Original Item: Only One Available. This is a most attractive Colt Lightning Magazine Slide-Action Rifle, with a lovely Antique glow around it. The serial number 30544 stamped on the trigger guard indicates manufacture in 1888. The 26" round barrel is marked .44 Cal. above the chamber, indicating that this rifle is in .44-40 Winchester, a popular caliber of the time. It features an iconic "Buckhorn" rear adjustable sight, with the classic front sight, which has had the blade replaced with a nickel silver one, now glued in place. It features the classic front sight with a replacement nickel silver blade, and a lovely "Semi-buckhorn" rear adjustable sight.

The top of the barrel is marked with the manufacturer information, which is clear:

Offered with a crisp tight action in fully functional condition. The rifle cycles well, with a smooth action and crisp dry fire, though we have no way to check to see if the magazine will feed. The metalwork is in very good condition, with no signs of major cleaning or restoration, though there is some repaired damage on the right front magazine tube. The original blued finish is very well retained on the barrel, however the magazine tube and receiver, which were probably originally case colored or niter blued, now show an aged gray patina. The original "Prancing Pony" is unfortunately mostly worn away, with only traces still visible.

The bore is in very good condition, showing a mostly bright finish with clear lands and grooves. There is some rounding to the lands, as well as some areas of past fouling and oxidation, now cleaned away. There are also some rings of oxidation near the muzzle, but no signs of a bulge. We would probably rate the bore at about 6-7 out of 10, which is quite good for a black powder era repeating rifle in a very popular chambering. Stocks are in very good condition, showing great grain and the lovely red brown color of aged walnut. The checkering on the fore stock is in very good condition, though there is a crack on the lower left side, and also a chunk missing on the rear right. The butt stock is in very good shape as well, showing some gouges and chunks missing on the right side, as well as a personalized marking.

A lovely "frontier used" example of an early Slide / Pump action rifle, ready for display!

Specifications:-
Year of Manufacture: 1888
Caliber: .44-40 Winchester
Cartridge Type: Centerfire Cartridge
Barrel Length: 26 Inches
Overall Length: 43 Inches
Action type: Slide Action Repeater
Feed System: 15-round tube magazine

More on the Colt Lightning Rifle:

The Colt Lightning Magazine Rifle was a slide-action (pump-action) rifle manufactured by Colt from 1884 to 1904 and was originally chambered in .44-40 caliber. Colt eventually made the Lightning Rifle in three different frame sizes, to accommodate a wide range of cartridges, from .22 Short caliber and .38-40 to .50-95 Express. Its profile somewhat resembles the pump-action rimfire rifles made by the Winchester Repeating Arms Company and Remington Arms. The Lightning saw use as a sporting arm in America and was adopted for use by the San Francisco Police Department, but was never as popular or as reliable as the various lever-action rifles of its day.

The medium-frame Colt Lightning Magazine Rifle was manufactured between 1884 and 1904. It was the first slide-action rifle offered by Colt. Colt records indicate 89,777 were produced, in .32-20, .38-40, and .44-40 as a companion arm to the Colt Single Action Army revolver. Two versions were offered: a rifle with a 26 in (66 cm) barrel and 15-round magazine, and a carbine with a 20 in (51 cm) barrel and 12-round magazine.

NOTE: This gun is NOT considered obsolete calibre, so we are not able to ship to the United Kingdom. Please note that for international shipping, these MUST be shipped using UPS WW Services. International customers should always consult their country's antique gun laws prior to ordering.

Note: This gun is NOT considered obsolete calibre, so we are no able to ship these to the United Kingdom.

IMA considers all of our antique guns as non-firing, inoperable and/or inert. Title 18, U.S. Code, Section 921(a)(16) defines antique firearms as all guns made prior to 1899. This law exempts antique firearms from any form of gun control or special engineering because they are not legally considered firearms. No FFL, C&R or any license is required to possess, transport, sell or trade Antique guns. All rifles and muskets sold by IMA that were manufactured prior to 1899 are considered Antiques by the US BATF (United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms). Therefore, all of IMA's Antique guns may be shipped to most US States and most U.S. territories.

These antique guns are not sold in "live" condition, and are not tested for the the ability to feed or load any type of cartridge. They are sold as collector's items or as "wall hangers" not for use, and we make no guarantees regarding functionality aside from what is stated in the description. Any attempt at restoring an antique gun to be operational is strongly discouraged and is done so at the risk of the customer. By purchasing an antique gun from IMA you thereby release IMA, its employees and corporate officers from any and all liability associated with use of our Antique guns.

Pre-1899 Manufacture, no licenses required, allowed to ship to most addresses within the United States.