Anyone have a Lemat? Or Rogers & Spencer?

[warbirdlover]

I've been looking longingly at the replica version of this at Dixie. What I'd like to know is how easy to take down (for cleaning) is this thing. I'm not spending $650 on this if it's a pain in the a$$ to work with.

How about a Spiller & Burr?

My brother has the Rogers & Spencer from Dixie. What a beautiful gun! Really well made and accurate. He got the London gray (or something) bare metal one.

What are some of the revolvers you guys have and shoot? The huge Walker looks like it would be quite a gun.

 

[Tylden]

I looked at an authentic LeMat yesterday....NOT a replica. It was at Antique and Modern Firearms in Lexington Ky and I must say I was in total awe. It was owned by a Civil War veteran in Georgia, and they also had a matching pistol. It can be yours for a mere $18,000 !!! The rifle was in amazing condition and VERY well preserved considering it's age....one of the coolest guns I've ever seen.

 

[mec]

I've had and fired two of them. One from Navy Arms, the other bought a couple of years ago through Dixie- Both made by Pietta. The Lemat Replica is one gun that F Pietta seems motivated to get right.

The chamber/barrel relationships are right for accuracy and the chambers are in alignment with the barrel. Function is smooth and trouble free in the revolver model with cap fragment jams very unlikely to occur. The grip angle is a lot steeper than on colts, remingtons and most other revolvers we are used to and the revolver is heavy. It does hand steady on target though.
accuracy is very fine

The shot barrel is problematic and will usually not discharge without several hammer strikes or modification of the caps (thinned down at some personal risk). Even though the mainspring is stiff and cocking is a bit difficult, the short throw with the hammer nose rotated down for the shot barrel and the oblique angle it strikes make ignition unreliable. I think that 19th century fulminate caps might have been more sensitive and of softer material (copper rather than guilding metal.) and the early ones might have been more reliable.

The lock work parts are large and robust and largely unavailable except through two month + back order through VTI gunparts or Taylor &Co. It is impossible to get any reliable information or assistance from the Pietta Company.They have no customer service and are indifferent to customer satisfaction. The loading lever tends to fly up at each shot launching the shot barrel ram rod out of the loading lever and the flip down version of the barrel latch will begin to unseat and drop down after the gun has been used a few times. The fragile, loading lever retainer on the side of the barrel is subject to frequent breakage. The long curved spring that keeps the hammer nose erect for revolver firing is another part that occasionally breaks.

In order to remove the sideplate and internal parts, it is necessary to construct a split spanner screwdriver head to fit the side plate nut. For no good reason, Pietta uses a tremendous amount of torque installing the side plate and the hammer screw.

The lemat and other percussion handguns are covered here:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...4?v=glance&st=*

 

[warbirdlover]

What a cool gun!! Mec, I see you are a real pro with blackpowder revolvers (writing a book!) and surely appreciate your answering my questions (that you've probably answered hundreds of times before).

Is the loading lever problem costly to repair? Not being able to use the shotgun barrel wouldn't be a big deal for me. I just don't want to have to repair this thing every time I shoot it, LOL.

I also found the Spiller & Burr has a brass frame so I'm going to forget about that one. The design appears to be solid though.

 

[unspellable]

Rogers & Spencer

I have a Rogers & Spencer with no maker's name on it. It has Italian proof marks. I bought it used. It has a very very good trigger, but I don't know if that's original or it has been worked on. It is rather erratic with anything less than 20 grains of powder but if I go over 20 grains, it's like day and night, it really begins to shoot. With 30 or so grains of powder I have been shooting at clay pigeons on the 100 yard backstop which must be about 107 yards. Busted a few too!

 

[mec]

The loading lever retaining hook is screwed into the side of the barrel. It tends to break off when you replace the loading lever. I bought several of them on back-order from VTI Gunparts. The loading lever flips up every time you shoot the thing and flings the shot barrel ramrod (inside the hollow loading lever) sky high. You can minimize that by tightening the main loading assembly sleeve very often. I took one of the large flat curling bobbie pins and heated it read hot. then hammered the closed in flat and shaped the rest of it for a replacement. Works pretty good.

After a while, the lever at the bottom of the frame- that holds the barrel assembly in theright postion, starts flopping down too. I put a paper wedge in there and solved that. The hand is very large and apparently long lasting, the trigger return spring is massive and does only one job- pushing the trigger forward. the locking bolt is a long rod with hammer-mating cam that enters holes in the back of the cylinder. It is coil spring loaded and should last well.

The hand spring is flat and will no doubt fatigue and break eventually. you can make new ones out of the flat bobbie pins or spring steel stock from Brownelles. The main spring is massive and has to be strong if there is any hope of getting the shot barrel to fire.

Actually, the two I've had are very accurate and nicely finished. They should be at least as long- lasting as any of the replicas. It is disturbing that Parts require back order. At one time VTI was planning to keep the parts here but has apparently abandoned that idea. The local vendors who deal with the Italian companies have to deal with language and culture barriers and I suspect VTI finally just threw up their hands. They will back-order them as will Taylor and Co. Other companies have tried without success to obtain parts from Pietta.

I did manage to make the shot barrel fire but it required heroic measures- such as thinning the percussion caps. I suspect there is at least some danger of setting the caps off doing this and causing probably minor injuries.

 

[Cap n Ball]

I've had a Lemat for about six years now. Fussy gun but fun to shoot. The flip down striker on the hammer to fire the shot tube must be tightened frequently or else it fails to strike the cap properly. The loading lever sucks so I just leave it off and put it back on to reload. It's a bit heavy and I would think that holding it at arms length while on horseback could get a bit tiresome. Still though, the balance isn't bad, the accuracy is fine and having those three extra shots plus the grapeshot tube must have been a comfort when shooting yanks.

 

[Dr.Rob]

Dad has a Rogers and Spencer... HEAVY mainspring compared to a Colt or replica... strange plowhandle grip, odd machining marks on the cylinder where the nipples are scalloped out... but a robust and fun pistol to shoot nonetheless. I think his is a Pietta. Large gap up front to load conical bullets is a plus.

 

[RobW]

My Rogers & Spencer was made by Euroarms (Italian of course). The grip looks weird but it fits very good and despite it is a .44 with 30 grains Pyrodex P, it's felt recoil is very much less than my 1851 Navy .36 with 20 grains Pyrodex P!

If you want to have a REAL accurate Rogers & Spencer, you can buy one manufactured by Feinwerkbau, Germany, for the rediculous small sum of just $1,500.00!!!

 

[unspellable]

Rogers & Spencer

Is the German made R&S aviable with adjustable sights? I've heard vague rumours about a modern European made cap and ball that is supposedly a target revolver. Supposedly the only modern target qualified cap & ball other than the Ruger Old Army.

 

[RobW]

On their web-site they only show the fixed sight Rogers & Spencer. You can visit their website at www.feinwerkbau.de and click on the British flag for the english version. I would like to compare this one with my Euroarms if I had a chance...

 

[mec]

pedersoli handles that one. Local service, distribution, etc through Flintlocks Etc of Richmond VA. Prices are close to $1,000 due to dollar vs euro.

 

[warbirdlover]

My brother and I have these guns. He's got all except the Colt navy. His wife has the little .44.