Page 113 - 86-Book2

"Today, there are eighteen known specimens of LeMat carbines, ranging in serial number from 2 to 112, establishing it also as one of the rarest and most desirable Confederate arms."
- Author Doug Adams
AN INVOICE FROM MACON ARMORY, DATED 1863, REFERENCES CARTRIDGES FOR LEMAT CARBINES
AS PICTURED AND DESCRIBED IN THE BOOK LEMAT: THE MAN, THE GUN BY FORGETTE
LOT 1133
Rare LeMat Percussion Carbine - Serial no. 112, 42 cal., 19 3/8 inch part octagon and 17 3/8 inch round bbl., blue finish, walnut stock. This Parisian LeMat carbine’s barrel address is shown on page 121 of “LeMat: The Man, The Gun” by Forgett and Serpette alongside two other known LeMat percussion carbines. These carbines are discussed in “The Confederate LeMat Revolver” on pages 90-95. Adams states: “Today there are eighteen known specimens of LeMat carbines, ranging in serial number from 2 to 112, establishing it also as one of the rarest and most desirable Confederate arms.”They are classified as Confederate firearms by Adams and others in part based on Macon Armory records from May 2,
1863, listing cartridges for LeMat carbines and the fact that the carbines were patented alongside the LeMat percussion revolvers which were exclusively manufactured for the Confederacy in late 1860 and 1861. He wrists, “This association, with the First and Second model patent designs, coupled with the exclusiveness of percussion LeMat production as noted above, clearly establishes the Confederate nature of this piece.” Adams also notes that the trigger guard design is meant to allow the shooter to support the carbine with their left hand on the trigger guard instead of the barrel to prevent injury when firing. This very rare carbine has a .42 caliber rifled upper barrel with ten-shot cylinder and a lower rifled .50 caliber barrel. The hammer has a selector spur to fire the lower barrel. The carbine has a loading lever attached to the left side of the barrel lug, a ramrod along the right side for loading the lower barrel, bead style front sight with triangular style base, a two-leaf rear sight, “”*/LM” and “112” on the right side of the barrel, “Colonel Le Mat Bte s.g.d.g. a Paris” in ornate script on top of the barrel ahead of the rear sight, “112” repeated on the
right side of
the frame,
selector on
the hammer,
sling rings
fitted to the
lower barrel band and the stock, and flat steel buttplate.
CONDITION: Fine with 40% period refinished blue finish, mottled brown patina on the balance, some mild pitting, and general mild wear. The stock has an added coat of glossy varnish and mild dings and scratches. Mechanically excellent. This is a very rare LeMat variation possibly imported by the Confederacy for use in the Civil War.
All LeMat firearms are very scarce, but these percussion carbines are among the rarest of all LeMats.
Estimate: 25,000 - 40,000
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