Colt Lightning Magazine Rifle CLMR Medium Frame .32-20 WCF Pump Action 1891
Sold For: $1455
LSB#: 201015SC41
Make: Colt
Model: Lightning Magazine Rifle, Medium Frame
Serial Number: 58202
Year of Manufacture: 1891
Caliber: .32 CLMR (.32-20 Winchester)
Action Type: Slide / Pump Action, Full Length Tube Magazine Fed Rifle
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. 83. MAY 26. 85. JUNE 15. 86. FEB. 22. 87.” in front of the rear sight, the left shoulder is marked “32 Cal.” at the rear. The left side of the receiver has a faint Rampant Colt logo. The bottom tang is marked “58202”.
Barrel Length: 26”, Tapered Octagonal
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a blade in a slotted base dovetailed to the front of the barrel. The rear sight is a “V”-notch leaf and elevator sight dovetailed to the rear of the barrel. The top tang is drilled, tapped and filled for a peep sight (none included).
Stock Configuration & Condition: The stocks are walnut with a checkered two-piece slide handle, smooth straight grip, straight comb and steel crescent buttplate. The stocks have some scattered nicks, dings, scrapes and scratches. There are some flecks of white paint on the right of the buttstock. The slide handle’s checkering is worn, but visible. The left slide panel has a crack at the rear edge toward the bottom. The wrist has a chip loss at the top-front corner on the right. The buttstock has dark discoloration along the edges of the metal. . The LOP measures 13 3/8″ from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. The plate has gone to a moderate patina with some scattered solid erosion. Overall, the stocks are in about Very Good condition as Antique.
Type of Finish: Blued
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is dark gray with worn, but visible. There is light-moderate erosion throughout the bore with scattered pitting.
Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 5% of its metal finish. Most remaining finish is in protected areas such as corners and around the sights. The flats of the barrel have infrequent remaining blue finish. Most surfaces have gone to a light-moderate patina or are worn to white. There is some scattered light surface erosion. There are scattered nicks, dings, scuffs and scratches. The most notable scratches are on the receiver flats, there is also a patch of more notable dings on the top-right of the barrel about 4″ behind the front sight. The magazine nosecap is missing, a washer has been installed between the front of the magazine spring and the magazine mounting screw. The action shows operational wear. The screw heads range from sharp to disfigured with useable slots. The markings are generally clear, the rampant colt is worn and incomplete. Overall, this rifle is in about Very Good condition as Antique.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The magazine nosecap is missing, a washer has been installed between the front of the magazine spring and the magazine mounting screw. We have not fired this rifle. As with all previously owned firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: None
Our Assessment: Around the 1880s, Colt was looking to diversify but both Remington and Winchester had the rifle market sewn up. Besides their lever-actions, there were also new slide action rifles: the user pumped a moving arm set under the barrel and around a tubular magazine, kicking out a spent round and loading a new one with every “stroke”. Colt concentrated on this design concept and in 1884 introduced a gun with a short slide action that was so slick and so fast; they dubbed it the “Lightning”. The advertising said it all: “Nothing was faster than lightning”. Dr. William H. Elliot, a dentist by trade, designed the gun. Half hobby, half side job, Elliot liked to tinker with things and over the course of his life came up with at least 130 inventions. Since he lived in Ilion, New York, he often walked down to neighboring Remington and showed them the interesting things he was working on and when Remington didn’t bite on his new rifle design, he sent a letter to Colt, who loved it. The handy rifle’s tubular magazine could hold as many as 16 rounds, depending on caliber, which made it very attractive. It came in three varieties: small, medium, and large. Each of these guns had the same set up, with a deep-blued finish, case hardened hammer, American walnut stock and fore-end, and open rear and front sights. They were light, going 6.5-pounds or so. The medium frame guns, chambered for .32-20, .38-40 and .44-40 Winchester calibers, marketed as 32, 38 and 40 CLMR (Colt Lightning Magazine Rifle), were the most popular, using some of the same cartridges as Colt’s Single Action Army and with ammunition already being produced for Winchester’s rifles. Ultimately, the rifle was discontinued as Winchester and Colt came to the agreement that Winchester would produce rifles, Colt would produce handguns, and nobody needed to make the market competition get ugly. This example is an 1891 production medium frame chambered for .32-20. It is an honest rifle, showing wear which could be considered light considering its age of 130 years. This will make for a nice example of the Colt Lightning and would be an excellent addition to any safe in America. Please see our pictures and good luck!