As long as we are a talkin, specialty revolving rifles...
I have one for the group !!! This is a PRIVATE fantasy of mine, and it would be a bit pricey to build up... But when you consider that a nice 44/50(?) or 44/70 Reproduction Trapdoor is going to set you back $1,2000.00 to $1,600.00 for a new one, somewhat less but still pretty pricey for a really nice used one... And doing a build up like this is at or about that price range. And, with build ups, you can do them a little bit at a time, in stages, to reduce the cost over a period of time so you don't have a furious girlfriend or wife threatening to beat you to death with your damned gun collection additon !!! (LOL !!!)
For Starters, I would like to start out with a good used reproduction model of the LeMat Confederate Civil War pistol. You guys know it, it has a 9 shot 44/41 caliber cylinder, AND, a second smooth bore barrel sized to the 20ga Shotgun size. Wonderful old gun, I have wet dreams over it... Now, starting with that, build it into a Revolving Rifle, WHICH IS GOING TO BE EXPENSIVE, but, you will have a very unique one of a kind item that is somewhat historically correct, but not fully historically accurate, in that, to my knowledge, no carbine rifle versions of the LeMat were ever actually produced. But, who is to say??? Perhaps, if their sales had been better than they were, they may have eventually introduced one at some point, RIGHT ???
I came across a used reproduction F. LLI. Pietta Lemat, Calvary version, in VERY GOOD condition, NOT MINT, it has some minor rust on the outside of the barrels, and some visible wear on the blueing, but, a very good servicable and eminately restorable high end pistol. It is AT AUCTION NOW, with about a day left on bidding, and current bidding is at $419.00, which is a VERY GOOD PRICE. I would have bid on it myself, but, I am already maxed out on this months hobby budget, with a shipment from Dixie on the way to me right now, so... I missed out on this one. But some of YOU out there may be able to bid on it, at $419.00 bux, that is about HALF what Dixie wants at $825.00, EMF currently has them on sale for $799.00, and several other distributors have them at between $980.00 to as high as $1,200.00... So there is NO DOUBT, that at on or about between 4 or $500.00 bux, that pistol is a BARGAIN !!!
Here is a link to the online auction page...
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=213529587
So, my build up is basically this... Start with a good servicable used LeMat pistol, replace the revovler barrel with one that is 18" to 24" in length, add in a lengthened 20ga secondary underbarrel, or underbarrel extension which threads into the end cap of the standard pistol unerbarrel, then add in a modified standard unfinished fore arm half stock and the brass fore and butt caps, along with the hardware and brass plates to mount the half fore-stock to the twin barrels with a wedge retaining set up. Replace the standard grips, with a modified stock unfinished half rear stock... Pick up a brass butt plate, and a brass patch box, and maybee, throw in a brass long tube period style scope to the gun... Doing most of the work yourself, except for heavy specialty machining, like welding on underbarrel forestock wedge retaining clasps (2), and perhaps re-threading the breech end of the longer barrels, and doing all of the blueing/browning or plating yourself... The build up should come in at on or about $1,200.00 to $1,400.00... Or thereabouts...
Well, THATS IT !!! Thats MY hot idea for a wild and crazy custom revolving rifle build up !!!
Sincerely,
ElvinWarrior... aka... David
