RARE & UNUSUAL LEMAT MODEL 1881 CENTERFIRE CARBINE.

RARE & UNUSUAL LEMAT MODEL 1881 CENTERFIRE CARBINE. Cal. 11.3 mm rifled bbl & 20 bore (15 mm) smoothbore bbl. SN 3. This rare carbine has features found on both early & late models. It has a 23-3/16″ oct to rnd rifled bbl with front sight integral with front band & a 2-position 400 meter rear sight mounted on octagonal section at rear. Bbl is marked “COLONEL LEMAT PATENT” between rear sight & bbl band. Center fire smoothbore bbl that functions as cylinder pivot is 25-1/8″ long with threads for rifled bbl mount, 2-1/8″ long. It has 9-shot cylinder with chambers rebated for cartridge rim. It has a spring-loaded loading gate mounted to recoil shield & smoothbore loading gate hinges to left & has an articulated extractor that functions when gate opens. It has an integral ejector rod mounted to right side of rear rifled bbl mount. Trigger guard has a long lower projection with a stud & ring in right side. Mounted with straight grain nicely figured walnut buttstock with smooth steel buttplate. There is orig slotted head cleaning rod through bbl mounts on right side that has a screwdriver slot in the end. Face of cylinder has serial number, usual oval “ELG” Belgian proof & a backwards “P”. Serial number appears on every part of carbine with number “4” at right lower rear edge of frame, a number while all other numbers are a “3” and appear on cleaning rod, bbl bands, ejector rod head, smoothbore loading gate, trigger guard, etc. Smoothbore bbl also has a partial proof along with “15.2” & a backwards “P”. The “15.2” is the bore diameter. The hammer spring is “V” shaped versus the flat hammer spring found on an almost identical carbine serial #2, also being sold in this auction. Inside buttplate has three dots at toe & three slash marks in tang. Lower tang channel in buttstock has three slash marks. Heel of buttplate has a knurled knob that, when unscrewed, reveals a 2-1/2″ long tapered pin. In the book, LeMat the Man, the Gun, Forgett & Serpette, p. 130 shows a similar item in carbine #208, which has a screwdriver blade. This pin has not been altered and is as originally found. CONDITION: Fine to very fine. Bbls retain an even dark blue/brown patina with some orig blue in sheltered areas. Buttstock retains most of an old restored oil finish. Button to use the articulated smoothbore firing pin on hammer nose is missing. Bbl band screws are battered. Mechanics are fine, bright shiny bores. 4-56507 JR208 (12,500-22,500)

Auction: Firearms - Spring 2006

Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

Image	Lot	Price	Description
	139	$13,800.00	RARE & UNUSUAL LEMAT MODEL 1881 CENTERFIRE CARBINE. Cal. 11.3 mm rifled bbl & 20 bore (15 mm) smoothbore bbl. SN 3. This rare carbine has features found on both early & late models. It has a 23-3/16″ oct to rnd rifled bbl with front sight integral with front band & a 2-position 400 meter rear sight mounted on octagonal section at rear. Bbl is marked “COLONEL LEMAT PATENT” between rear sight & bbl band. Center fire smoothbore bbl that functions as cylinder pivot is 25-1/8″ long with threads for rifled bbl mount, 2-1/8″ long. It has 9-shot cylinder with chambers rebated for cartridge rim. It has a spring-loaded loading gate mounted to recoil shield & smoothbore loading gate hinges to left & has an articulated extractor that functions when gate opens. It has an integral ejector rod mounted to right side of rear rifled bbl mount. Trigger guard has a long lower projection with a stud & ring in right side. Mounted with straight grain nicely figured walnut buttstock with smooth steel buttplate. There is orig slotted head cleaning rod through bbl mounts on right side that has a screwdriver slot in the end. Face of cylinder has serial number, usual oval “ELG” Belgian proof & a backwards “P”. Serial number appears on every part of carbine with number “4” at right lower rear edge of frame, a number while all other numbers are a “3” and appear on cleaning rod, bbl bands, ejector rod head, smoothbore loading gate, trigger guard, etc. Smoothbore bbl also has a partial proof along with “15.2” & a backwards “P”. The “15.2” is the bore diameter. The hammer spring is “V” shaped versus the flat hammer spring found on an almost identical carbine serial #2, also being sold in this auction. Inside buttplate has three dots at toe & three slash marks in tang. Lower tang channel in buttstock has three slash marks. Heel of buttplate has a knurled knob that, when unscrewed, reveals a 2-1/2″ long tapered pin. In the book, LeMat the Man, the Gun, Forgett & Serpette, p. 130 shows a similar item in carbine #208, which has a screwdriver blade. This pin has not been altered and is as originally found. CONDITION: Fine to very fine. Bbls retain an even dark blue/brown patina with some orig blue in sheltered areas. Buttstock retains most of an old restored oil finish. Button to use the articulated smoothbore firing pin on hammer nose is missing. Bbl band screws are battered. Mechanics are fine, bright shiny bores. 4-56507 JR208 (12,500-22,500) Auction: Firearms - Spring 2006 Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

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