Content provided in partnership with

Semmerling LM4: a classic case of too innovative too soon

American Handgunner, Sept-Oct, 2005 by Daniel Dibner

Today is my lucky day, Taps Coogan agreed to open his vault and provide us with an example of an American masterpiece, the Semmerling LM4. Reaching back into his vault is like reaching back in time, working out to about a decade per foot of depth. The vault is lined with the holy relics of "working pieces, you know, tools of the trade" as Taps puts it. You won't find target pistols or single action Colts here, only combat variants of both guns and knives are to be found within. The collection is a perfect example of 40 years of owning less by owning the best. At Taps' age, even collecting the best, it's a whole lot guns, each weapon an icon of their time.

More Articles of Interest: Eureka! At last—an excuse for the .45 GAP; Don't try this at home; Seecamp .380 auto: this tiny tough-guy upgrades the punch of a classic design; Custom NAA Guardian .32 ACP: A factory custom version of this compact pistol...; Seecamp .380

It's a ongoing effort, with Taps' view of what merits recognition today still being added. Taps has no regrets about passing up some rare variants. He didn't overlook many of the truly important ones. Any regrets are left to more important things, like not being with his grandson in Iraq or not having been there when Daley's boys arrived at the convention.

The Semmerling LM4 is one of the world's least understood weapons, a Google search yields one scant page of dubious sites. Misinformation abounds, mostly provided by chat rooms offering comments made by people who never fired, yet alone ever carried, a Semmerling. Given that only 600 Semmerlings were made, it's understandable it isn't a well understood firearm.

Starting in the early '80s, the LM4 was first offered to the military and government agencies for about $750 a copy. That was, and for most of us still is, a great deal of money. The Semmerling was designed and originally marketed as a no-holds-barred, no compromise solution to a very real problem confronting those in harm's way, namely, getting as much firepower packed into the smallest possible platform. Professionals immediately saw its potential, and many still own and carry their Semmerlings after 20 years. To this day, the Semmerling remains the smallest, most powerful multi-shot .45 ACP ever offered.

Tiny Terror

The Semmerling LM4 was conceived and designed as a back-up gun. The idea was a simple one--those who are most likely to need a backup gun stood the largest chance they might be looking down the barrel of their own service weapon. In that case, you need an unqualified man-stopper, the instantaneous response the .45 delivers. Every shot was double action, just like a revolver. Five hard-hitting rounds in five seconds.

The LM4 is graced by simple, clear partridge sights and is a capable performer with practice, placing a full magazine within 3" at 25 yards or 6" at 50 yards. "That's the kind of accuracy professionals demand from their back-up weapons," Taps offers up. "Ninety-nine percent of back-up situations require a single shot at less than three feet," he continued. "The Semmerling shot better than guns twice as large and hit as hard as any of them."

No safeties, decockers, slide releases, etc. are to be found on a Semmerling, nothing superfluous to get in the way of its intended purpose. Taps Coogan doesn't like safeties on his guns, just what you would expect from a guy that grew up in a world without seatbelts, safety seals or the EPA.

The LM4 is about the same size as a High Standard derringer. Overall length was a scant 5.2" long with 3.45" of that barrel, a remarkable feat allowing the .45 to achieve full muzzle velocity and very little flash. The gun was only slightly higher than a stack of five .45s, coming in at 3.7" tall. A Semmerling is very thin as well, at less than 1" thick. Take off the grips and add the "thin kit" and you're down to .85". That's a 5.2" x 3.7" x .85" package, making the LM4 an inch smaller than a Walther PPK, or about the size of a TPH! In a world being offered the Seecamp .380, the Semmerling was a "gorilla gun" at only 1" longer.

Not An Auto

Fully loaded, the LM4 weighs in at 24 ozs. Be thankful for every ounce, as the Semmerling fires from a static, fully-locked breech. To load the next round manually your thumb sends the slide forward ejecting the spent case. A flick rearward and the next round is stripped and effortlessly fed into the chamber. The action is astonishingly natural and fast, and can be accomplished by one or two hands.

"The Semmerling has the smoothest action and silkiest trigger of any .45 I could pull out of here," Taps continued. "This one has a hard chrome plating. It wasn't done to be pretty, the plating adds lubricity to the action and protects the gun from body salts if you're packing it close. On duty, the grips come off and allow the user to read the remaining rounds through the frame."

Taps places a Stan Walenza custom Detonics complete with the rare Seecamp double action conversion next to the LM4. The Detonics dwarfs the Semmerling. "Even though Detonics marketed this as a backup, it would be the primary carry piece, the Semmerling would be stuck in a pocket or a boot or taped to your calf. Today, guys get confused about the Semmerling. They say 'Who the hell has the time to manually cycle a .45?'--these guys are one-gunners, the Semmerling still has no peer for a two gunner heading into trouble," added Taps. The Detonic's double action, while excellent, doesn't compare to the Semmerling. Even the graceful Detonics looks clunky next to the LM4. Taps picks up the Detonics, wipes it down and sends it back to its rightful spot, left of the S&W ASP, right of the 2" Colt Python.

Semmerling LM4: a classic case of too innovative too soon

American Handgunner, Sept-Oct, 2005 by Daniel Dibner

Find Research Guides for:

Find Featured Titles for: Health

Most Popular Articles in Sports

Most Popular Publications in Sports