Arms, Armor and Militaria

.45 ACP. 3.45" barrel lengths. SN: 200 and 200A. Rare nickel plated and blued pair of Semmerling LM-4 pistols with both mounting smooth walnut grip panels and standard matted front ramp and fixed rear notch sights. Manually cycled pistols featuring DAO triggers and fed by detachable single stack magazines. Both pistols display standard make and model markings including MOD. LM-4/PATENTS PENDING and SEMMERLING CORP./BOSTON, MASS. to the left slide and CAL. .45 ACP followed by ST. MIL. SPEC. CTG. ONLY to the right. Blued example shows serial number 200 with the nickel version marked 200A. Each pistol comes with an appropriately matching finish to the magazines. Lot comes in a wood two drawer display case by H. Gerstner & Sons of Dayton, Ohio.

Designed by Philip R. Lichtmann and patented in 1977, the Semmerling LM-4 pistol was offered for sale beginning in 1979 as a large caliber backup gun for the discerning buyer. Despite its outward appearance, the handgun is manually cycled either by grasping the slide with the supporting hand or by flicking the weapon aggressively in the event the user must rely on only one hand. Though unorthodox, this method of operation permitted the handgun to be produced in an extraordinarily compact size for its caliber. From the top of the rear sight to the base of the magazine floorplate, the pistol measures 3.75 inches. At approximately 5.25" in length, the handgun offered a .45 ACP weapon in a package small enough for ankle carry.

Despite these advantages, the pistol's method of operation remained slower than a contemporary double-action revolver. Paired with its exceptional cost of $645 (Approximately $2,470 as of 2025), this unorthodox pistol failed to achieve great market success. Approximately 600 examples were produced in total, rendering it a rare and fascinating development in subcompact carry technology. {MODERN}