Guns International #: 102277458
Seller's Inventory #: 228602

Category - Colt Revolvers - Lightning - Antique Revolvers - Cartridge

Category
Colt Revolvers - Lightning
Antique Revolvers - Cartridge

LETTERED Antique COLT Model 1877 LIGHTNING .38 Cal. Double Action Revolver INSCRIBED DA .38 Long Colt with NICKEL FINISH

Description:
LETTERED Antique COLT Model 1877 Lightning .38 Cal. Double Action Revolver

INSCRIBED DA .38 Long Colt with NICKEL FINISH

Here we present an antique Colt Model 1877 Lightning Double Action Revolver, made in 1891 in Hartford, Connecticut. This one has the name “J.A. McCAFFERY” on the backstrap and comes with a Colt archive letter that confirms the nickel finish, 3 ½” barrel length, chambering in .38 Colt, and a ship date of 23 April 1892 to Chicago, Illinois sporting goods and hardware store Hibbard, Spencer, Bartlett & Co. Chicago being a major junction on the railroad between the eastern and western US a lot of guns got bought here and taken out West on the frontier. What is interesting is that the letter from 1980 states that Colt could not locate the information that was found for the second letter, dated 1991. We did our best to identify J.A. McCaffery and we did find some candidates, such as in a political interview with a “merchant from Philadelphia” by that name “on the train, crossing the continent” 1 June 1894 in The Dunn County News from Menomonie, Wisconsin, but nothing certain.

The Model 1877 was designed in 1876 by William Mason and was offered in three different calibers with production beginning in January 1877, which led to the three unofficial names. The first production model was the “Lightning”, in .38 Long Colt caliber. Later that year, Colt came out with the .41 Long Colt caliber called the “Thunderer”. The .32 Long Colt caliber, called the “Rainmaker”, didn’t go into production until sometime in 1887. Benjamin Kittredge, the largest Colt Distributor in Cincinnati, Ohio, coined the nicknames for these guns as a marketing tool. He was also responsible for calling the Model 1873 Single Action Army the “Peacemaker”. None of the nicknames were ever used by the factory in any reference materials. The 1877 "Thunderer” in .41 caliber was the preferred weapon of Billy the Kid and was his weapon of choice when he was killed by Pat Garret in 1881.

The overall condition is good. Original nickel finish. The action (hammer/trigger) are strong in double and single action—the hammer holding all 3 notches, but the timing of the cylinder is off. The bore is clean and in good shape with nice rifling. The rampant Colt grips are in nice shape and solid. Numbers match.

Own the original! This is a legitimate antique and not a reproduction.

Barrel is 3-1/2 inches.

Caliber: .38 Long Colt

Overall condition as seen in photos.

Very Fast. Very Safe. FREE SHIPPING WORLDWIDE. Delivered directly to your door by express mail!

Guaranteed AUTHENTIC & Includes CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICITY.

ancestryguns

$2400

#228602
 

SOLD

Antique: Yes