Last week I bought a LeMat Cavalry revolver made by Pietta in 1996, at an on-line auction. I am not concerned about the quality as I have bought several others from this auction house. However, since I bought it I have read a lot of negative comments about these guns. I have not yet received it. Should be here early next week. So, it is too late for me to unbid, but I am curious as to the opinions of more experienced shooters. Probably will not make a hill of beans difference, just checking. Thanks
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LeMat worries
- Thread starter wpjson
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My 'local' gunshop (180 miles away) has quite a few of them in the different styles. Apparently the majority of buyers return them for trade-in after 6 months or so. It appears cleaning is the big issue with them.
Sadly most end up de-activated and sold to Civil War Re-enactors.
It's a gun I have always liked but our Firearms Laws mean we have to apply for 2 separate calibre's just to acquire one gun. Not worth the extra hassle...
Sadly most end up de-activated and sold to Civil War Re-enactors.
It's a gun I have always liked but our Firearms Laws mean we have to apply for 2 separate calibre's just to acquire one gun. Not worth the extra hassle...
What are the negative comments?
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'morning,
Ironically, I also sealed a deal for one yesterday and am eagerly awaiting it's arrival.
From what I have read, cleaning is the major issue (the barrel has to be removed to remove the cylinder). Also the loading lever has been reported as being fairly weak. I haven't read of any other major issues.
Calum
Ironically, I also sealed a deal for one yesterday and am eagerly awaiting it's arrival.
From what I have read, cleaning is the major issue (the barrel has to be removed to remove the cylinder). Also the loading lever has been reported as being fairly weak. I haven't read of any other major issues.
Calum
rodwha
58 Cal.
It seems the loading lever catch doesn't hold well causin the shotgun rammer to get lost if you aren't paying attention.
oletymepreacher
40 Cal.
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Cleaning takes some time with all the holes to clean, but any BP revolver is the same. A local gunsmith fixed the loading lever problem. I don't know what he did. After owning this, and shooting this a lot , I haven't had problems. It is a heavy revolver that some say is ugly. Weak people think it is too heavy.
The LeMat also has quite a complex lockwork.
I recommend leaving that area of the gun alone when cleaning it.
Spray a liberal dose of a good gun oil thru any access port or slot to minimize the possibility of any corrosion that might happen inside the frame.
I recommend leaving that area of the gun alone when cleaning it.
Spray a liberal dose of a good gun oil thru any access port or slot to minimize the possibility of any corrosion that might happen inside the frame.
Those comments sound like issues common to the original models. If ye are buying an olde timey thingy, expect olde timey characteristics. Don't like them? Buy a Blackhawk.
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The information on mechanical issues I can provide is dated, meaning from the first two or three years after they came out. Not sure if these were corrected in later models. This information came from NSSA shooters who actually shot their guns with live ammo for target shooting.
1. Hard to keep "in time." Normally that means problems with the hands, but may apply to the cylinder bolts as well.
2. As Zonie mentioned, the parts are complex. The original parts were better hardened and annealed and lasted longer. Shooters' complaints that parts had to be replaced more often EVEN than other Italian replica revolvers.
3. Not very accurate. Unfortunately I can not give you a quantitative analysis, but that was the general feeling by owners.
My Mentor on BP guns of the period often made this comment that parallels what Rifleman1776 mentioned. "When you accurately reproduce an antique gun, you include ALL the good points and ALL the BAD points of the gun. This is why they stopped making them years ago."
Gus
1. Hard to keep "in time." Normally that means problems with the hands, but may apply to the cylinder bolts as well.
2. As Zonie mentioned, the parts are complex. The original parts were better hardened and annealed and lasted longer. Shooters' complaints that parts had to be replaced more often EVEN than other Italian replica revolvers.
3. Not very accurate. Unfortunately I can not give you a quantitative analysis, but that was the general feeling by owners.
My Mentor on BP guns of the period often made this comment that parallels what Rifleman1776 mentioned. "When you accurately reproduce an antique gun, you include ALL the good points and ALL the BAD points of the gun. This is why they stopped making them years ago."
Gus
I had one, and one must understand this revolver was meant to serve two purposes. As a pair they were to give a mounted trooper the firepower of three revolvers, plus a sawed off shotgun (18 rounds plus the two shotgun loads) The cylinders have rather thin walls, so they didn't shoot the stoutest of loads all the time, and shooting even a 20 gauge with one hand one does not want the same load as what could be used in an actual shotgun. So one probably rode up close, and blazed away.
The problems were at the time...., they were dang expensive and complicated, so for the price of a pair (I've been told), a man could buy enough Colts or Colt copies, to fight a-la Josey Wales, and have money left over...and if one of those revolvers jammed that fellow had several more, while if one of the LeMat revolvers jammed (and remember they were tough to clean :wink: ) the trooper's firepower would instantly be halved.
LD
The problems were at the time...., they were dang expensive and complicated, so for the price of a pair (I've been told), a man could buy enough Colts or Colt copies, to fight a-la Josey Wales, and have money left over...and if one of those revolvers jammed that fellow had several more, while if one of the LeMat revolvers jammed (and remember they were tough to clean :wink: ) the trooper's firepower would instantly be halved.
