LeMat Grapeshot Revolvers: Design Evolution

This video from Brownells Gun Techs Keith Ford and Steve Ostrem showcases three distinct variants of the legendary LeMat revolver, discovered at Rock Island Auction Company. The "Grapeshot Revolver" is a massive, nine-shot firearm with a cylinder revolving around a 20-gauge smoothbore barrel. The video features an original muzzle-loading percussion model famously carried by Confederate generals Jeb Stuart and P.G.T. Beauregard, a Belgian-made pinfire model firing copper-cased cartridges, and a unique, all-centerfire cartridge LeMat-type revolver. The description highlights the historical significance of the LeMat, its production in France and Belgium, and its journey through the Union blockade, also noting its Steampunk aesthetic and potential use against supernatural threats.

This review details a rare Pinfire LeMat Grapeshot Revolver, a variant primarily produced for the European market between 1863-1865. Unlike more common percussion models used in the Civil War, this pinfire version features a 9-round cylinder for 12mm cartridges and a unique central shotgun barrel. The design by Dr. Jean Alexandre LeMat included a pivoting striker for selecting between barrels and a special segmented slug for grapeshot effect.

This YouTube video appears to be an overview of the LeMat Revolver. Given the title, the content will likely delve into the history, design, and possibly the operation of this unique firearm. As a historically significant weapon, it may cover its use in various contexts, such as military or civilian applications.

This review of the LeMat Revolver highlights its unique dual-barrel design, featuring a .44 caliber cylinder and a central 20-gauge shotgun barrel. The video details the black powder loading process for both barrels, including specific powder charges and projectile types. Accuracy testing at 15 yards demonstrated impressive point-of-aim performance for the revolver, while the shotgun barrel was tested for pattern. The review also addresses potential issues like chain fires due to loose percussion caps and offers advice for collectors.

This review details the LeMat revolver as seen in HBO's WestWorld, distinguishing between the show's fictionalized cartridge conversion and original percussion models. It highlights the LeMat's unique 9-shot capacity with an 18-gauge shotgun barrel and discusses the mechanics of modern cartridge conversions, noting Kirst Conversions does not currently offer a LeMat kit. The analysis also points out cinematic liberties taken with the prop's disassembly.

This review details the rare Baby LeMat Grapeshot Revolver, a scaled-down variant intended for the Confederate Navy. Originally contracted for 2,000 units, only about 100 were produced due to production delays and contract cancellation. It features a unique dual-barrel system with a .32 caliber 9-shot cylinder and a .41 caliber rifled center barrel, distinguishing it from the larger original LeMat.

This video details the unique 'French Finger Trap' issue with the MAS-36 rifle's bayonet, where two rifles can become unintentionally locked together. A 1951 French arsenal memorandum identified this problem, proposing a simple modification to the bayonet handle. Drilling a small hole allows a tool, like a firing pin, to depress the internal spring, enabling the separation of locked rifles.

The M134 Minigun is a scaled-down 7.62 NATO rotary cannon, requiring 24V DC power and consuming 1.5 kW. Its high rate of fire (3,000+ RPM) is essential for aircraft engagement windows. The complex delinker mechanism is critical for feeding ammunition, and practical hand-held use is impossible due to weight and recoil. Live fire demonstrates rapid ammunition consumption and the need for indirect aiming.

The H&K G11 is a revolutionary prototype assault rifle designed in the late 20th century, notable for its caseless ammunition and unique rotating drum bolt mechanism. Despite advanced features like a 2000 RPM burst fire rate and integrated optics, its development was ultimately halted by geopolitical shifts and cost concerns.

This video demonstrates the assembly and live-fire of the German 1936 pattern light mortar (L.Gr.W.36). It highlights the mortar's leveling mechanism for accuracy and the difficulty in visually tracking its 50mm projectiles after firing. The content showcases historical military hardware and its operational use.