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Discussions related to the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879
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Sawubona

Quite a cannon, isn't it ?

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Sawubona


Joined: 09 Nov 2005
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It certainly is, Coll. Apparently several well known Confederate officer's carried a Le Mat, including Major General J.E.B. Stuart and Braxton Bragg. Beauregard carried one as well, but he was related to Col. Le Mat and helped with the production of the pistol in the first place. It was more than just a novelty item with those supporters I'll wager.
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Sawubona

I've been checking the net for the Le Mat's mechanism workings.

Looks much better a firearm than the 12-shot pinfire revolver I'd seen earlier, much more balanced, but still a heavy sidearm.

Apparently, the Zulus weren't very impressed with revolvers, saying they missed more than they hit their targets.

Wonder what they'd have thought of the Le Mat up close, perhaps at the Rorke's Drift barricades or rooms ?

Not sure what the ammunition is like, appearance and handling, compared to other pistols of the time, especially the shotgun cartridge in the second barrel.

Nice weapon though. Thanks for bringing my attention to it.

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Sawubona


Joined: 09 Nov 2005
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My pleasure, Coll. I learn a great deal from this site and sometimes that learning comes by way of researching the information I pass on as a "response" as well as reading the responses of other members. I too now know a lot more about Le Mat revolvers thanks in part to your interest.

I can't imagine the ammunition is anything unusual for the Le Mat nor is there anything peculiar about its reloading providing the ammunition is a common caliber. It seems the pistol was originally designed for an odd cartridge, but after our Civil War (1861-1865) it was improved by allowing it to fire more available ammunition. I'm thinking that The Prince Imperial was wealthy enough to be able to afford a custom sidearm of his choice regardless of its desired caliber and the French manufacture of a Le Mat would have been appealing. Again though, we're only looking at a French artist's rendering of a generic revolver that he might have carried.
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Sawubona


Joined: 09 Nov 2005
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Just a further thought... Pinfire guns are notoriously impractical as the pins themselves are awfully prone to damage from snagging and the ammunition itself was rare. Even during their heyday, right thinking individuals avoided them like the plague and by 1879 center-fire or an occasional rim-fire sidearm would have been far and away the norm.

The Zulu in range at the wrong end of any decent 1879 revolver (in the hand of a capable user) would probably be in no condition to comment on it's inaccuracy. Harford's account of his lack of success with a pistol is probably more of a statement on his marksmanship (or lack thereof) than on his equipment.
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Sawubona

I liked the idea of the 12-shot capacity of the pinfire revolver, but didn't think the ammunition was practical.

However, the Le Mat has caught my attention now.

Found a nice illustration of it in my handgun book.

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Further to the above.

'The Confederate Le Mat Revolver.'
by Doug Adams.

Appears to be a good book on the firearm.

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