Original U.S. Colt M1877 .38cal Lightning Revolver with 5" Barrel made in 1888 - Serial 65385

Original Item: Only One Available The romance around Colt "Cowboy" Revolvers never ceases to amaze us. This is a lovely example of the Model 1877 "Lightning" Double Action .38 Caliber Revolver, which looks to have been completely reblued at some time during its service life. It is marked on the bottom of the grip, frame, and trigger guard with serial number 65385, indicating it was made in 1888. It also is marked on the loading gate with assembly number 525, while the number on the back of the cylinder is 8 2 5, so it may have been swapped out at some point. This is a very nice "Partially matching" example, which is somewhat typical for the period.

The M1877 was offered from the factory in two basic finishes: nickel-plated or a case-hardened frame with a blue barrel and cylinder. The revolver was available in barrel lengths from 2.5" to 7.5" and was available with or without the ejector rod and housing. The shorter barreled versions without the ejector rod were marketed as "shopkeeper's specials".

This example has a nice 5" barrel, and we assume came blued and case hardened from the factory, after which it became worn, and was then completely refinished with a dark blued finish. It still has the correct Colt two line address marking on the top of the barrel, however it is definitely faint due to wear:-

COLT'S PT. F. A. MFG. Co.
HARTFORD. CT. U.S.A.

It also still has all of the original patent markings on the left side of the frame, which are much clearer:-

PAT. SEPT 19.1871.
''     ''   5.    '' 74.
''  JAN.19.   '' 75.

This revolver never had the Colt "Prancing Pony in a Circle" logo on the frame, as it was introduced in 1891. The M1877 revolvers were marketed under different names such as "LIGHTNING" to appeal to different groups of customers. Although all were of the same basic design, they were also referred to as "THUNDERERS", "RAINMAKERS", and SHERIFF'S MODELS" as well, depending on the caliber and configuration. None of these names were Colt designations, nor used by the factory in any reference materials of the time. All of these terms were coined by Benjamin Kittredge, one of Colt's major distributors. Kittredge was responsible for the terms "Peacemaker" for the Single Action Army, "Omnipotent" for the Colt M1878 double-action (often known as the "Frontier" model), and nicknames for the various chamberings of the New Line models. The caliber markings have worn away, however measurement of the barrel and cylinder chambers confirm that it is in .38 cal.

We purchased this revolver as a "LIGHTNING" and it is in fine working order and condition. The exterior has lots of the reblued finish still present, showing some wear around the edges as often seen. Its bird's head hard rubber grips bear the Colt prancing horse logo on each side. The hard rubber "gutta percha" grips do not show any chips, cracks, or major damage, and they have a lovely broken in look, with the checkering worn smooth in some areas.

The revolver functions great in both single and double action, and we did not notice any of the finicky behavior we often see from revolvers of this age. It has no issues with indexing, and the cylinder lock engages prorperly. The bore is in very good condition, with a partly bright finish and clear lands and grooves. There is some past fouling and oxidation, now cleaned away, and the lands are a bit worn, so it definitely saw a good amount of use. The cylinder base pin pulls out easily when the lock button is pushed in, allowing the cylinder to be removed for cleaning. The ejector rod is present and works great.

The "Lightning" was the favored personal weapon of famous Manchester (UK) Victorian detective and then head of CID, Jerome Caminada. Old West outlaw John Wesley Hardin frequently used both "Lightning" and "Thunderer" versions of the Colt 1877 revolver. Likewise 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 Garrett in 1881.

A fine refinished example of an Antique Cartridge Colt Revolver in .38 caliber in very nice condition and ready to display. An ANTIQUE made in 1888.

Specifications:

Year of Manufacture: 1888
Caliber: .38 "Long" Colt
Ammunition Type: Centerfire Cartridge
Barrel Length:  5 inches
Overall Length: 9 1/2 inches
Action: Single/Double Action
Feed System: 6 Shot Revolver