Multipal Barrel Revolver

[Tango_ Charli]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LeMat_Revolver

LeMat Revolver 2 Barrels Revolver and only approx 2,900 are manafactured

The LeMat revolver was a .42 or .36 caliber cap & ball black powder revolver invented by Dr. Jean Alexandre LeMat of New Orleans, which featured an unusual secondary 16 gauge smoothbore barrel capable of firing buckshot. It saw service with the armed forces of the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War of 1861–65.
History and its design

The mid-19th century was a time in American history that gave birth to a number of innovative firearm designs. This unique sidearm was also known as the "Grape Shot Revolver." It was developed in New Orleans in 1856 by Dr. Jean Alexander Le Mat, whose manufacturing effort was backed by P.G.T. Beauregard, who became a general in the Confederate Army. About 2,900 were produced.
The distinguishing characteristic of LeMat's revolver is that its 9-shot cylinder revolves around a separate central barrel of larger caliber than the chambers in the cylinder proper. The central barrel is smoothbore and can function as a short-barrelled shotgun (hence the name "Grape Shot Revolver") with the shooter selecting whether to fire from the cylinder or the smoothbore barrel by flipping a lever on the end of the hammer. Flipping the lever down caused the moveable striker to fall upon the primer set directly under the hammer, discharging the lower barrel, while leaving it in the standard position would fire the chambers in the cylinder, much like any other revolver.

Cartridge used a .42 Ball (.44 repro) or .36 ball 16ga Shot, Barrel 2, its a Single Action Revolver/Single Barrel Shotgun Rate of fire 9 rounds/minute
Muzzle velocity 620ft/s (190m/s)Effective range 40yd, Maximum range100 ydFeed system 9-round cylinder single-shot smoothbore secondary barrel Sights fixed front post and rear notch.

LeMat originally chambered his pistol for .40 (or .42) caliber revolver bullets, with a .60 (16 gauge) smoothbore barrel, and had a jointed ramrod (mounted on the right-hand side of the frame), which was used to load both barrels. Later, during the American Civil War, a lighter .35-caliber pistol with a .55 caliber (28-gauge) smooth bore barrel was produced, but as these were non-standard ammunition sizes (.36 or .44 caliber were most common for contemporary revolvers) LeMat owners had to cast their own bullets (as opposed to being issued them from general military stores.) The final models of the LeMat were produced in .36 or .44 caliber in response to these criticisms, but too few of them managed to get past the Union blockade of the South during the Civil War to be of any real use.

[Vikram]

The LeMat was an interesting design. I first came across it when I saw the film and read the book "Cold Mountain".

Tango_Charli,

Could you please post a link to the source where you picked this article? We need to provide a link to the source so that we do not violate copyright laws. Thanks.

Best-
Vikram