Colt Lightning Magazine Rifle CLMR Large Frame 28″ .45-85-285, 1891 Antique

SOLD FOR: $2,900.00

WOA#: WY240530TP004

Make: Colt

Model: Lightning Magazine Rifle, Large Frame

Serial Number: 5559

Year of Manufacture: 1891 (https://www.colt.com/serial-lookup)

Caliber: .45-85-285 (.38-56 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?, the left shoulder is marked “45-85-285”. The lower tang is marked with the serial number “5559”. There is a rampant colt on the left of the frame.

Barrel Length: 28”, Octagonal

Sights / Optics: The front sight is a german silver blade in a slotted base dovetailed to the front of the barrel. The rear sight is a “V”-notch semi-buckhorn elevator sight dovetailed and screw-set to the rear of the barrel; the rear sight is not original to the gun. The top tang is drilled, tapped and filled for a tang sight (none present).

Stock Configuration & Condition: The stocks are walnut with two-piece checkered slide-handle, straight grip, straight comb and steel crescent buttplate. The slide handle panels are notably darker in color than the buttstock and the checkering may have been chased or re-cut, but it is an appropriate checker pattern. The slide handle has some nicks and scratches under the finish. The buttstock has a few light nicks and scratches, most notable on the right below the comb. The LOP measures 13 3/8? from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. The plate has strong blue finish with some scattered minor erosion, mostly under the finish. Overall, the stocks are in about Fine condition as refinished Antique.

Type of Finish: Blued

Finish Originality: Refinished

Bore Condition: The bore is light gray. The rifling is worn, but visible. There is scattered light erosion and a little pitting in the bore. In this writer’s opinion, the bore rates 6+ out of 10.

Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 90% of its current metal finish. The balance is mostly in scattered spots of minor surface erosion, some under and some through the finish. There are some scattered light nicks, scuffs and scratches. There are some polish marks under the finish. The action shows operational wear. The screw heads range from sharp to tool marked with strong slots. The markings are generally clear, some were likely chased or re-cut. Overall, this rifle is in Fine condition as 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 refinished, so it looks great for its age. The rifle is chambered for the .45-85-285 cartridge, essentially a .45-70 loaded with a lighter bullet to decrease overall length of the cartridge to fit in the frame. 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!

Please forgive any typos, I was educated in California. -Bud