifled barrel.

The first batch of a few hundred was made in Philadelphia by John Krider. The were in somewhat awkward calibers,  different from typical 44 and 36. After begining of the Civil War LeMat and his well known cousine Beauregard moved the production to France where Charles Frederic Girard and Sons of Paris supervised the production. Some of the revolvers or their parts were contracted in Liege. About 3000 were manufactured during the war, and smuggled to Confederate States via England. That’s why some have English proof marks. Maybe extremly few pieces were made in England. During the end of production the caliber was standarized to .44

LeMat was preferred personal weapon of many prominent Confederation officers like J.E.B. Stuart, Braxton Bragg, Pierre Beauregard and even maybe Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson.

There were also baby LeMat, with rifled barrel in caliber .35. Just around 100 pieces had been manufactured.

LeMat’s concept was followed by a few more constructions till about 1870. There were pinfire LeMats (rare), centerfire and ever revolving LeMat carbine.

Some of LeMats were used in Franco-Prussian war.

Mine revolver is made in Paris with number 852. It is waiting to go to the range, it seems to be in perfect technical condition.