New LeMat - Trigger Too Stiff

hi and thanks for your input,

i have a new pietta lemat purchased july 2008 from cabela. it has been to the range twice for my very first bp experiences. only @ 50 rounds of .454 hornaday lead rb and 5 rounds of .27 hornaday #2 shot (1 oz. each from the 20g smooth bore) have been fired.

from my experience with modern rifles, shotguns, and pistols, i noticed that this revolver requires a very very hard pull on the trigger. if a .22 rifle has a 2 pound pull, then this lemat would be about 10 pounds - seriously.

so my question is: could/should i have this reduced; will it naturally wear and lighten with use; apply some super lube synthetic grease to the hammer or mainspring components; or just leave it and eat more wheaties ?

if the answer is "fix it" then what would be your estimate on the feasability of finding and reasonable cost for 'smithing ?

as advised, the pistol has been thoroughally cleaned with cabela's black powder solvent which was rinsed out by hot, slightly soapy water and hand dried with cotton patchs/q-tips followed by re-lube of wd40, 3-in-1, and super lube (each applied to respective components).

best answer wins a special prize...

Do you know how to disassemble/reassemble the gun? If so why not do it yourself? If the pull is just hard and not creepy or mushy get a hard Arkanas stone and polish the sear and trigger surfaces. Also check the sear notch is engageing at 90 degrees to the trigger. If the angle is less than 90 you are having to overcome the tension of the mainspring.HTH :thumbsup:

runnball,

woossshhh !!!

that's the sound of pretty much everything you said after "dissassemble/reassemble the gun" flying way over my head. i haven't a clue what creppy or mushy or arkansas stones or ... you get the picture.

what i have is a very un-detailed owners manual with an exploded diagram of the parts and their relative positions - nothing more. also, i have been able to remove the grips, part 9b, and unscrew the barrel for cleaning. without the diagram, i probably wouldn't have accomplished even that.

so, thanks for the lead into where and how i could remedy the problem, but it looks like i'll have to use option 4 (leave it and eat more wheaties).

see ya' later,
~daniel~

Try option #5 and call Cabela's and see what they have to say!

LeMat 1856
Please don't take this as a criticism but from your response I take it that you have done very little if any gunsmithing.

That said, I wouldn't recommend that you take your gun apart any further than you already have.
Although the action isn't overly complicated it isn't as simple as the Colt or Remington.

You placed your post in the best place (The Gun Builders Bench) but I am moving it to the Pistol Forum. My reason for doing this is twofold.
We have several members who own LeMats that post there.
I suspect that many of the people who regularly visit the Pistol Forum do not visit the Gun Builders Bench.

Part of what your experiencing is most likely due to the parts being new and needing to wear in a bit.

Any of you other members have any suggestions?

Cumpston and Bates' book, Percussion Pistols and Revolvers, History, Performance and Practical Use has a chapter on the LeMat that includes a description of disassembly and reassembly. It's not for the faint of heart or novice, but it can be done with care and preparation. It will require a special tool that you'll have to make. I'd recommend you get the book and read the description so you can make an informed decision about your own skill level and whether to proceed.

river,
if i could buy another lemat made by a different company, i would call cabelas in a heartbeat. get this...

day 1, on the san leandro range, my first go with bp and this brand new gun, somewhere into my 2nd round of .44's the loading lever tube starts jumping out of the retaining spring after every other firing. now it happens every single firing. :hmm:

day 2, on the chabot range, my second go with the weapon (cleaned and lubed by the book), at about round 3 of .44's the takedown lever (you know, the thing that keeps the top barrel from UN-screwing) is hanging down in the unlocked position... :shocked2: ... and the lever is also out of the spring, plus the shot barrel ramrod is hanging half way out of the tube as well... :cursing: !!

at nearly $800, i expected more than a pretty papeweight.

so if i call them, it will be for an rma, not advice. am i right ?

~daniel~

You may have just gotten a monday pistol. My son has had a lamatt for a few years now and has had no problems other than he he had to open up the spot on the flip down hammer for the 20 gage barrel. Call Cabellas is your best bet.

I bought a pietta lemat and like yours it was a piece of junk. I never fired it. The cylinder would not line up with the barrel.
I E-Mailed the folks I bought it from said to get in touch with the pietta folks in Italy.
I E-mailed them and told them of my problem, The guy said I was just a cry-baby and told me to get lost.
I have and will never own another pietta again!
Old Charlie

you may well have gotten a 'lemon'. is there any gunsmith in your area? he shouldn't charge you anything to listen to your story and do a quick check-over, he may advise you to return it.

:bow: Amen!! Charlie, it's the same opinion I had had regarding Pietta for all too many years. That is the main reason I do not currently have a LeMat in my collection. At least our complainant above got an answer from Pietta, I got squat and returned it back to the store I bought it from---Cabela's. :barf:

blizzard,

hummmm, now you've got me worried. i'll have to look in the yellow pages.

your point being that he could recommend corrections, evaluate it, and that would backup my request for a replacement. i am torn between replacement and refund, the latter being my least desired option.

now i see why they are on sale...

also, pietta does not have a functioning website at this time. i keep seeing the same ol' "ina progressimo" at www.pietta.it - which is on the owners manual.

the sad thing is that i scanned this very forum before making the purchase, saw the negative comments about pietta, and said "naaa, cabela wouldn't sell a piece of junk...." live and learn.

~daniel~

private,

do you happen to know if his was sold by/through navy arms or cabelas ?

if I am not mistaken he got his Lamatt from Dixie Gun Works. It was the Army style.

private,

thanks. that means his is also pietta but has a thumb screw for the retaining mechanism.

i'm back to the drawing board.....

:hmm: I really hate to make this suggestion: Send it back and get a refund or have them send you another.

Thatsa what I would do--send it back

aug 31/09:30

thanks for all the input.

it's a long weekend so mail won't go very far. that also gives me time to test fire once more at the range and confirm these problems. i'll think it over then call them tuesday.

cabela's has already refunded me for 1 item i sent back - no questions asked - so i don't think they would hesitate in serious, potentially dangerous matters.

my fear is: better the devil you know....
that would be my luck !

will keep you posted so stay tuned for part 2 of "saga of the stiff trigger."

~daniel~