An exploration of New Orleans industrial design heritage always includes the work of Jean Alexander LeMat. A true Creole gentleman and underrated design genius.
A modern interpretation of his concept using cartridge ammunition, combined with a loading system similar to the Smith and Wesson Model 3, was worth exploring. The trigger is a straight pull using a rack and pinion and reversible elliptical gears to adjust mechanical advantage on the trigger in double action mode.
Nine rounds of .357 surround a central barrel chambered in 45 Long Colt, but headspaced to accept a .410 shotgun shell, yielded a package that is only slightly larger than an N-frame Smith and Wesson. The ejector is spring loaded to automatically eject cartridges, then automatically retracts to prepare for reloading using a 10-round speed-loader.
The project got to the prototype phase, but after some soul-searching, I decided that I did not want to be in the gun business.
