Colt Lightning .44 Caliber 26″ Pump Action Rifle MFD 1885 Antique
SOLD FOR: $1,360.00
LSB#: WY250417JB185
Make: Colt’s Patent Fire Arms Manufacturing Company
Model: Lightning Rifle, Medium Frame (San Francisco Police Department Contract)
Serial Number: 8034
Year of Manufacture: 1885; Antique
Caliber: .44-40 Winchester (Marked .44 Cal)
Action Type: Pump Action (Slide Action), Tubular Magazine Fed
Markings: The top of the barrel is marked “COLT’S PT. F. A. MFG. CO. HARTFORD CT. U.S.A. / PATENTED MAY 29. SEPT. 18. 1883.” “ FROM W.F. SHEARD LIVINGSTON MONT. The lower tang is marked with the serial number “8034.” “S.F.P. 83”.
Barrel Length: 26” Octagonal
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a blade dovetailed into the barrel. The rear sight is a buckhorn elevator sight dovetailed into the barrel.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The rifle features a three-piece walnut stock with a straight comb, smooth straight grip, and a crescent steel buttplate. The buttstock shows moderate handling wear with scattered dings, compression marks, and finish thinning. There is a thin hairline crack behind the top tang, and the toe has minor bruising. The length of pull measures 13 1/2″ from the front of the trigger to the back of the steel crescent buttplate. Overall, the stocks rate in about Good to Very Good condition.
Magazine Quantity & Condition: Tubular magazine under the barrel; functional and intact.
Type of Finish: Originally Blued with Case Colored Hammer
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is gray, the rifling is well defined. There is moderate visible erosion in the bore. In this writer’s opinion, the bore rates 9/10.
Overall Condition: This antique Colt Lightning rifle retains about 45% of its original metal finish. The balance shows mottled patina, edge wear, and scattered surface oxidation, especially on the receiver and barrel flats. The barrel has turned to a pleasing gray-brown patina, and the magazine tube shows spots of darker oxidation. The hammer still shows traces of case coloring. There are scattered handling marks throughout. The screw heads range from lightly tool-marked to sharp. The pins are clean. The markings remain deep and legible. The action currently only travels about halfway and the lifter does not rise—mechanical attention will be required. Overall, this rifle rates in Good condition.
Mechanics: The action does not function correctly. The pump only cycles back about halfway and the lifter does not move. The mechanism will require internal inspection and repair. We did not fire this rifle. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance requirements.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: None
Our Assessment: The Colt Lightning was Colt’s only slide-action rifle and an innovative departure from the lever guns that dominated the late 19th century. Introduced in 1884 and chambered in popular revolver calibers like .44-40 Winchester, it offered smooth cycling, rapid fire, and compact handling, making it appealing to ranchers, frontiersmen, and law enforcement alike. The medium frame Lightning, like this example, was Colt’s most commercially successful variant and competed directly with the Winchester 1873.
This rifle bears the marking “S.F.P. 83” on the bottom tang, but the origin and significance of this marking remain uncertain. While such abbreviations are often associated with police or institutional ownership, this rifle was manufactured in 1885, which predates known San Francisco Police Department Lightning contracts that began later in the decade. Additionally, the location and style of the marking do not align with confirmed factory or agency-applied stamps. Without supporting documentation or matching records, the “S.F.P.” designation should be considered an unverified attribution, and its exact meaning remains unknown.
This particular rifle bears the name W.F. Sheard, a legendary figure in Western firearms history. Sheard was a renowned gunsmith and dealer based in Livingston, Montana, known for selling, customizing, and often marking firearms through his shop in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Guns bearing his name are strongly associated with real working use in the American West and are considered highly collectible. Whether this Lightning passed through Sheard’s shop for tuning, resale, or outfitting, his association adds tremendous historical value.
Though this Lightning will require mechanical attention—the pump only travels partway and the lifter is inoperable—it remains a well-preserved piece of American firearms history. The rifle retains about 45% of its original finish, has a strong bore, and its antique status makes it eligible for direct ownership in most states. For the advanced Colt collector or the historian of frontier-era sporting arms, this W.F. Sheard-marked Lightning offers both a restoration opportunity and a direct link to one of the West’s most iconic dealers. Please see our High Quality photos and good luck on your bids.-C.M.
