Being a .45 Guy and with an itch to scratch for a pocketable carry gun in that caliber, I first heard of the Semmerling LM4, it was made first in the 1980s and had limited production up until sometime around the 21st century. Still the gun LOOKS like a semi-auto, but is a manual-operated gun. I’d read a TON of descriptions on HOW the gun works, but never SEEN how it works. Until JUST now. Thought I’d share:
Pretty cool, but also crazy awkward if you ask me. The gun is a hair smaller, with one round less in standard capacity as my PM45 Eleanor, and about the same weight as its all steel. Further while the PM45 shoots like a pistol twice its size, this thing shoots like a crazy rube-Goldberg machine, and that Slide-lock/Safety seen in Video 2 seems overly complicated and unsafe, given that you need to depress the trigger with a live round in the chamber to engage it.
Still this thing was invented 20 years before the PM45 and all its perfection. Of course a gun of this size and weight, even in the 1980s I think I’d make better use of the many all-steel .380s, or of course the omni-present S&W J-Frame revolver which will fire the same number of .38 Special rounds at a much faster rate.
So I thought I’d share.
The Semmerling LM4 made a kind of sense, back in the day when “everyone knew” you couldn’t make a reliable small .45ACP, and two shot derringers were still considered very viable BUGs for uniformed officers.
Oh yeah, the wife was asking why anybody made that gun, when I explained to her WHEN that gun was made.
Yeah back then it made TONS of sense Of course IMHO a Colt 1908 Pocket Hammerless .380 Also makes more sense, and is even older.
Or the S&W Model 60 .357 Revolver which beats this gun in every way.
Still neat solution to a VERY unique problem.
Forgotten Weapons had a video and write up on this not too long ago – Semmerling LM4
Not something I would want for self-defense. I’m not a revolver guy, but I think I’d rather have a revolver than one of these.
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That’s pretty cool but it looks like a creative way to shoot yourself in the hand.
Just bought on and I have to say the price went up. Seems like an oddity and a piece of hand gunning history. Can not wait to fire it, clean it and then put it away