Colt Lightning Magazine Rifle CLMR Large Frame 22″ 40-60-260, 1890 Antique
SOLD FOR: $6,025.00
LSB#: LSB260120GM009
Make: Colt
Model: Lightning Magazine Rifle, Large Frame Carbine
Serial Number: 5022
Year of Manufacture: 1890
Caliber: .40-60-260 (40-60 Marlin)
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″, the left shoulder is marked “40-60-260”. The lower tang is marked with the serial number “5022”. There is a rampant colt on the left of the frame.
Barrel Length: 22”, Round Tapered
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a blade dovetailed to the barrel. The rear sight is a Marbles dual flip u-notch sight dovetailed to the barrel. The top tang is drilled, tapped, and filled for a tang sight (none present).
Stock Configuration & Condition: The stocks are select walnut with two-piece checkered slide-handle, straight grip, straight comb and steel buttplate. There are a few minor handling marks. The checkering is sharp. There are no chips or cracks. The LOP measures 13 5/8″ from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. Overall, the stocks are in about Excellent condition.
Type of Finish: Blued, Case Color hammer and trigger
Finish Originality: Professionally Restored
Bore Condition: The bore is bright and the rifling is well-defined. There is light erosion scattered about. In this writer’s opinion the bore rates 7.5/10.
Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 99% of its current metal finish. The balance of the finish is strong and complete throughout. There are a few minor marks under the new finish. There are a few scattered superficial scratches. The action shows operational wear. The screw heads are sharp to lightly tooled with serviceable slots. Overall, this rifle is in Excellent condition as a refinished Antique.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. 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”. The handy rifle’s tubular magazine could hold as many as 15 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 large frame (.38-55 Winchester, 45-60, and .50-95 Express) guns were by far the fewest produced with just 6,496 coming off the line. Today these guns (barring a SFPD marked medium frame) are the most sought after of this particular family tree. Since they had longer cartridges, the magazines on these guns were generally 10-rounders rather than the more common 15-shots. The large-frame Lightning (also called the “Express Model”) was manufactured between 1887 and 1893.
This example has been professionally refinished, so it looks great for its age. The rifle is chambered for the .40-60-260 cartridge, essentially a .40-60 Marlin. We do not see these often, and when they do they always garner interest. Please see our pictures, make room in your safe and good luck! – L.S.