The LeMat is one of the most distinctive and famous of all 19th century revolvers thanks to unusual central smoothbore "grape shot" barrel plus its use by well-known Confederate military officers. Though P. G. T. Beauregard (sn. 427), Braxton Bragg (sn. 1273), J. E. B. Stuart (sn. 105), Patton Anderson (sn. 475), Henry Wirz (sn. 189) of Andersonville Prison, and other Confederate officers are known to have had LeMats, and though they have been widely represented in popular culture, they were and are very rare and relatively few made it to the Confederates during the war. They were designed by Jean Alexandre LeMat of New Orleans but mainly manufactured in Liege, Belgium, and Paris, France. Period advertisements for the revolvers refer to them as "LeMat's Grape Shot Revolvers." It has a triangular front sight, the central selector on the hammer tip for switching between the cylinder and the smoothbore shot barrel, a period added notch rear sight on the barrel, and groove on the hammer selector for a rear sight. The barrel has "Col Le Mat Bte s-g-d-g Paris" inscribed in an engraved panel and the serial number and the "*/LM" marking on the right at the breech. The serial number is repeated on the barrel latch, cylinder, shot barrel, and right side of the frame. It has a spurred trigger guard. The butt has a lanyard loop. The checkered walnut grips have light engraving on the washer, screw, and nut.

Good with traces of original blue finish and otherwise mostly smooth brown and gray patina throughout, moderate dings and scratches, some pitting mainly on the left side of the hammer, a repaired loading lever (rewelded together), a sliver of metal at the face between two chambers absent, and mild overall wear suggesting period modification to all the loading lever to move. The grips are very good and have mild wear on the otherwise crisp checkering, a few dents, and minor edge wear. Mechanically fine. Overall, a very attractive and scarce LeMat "Grape Shot" Revolver.