RotoMetals2Titan ReloadingRepackboxReloading Everything
MidSouth Shooters SupplyLoad DataInline FabricationWideners
Lee Precision Snyders Jerky
Results 1 to 13 of 13

Thread: lemat loads

  1. #1
    Boolit Mold
    Join Date
    Sep 2014
    Posts
    3

    lemat loads

    greetings
    i realized to late that i didn't have a single black powder gun. to remedy that i settled on a lemat. ok not the 20k one,,, a navy arms replica really cool gun. then i tried to buy caps,,,, .35 to .50 ea,,, really? my local gunsmith parted with a tin of #10 caps. i have not tried one yet. anyway i am looking for .44 conical loads and shotgun loads. 18ga? .644 is the shotgun bore, right between 16ga and 20ga, i think. 9 shots of .44 and 1 5.25" shotgun. any one here shoot a lemat?

  2. #2
    Moderator Emeritus / Trusted loob groove dealer

    waksupi's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Somers, Montana, a quaint little drinking village,with a severe hunting and fishing problem.
    Posts
    19,378
    I would stick with round balls to ease the learning curve. Check Osbourne punch measurements, find one the right size and punch out your own wads.
    The solid soft lead bullet is undoubtably the best and most satisfactory expanding bullet that has ever been designed. It invariably mushrooms perfectly, and never breaks up. With the metal base that is essential for velocities of 2000 f.s. and upwards to protect the naked base, these metal-based soft lead bullets are splendid.
    John Taylor - "African Rifles and Cartridges"

    Forget everything you know about loading jacketed bullets. This is a whole new ball game!


  3. #3
    Boolit Master 15meter's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
    Location
    SE Michigan
    Posts
    2,548
    Brings back memories of fondling a real Lemat revolver in the 70's. Local metal stamping plant with a cool gun shop in front was run by a guy that to put it mildly, was a character. I had been in and out of the gun shop enough that Mike got to know me. One day when I walked in to the "gun shop", which you had to pass through the offices of the stamping plant to get to, Mike waved me into his office to show me his latest acquisition, an original Lemat. He handed it across the desk and let me fondle it. Cool stuff.

    He was huge into civil war reenactment. Lots of civil war stuff from both sides, including working cannons that he would bring out and touch off, just to keep the locals on their toes.

    Cool old dude, there are groups of "Mike" stories out there.

    Setting up a Gatling gun on home plate at the local baseball field and shredding water filled 55 gallon barrels in center field kinda stories.

    If you've got a Lemat, even a replica, you're in special company.

    Congratulations.

  4. #4
    Boolit Grand Master

    Wayne Smith's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Hampton Roads, Virginia
    Posts
    13,655
    Got the replica, lost a place to shoot bp at the end of this month. No help on loads, but I loaded my shotgun barrel with 20 ga buck and ball and didn't expect accuracy. A 20ga ball and a couple of .32 cal buckshot make a good close in load. Load it as a 20 ga. shotgun, light powder charge.
    Wayne the Shrink

    There is no 'right' that requires me to work for you or you to work for me!

  5. #5
    Banned


    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Milan, MI
    Posts
    2,839
    Quote Originally Posted by 15meter View Post
    Brings back memories of fondling a real Lemat revolver in the 70's. Local metal stamping plant with a cool gun shop in front was run by a guy that to put it mildly, was a character. I had been in and out of the gun shop enough that Mike got to know me. One day when I walked in to the "gun shop", which you had to pass through the offices of the stamping plant to get to, Mike waved me into his office to show me his latest acquisition, an original Lemat. He handed it across the desk and let me fondle it. Cool stuff.

    He was huge into civil war reenactment. Lots of civil war stuff from both sides, including working cannons that he would bring out and touch off, just to keep the locals on their toes.

    Cool old dude, there are groups of "Mike" stories out there.

    Setting up a Gatling gun on home plate at the local baseball field and shredding water filled 55 gallon barrels in center field kinda stories.

    If you've got a Lemat, even a replica, you're in special company.

    Congratulations.
    Going to Yeck's was like going into a museum!

  6. #6
    Boolit Mold
    Join Date
    Sep 2014
    Posts
    3
    thank you

  7. #7
    Boolit Mold
    Join Date
    Sep 2014
    Posts
    3
    not having anything else b/p i think i nailed it. iv only seen real ones in videos. lucky guy.

  8. #8
    Boolit Master 15meter's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
    Location
    SE Michigan
    Posts
    2,548
    Quote Originally Posted by dondiego View Post
    Going to Yeck's was like going into a museum!
    It was past a museum, when he figured out he'd hiked across most of western Europe carrying an M1 and decided to do the WWII reenacting, it got crazier yet, north-south civil war stuff mixed with virtually every version of WWII Jeep, plus the occasional half-track.

    They don't make them like Mike anymore.

    Bummer.

    My understanding was that when he died, they packed up all his gun stuff and hauled it to Texas, they didn't think there was enough money in Michigan to support the auction.

  9. #9
    Banned


    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Milan, MI
    Posts
    2,839
    Quote Originally Posted by 15meter View Post
    It was past a museum, when he figured out he'd hiked across most of western Europe carrying an M1 and decided to do the WWII reenacting, it got crazier yet, north-south civil war stuff mixed with virtually every version of WWII Jeep, plus the occasional half-track.

    They don't make them like Mike anymore.

    Bummer.

    My understanding was that when he died, they packed up all his gun stuff and hauled it to Texas, they didn't think there was enough money in Michigan to support the auction.
    I have a Smith Carbine built at Yeck's Manufacturing. It is superb. It doesn't have Yeck markings and I wish it did.

  10. #10
    Boolit Master 15meter's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
    Location
    SE Michigan
    Posts
    2,548
    Quote Originally Posted by dondiego View Post
    I have a Smith Carbine built at Yeck's Manufacturing. It is superb. It doesn't have Yeck markings and I wish it did.
    I believe some of his reproduction rifles end up in the Smithsonian to be used in displays. That was the story going around 50 years ago.

  11. #11
    Boolit Master 15meter's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
    Location
    SE Michigan
    Posts
    2,548
    https://historical.ha.com/informatio...-gatling-gun.s

    One of Mike's Gatling guns.

    Too bad the video wasn't of it sitting on home plate.

  12. #12
    Boolit Master 15meter's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
    Location
    SE Michigan
    Posts
    2,548
    Talk about thread hijack, this has got to be a prize winning hijack

    Sorry.

  13. #13
    Moderator Emeritus / Trusted loob groove dealer

    waksupi's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Somers, Montana, a quaint little drinking village,with a severe hunting and fishing problem.
    Posts
    19,378
    Quote Originally Posted by 15meter View Post
    Talk about thread hijack, this has got to be a prize winning hijack

    Sorry.
    This board is famous for hijacking! Now, what was it you wanted to know about mouse traps?

    As long as we keep the thread alive, a Lemat owner might find it!
    The solid soft lead bullet is undoubtably the best and most satisfactory expanding bullet that has ever been designed. It invariably mushrooms perfectly, and never breaks up. With the metal base that is essential for velocities of 2000 f.s. and upwards to protect the naked base, these metal-based soft lead bullets are splendid.
    John Taylor - "African Rifles and Cartridges"

    Forget everything you know about loading jacketed bullets. This is a whole new ball game!


Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check