made sales difficult, and in the early 20th century the Small Frame Lightning was finally discontinued. Despite the considerable total number produced, the basic variation of the 22 Lightning is:
Standard model; 24" barrel, either round or octagonal; half magazine; straight buttstock:
5B-270
| 5B-270 | Values—Very Good $325 | Exc. $1,000 |
Colt Lightning Slide Action, Medium Frame
Lightning Model Slide Action Rifle, Medium Frame. Made 1884-1902; in a total quantity of 89,777. Under serial number 84,000 (approx.) made prior to Dec. 31, 1898.
32-20, 38-40, and 44-40 calibers (A few in each caliber made in smooth bore; rare; worth premium). 15-shot (rifle with 26" barrel), or 12-shot (carbine, with 20" barrel) magazines. Rifles available in various lengths.
Oil stained walnut stocks; forends usually checkered. Metal parts blued; the hammer casehardened.
Serial numbered from 1 on up to 89777. Colt company name and Hartford address marking on top of barrel, with 1883 patent dates or with 1883, 1885, 1886, and 1887 patent dates. Caliber markings located on breech end of the barrels.
The Medium Frame was the first type Lightning Slide Action brought out by Colt’s factory. It shared chamberings with the Single Action Army and the Double Action Model 1878 Frontier revolvers, in the 32-20, 38-40, and 44-40, and thus could serve as a companion arm. In league with such arms as the Model 1878 and 1883 double barrel shotguns, Colt’s was obviously attempting to capture much more of the gun market than solely handguns. Production of the Medium Frame was rather substantial, but still only minor in comparison with Winchester’s lever action competitor arms. Of all the Lightning rifles, the Medium Frame series offers the greatest degree of variation; they are also appealing to collectors because of the revolver calibers.
Major variants are:
Standard model rifle, 26" barrel, either round or octagonal, first type barrel marking (patent dates 1883 only); without sliding breech cover:
5B-271
| 5B-271 | Values—Very Good $500 | Exc. $2,000 |
Standard model rifle, same as above, but with more common patent barrel marking (1883, 1885, 1886, and 1887); with sliding breech cover:
| 5B-272 | Values—Very Good $475 | Exc. $1,500 |
Military rifles or carbines; with sling swivels, bayonet lugs, shortened magazine tubes, and carbine type buttplates; 44-40 caliber; various barrel lengths:
| 5B-273 | Values—Very Good $1,400 | Exc. $5,500 |
Carbine of standard type, with 20" barrel; adjustable military type sights; round barrel, and carbine buttplate:
| 5B-274 | Values—Very Good $875 | Exc. $3,750 |
Baby Carbine; same as above but of slimmer construction in barrel area; weight of 5-1/4 lbs., rather than the standard carbine’s weight of 6-1/4 lbs.:
| 5B-275 | Values—Very Good $1,450 | Exc. $4,750 |
San Francisco Police Rifles; 44-40 caliber; blued finish, with SFP 1 to SFP 401 number markings on lower tang:
| 5B-276 | Values—Very Good $1,000 | Exc. $3,750 |
(Note: Presence of deluxe features, such as pistol grip stocks, command added premium.)
Colt Lightning Demonstrator
Colt Lightning Cutaway Demonstrator. Factory skeletonized with various shape apertures all parts to view internal mechanism. At least 50 known made 1885-1890 and sent to various Colt dealers for sales promotion purposes (likely others also). Large majority Medium Frame size (other types worth premium). Barrels shortened near breech; stocks by rear tang. If serial number indicates post-1898 manufacture it falls under provisions of GCA and is treated as any modern gun: (also note: a few spurious specimens are known).
5B-276.5
| 5B-276.5 | Values—Fine $2,500 | Exc. $4,500 |
Colt Lightning Slide Action, Large Frame
Lightning Model Slide Action Rifle, Large Frame. Made 1887-94; the total produced 6,496.
Calibers from 38-56 to 50-95 Express (worth premium). Standard rifle barrel length of 28", and carbine of 22". Rifles available in various lengths.
Oil stained walnut stocks; the forends checkered. Metal parts blued; the hammer casehardened.
Serial numbered from 1 on up to 6496. Colt company name and Hartford address marking on top of barrel, with patent dates of 1883, 1885, 1886, and 1887. The caliber markings on left side of the breech end of the barrel.
By far the scarcest of Lightning Colt rifles is the Large Frame group. These rather mammoth slide actions were chambered for big game cartridges, but from a practical standpoint were no competition for the lever action equivalents made in large quantities by Marlin and Winchester. The short production run and limited number of Large Frame (usually called “Express Model”) Lightnings classifies them rather closely in value with the Lever Action Colt-Burgess rifles. However, there are a fair number of variations in the former, particularly due to varying barrel lengths, calibers, and combinations of stocks, sights, and finishes.
The basic variants are:
Standard model rifle, with octagonal 28" barrel, full magazine:
5B-277
| 5B-277 | Values—Very Good $950 | Exc. $3,750 |
Same