Semmerling LM-4 - Interesting Handgun

[Jeb48]

A friend mentioned the Semmerling LM-4 and I had to look it up because I never heard of a Semmerling. It does seem to be in a category all by itself since it is considered a manual repeating pistol. Must be one of the smallest .45s made not counting the derringers. It looks like a semi-auto but you have to chamber each round by sliding the barrel assembly forward and then back. It has a 4 round magazine. Here is a good writeup and video.

https://special-ops.org/semmerling-lm-4-pistol/

 

[Grayfox54]

I remember gun magazine write ups about this back in the early 80s. Touted as being the smallest .45acp pistol at the time. It never caught on as it was heavy, expensive, awkward to operate and if I remember correctly the trigger was awful. 

Today it falls into the weird, but collectible category.  I wouldn't mind having one just as a curiosity. 

[bobsguns]

Were these smaller than the AMT .45acp? I think those were only 3rd mags? 

[Jamie Jackson]

I have always been intrigued by this class of guns, but never owned one.

I handled, but didn't fire a Semmerling long ago. It was hefty and felt solid. Early '90's?

A pistol in this genre that also intrigues me is the .357 COP. I learned of them reading the old Jerry Ahern "Survivalist" series of books.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COP_.357_Derringer

 

I had an AMT .380 backup in the late to mid 1980's. It was a reliable example and very solid, and heavy for caliber.

I pondered the 45 acp version but never moved on it.

[bobsguns]

2 hours ago, Jamie Jackson said:

A pistol in this genre that also intrigues me is the .357 COP. I learned of them reading the old Jerry Ahern "Survivalist" series of books.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COP_.357_Derringer

I've shot one of those.

The owner loaded .357 rds instead of .38spl, I guess to "help" me. I thought my @#$%^&* hand was going to fall apart. I fired two rds & handed it back to him. Never again. 

[Jamie Jackson]

11 minutes ago, bobsguns said:

I've shot one of those.

The owner loaded .357 rds instead of .38spl, I guess to "help" me. I thought my @#$%^&* hand was going to fall apart. I fired two rds & handed it back to him. Never again. 

That's probably one more round than I would have fired LOL!

But I sure would love to have one.

[Snaveba]

There are 3 in GB at the moment. Range in price from $3300 to $8000. 
 

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/922907514

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/919167423

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/915448821

 

[bobsguns]

1 hour ago, Jamie Jackson said:

That's probably one more round than I would have fired LOL!

But I sure would love to have one.

.38spl wouldn't be too bad, I don't think. Shooting wadcutters would be even milder but not too good for self defense. 

Were their grip a bit better of a design, I would think the .357 recoil could be tolerated. I shoot my J-frame Smith Airweight in .357 with no issues. Granted, I don't shoot more than a cylinder full at a time either.