LD
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"so for the price of a pair (I've been told), a man could buy enough Colts or Colt copies, to fight a-la Josey Wales,"
:rotf: Got a real kick out of that!
I have personally only viewed four original Lemat Revolvers, including the one owned by JEB Stuart AND his Terry Carbine on display at the Museum of the Confederacy in Richmond.
I was extremely fortunate to be allowed to closely examine two of the originals by collectors who could afford them in the 1980's. I was impressed those two original revolvers were still "in time" and mechanically were in excellent condition, though the outside condition of both were not that good and one was very poor.
Gus
:rotf: Got a real kick out of that!
I have personally only viewed four original Lemat Revolvers, including the one owned by JEB Stuart AND his Terry Carbine on display at the Museum of the Confederacy in Richmond.
I was extremely fortunate to be allowed to closely examine two of the originals by collectors who could afford them in the 1980's. I was impressed those two original revolvers were still "in time" and mechanically were in excellent condition, though the outside condition of both were not that good and one was very poor.
Gus
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Well, mine arrived today. 
I'll admit that I paid $550 for it, and with the exception of one slightly dinged screw, if the guy hadn't told me that it had been fired, I would have thought it was new-in-box. It was that well maintained. And it comes apart incredibly easy for cleaning.
The original "manual" is in there (if you can call stapled pieces of paper a manual). 8 pages of disassembly instructions. One partial page (three slides) of reassembly hints. Something seems skewed there...because they don't even include "reassembly is the reverse". They tell you how to literally take it down to a bare frame...
And his original receipt is in there. In April of 1988, he paid $550 plus $7 shipping.
It balances much better than I expected (granted, it's empty). The toe sight isn't as clear as on the Colt repros that I have. But I am so looking forward to taking it to the range.
Calum
I'll admit that I paid $550 for it, and with the exception of one slightly dinged screw, if the guy hadn't told me that it had been fired, I would have thought it was new-in-box. It was that well maintained. And it comes apart incredibly easy for cleaning.The original "manual" is in there (if you can call stapled pieces of paper a manual). 8 pages of disassembly instructions. One partial page (three slides) of reassembly hints. Something seems skewed there...because they don't even include "reassembly is the reverse". They tell you how to literally take it down to a bare frame...
And his original receipt is in there. In April of 1988, he paid $550 plus $7 shipping.
It balances much better than I expected (granted, it's empty). The toe sight isn't as clear as on the Colt repros that I have. But I am so looking forward to taking it to the range.
Calum
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Wpjson,
If you need or want the manual, drop me a pm with your email. I'm taking it to work tomorrow to scan.
Calum
If you need or want the manual, drop me a pm with your email. I'm taking it to work tomorrow to scan.
Calum
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Fwiw, MG Joe Wheeler of the PACSA & USVC, who could afford most anything that he wanted to buy, preferred COLT'S revolvers to the LeMat's.
(MG Wheeler reportedly said that the LeMat revolver was "jewelry", rather than a fighting handgun.)
During "The Late Unpleasantness" & throughout the Spanish-American War, MG Wheeler routinely carried a pair of 1851 Colt's Navy revolvers, a pair of 1860 Army revolvers on his saddle & "was never known to be without" (including when serving in the US HoR) a Colt's Pocket Police.
(His son later said that he frequently had yet another 1851 Navy in his saddlebags.)
QUITE WELL-ARMED I would say that the General was!!
yours, satx
(MG Wheeler reportedly said that the LeMat revolver was "jewelry", rather than a fighting handgun.)
During "The Late Unpleasantness" & throughout the Spanish-American War, MG Wheeler routinely carried a pair of 1851 Colt's Navy revolvers, a pair of 1860 Army revolvers on his saddle & "was never known to be without" (including when serving in the US HoR) a Colt's Pocket Police.
(His son later said that he frequently had yet another 1851 Navy in his saddlebags.)
QUITE WELL-ARMED I would say that the General was!!
yours, satx
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MG Wheeler was quoted in the NY TIMES, when asked why he was carrying "those old guns": They worked well enough for killing Yankees, so they are suitable for shooting Spaniels.
(The General routinely referred to the enemy as "Spaniels".)
In the fight at Bacardi, Santiago, Kettle Hill & later at San Juan Hill, General Wheeler shot several Spanish soldiers & a senior Prussian officer.
(The General was one of FOUR known US personnel in the USVC who were mounted during the battles.)
MERRY CHRISTMAS, satx
(The General routinely referred to the enemy as "Spaniels".)
In the fight at Bacardi, Santiago, Kettle Hill & later at San Juan Hill, General Wheeler shot several Spanish soldiers & a senior Prussian officer.
(The General was one of FOUR known US personnel in the USVC who were mounted during the battles.)
MERRY CHRISTMAS, satx
Time and again "better" engineering has lost over simple when combined with more. Colts to Shermans, history does teach that same lesson over and over again.
LD
LD
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