LeMat Cartridge Conversion?

[saboteur]

Does anyone know if any cartridge conversion for a LeMat are, or have ever been available?

If not, I wish someone would make one.

 

[ABTOMAT]

There was a original French cartridge LeMat, but it was a big fancy thing that doesn't look much like the famous one.

 

[ribbonstone]

No...aren't any commercially made conversion cylinders. If you were to convert the shotgun barrel (really not a worry as I just can't see how that could be done) would have some legal problems. Would have to have a professional take a hard look and a lot of measurements to see if one could be custom built...would be an expensive undertaking if you could find a 'smith that would tackle it.

 

[Third_Rail]

If you're still interested I'm sure that the smith I and Manyirons know would be up to the task; he'd at least be interested.

 

[saboteur]

I am interested, pending price, on attaining a conversion cylinder for the Lemat. If you know someone who could fabricate one, they could patent it and sell it a la the Kirst Konverter.

 

[Third_Rail]

Patents are simply 90% of your ideas, on the market for all to copy.


I doubt it could be patented, since it's simply a conversion. I'll get a price for you, though.

 

[Manyirons]

Already asked tha MANN. Anywheres from 350.00 ta 425.00 fer the cylinder. Itsa BIG piece o steel aint cheap!

 

[saboteur]

He sounds confident that he could make one. Has he made one before, or inspected a Lemat so as to realize its possibility? What is the smith's name and contact info?

 

[arcticap]

The link is located at the bottom of Third_Rails post in his signature line: http://www.bigironbarrels.com/

 

[Manyirons]

Yup! Aint much new ta him!

 

[Novus Collectus]

Sorry for reviving an old thread, but I did a search before starting a new one on this subject.

The conversion has been done utilising an origional Lemat and its cylinder for the TV show Johnny Ringo (never saw it and before my time).
http://www.johnnyringo.net/lemat.htm



The shotgun barrel may possibly be converted to take shotgun ammo without requiring an NFA tax stamp if the barrel had rifling, but you would have to double check with the ATF tech lab to see if it passes the "sporting purposes" test or something like that since the bore is over .50 inch.

Or, you could just get the tax stamp to make an AOW and register it as such. I guess it would be possible to make a spring loaded firing pin to replace the shotgun nipple, but how to make it reloadable and yet still strong enough to fire a shotgun shell is something I wouldn't even begin to guess at.


If there is anyone who could probably make a new manufacture conversion cylinder for the Lemat, I bet it would be R&D Gun Shop Inc. http://www.randdgunshop.com/about.html

 

[mec]

I have a sneaking suspician that the cartridge LeMats (made up until 1885) might have retained a percussion smooth bore barrel. Maybe and Maybe not.

The 50s tv series "Johnny Ringo" featured a "Lemat Special" that was a revolver with a supposed .410 shotgun barrel. They decided to call it that because four hundred and ten sounds bigger than 12 guage.

 

[Novus Collectus]

I only know a small amount about Lemats from what I've read I did find somewhere that claimed all cartridge Lemats had muzzle loaded shotgun barrels.

An interesting little detail is that the same sight says that the French manufactured centerfire cartrigde firing Lemats as well as pinfire. http://www.angelfire.com/art/enchanter/space1889/19thcenturyguns.html

 

[mec]

One or the other cartridge LeMat was popular with Devil's Island guards. No doubt they enjoyed mutilating the prisoners with the shot barrel

 

[evildave76]

LeMat conversion

Did you go through with it? if so how well does it work? Can you send or post pics and further info PLEASE--- and yes I just joined and just read this info

 

[BADUNAME30]

WELCOME evildave76