Original U.S. Colt Nickel Plated M1877 .38cal Lightning Revolver Made in 1882 with 2 1/2" Barrel and Mother of Pearl Grips - Matching Serial 34291

Original Item: Only One Available The romance around Colt "Cowboy" Revolvers never ceases to amaze us. This is a lovely "frontier used" Nickel-plated example of the Model 1877 "Lightning" Double Action .38 Caliber Revolver, which was fitted with beautiful old Mother of Pearl grips, very possibly when New. Truly, this is a "pimped out" example for the discerning collector and must have been quite the showpiece when new! It is marked on the bottom of the grip, frame, and trigger guard with serial number 34291, indicating it was made in 1882. There is even a faint 2, 9, and 1 stamped on the back of the cylinder between the chambers, making this a very nice “All Matching” example, with no parts swapped out over the years. It also is marked on the loading gate with assembly number 650.

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 2 ½" barrel, and was originally nickel-plated from the factory. It looks to have seen light to moderate use during its life, most likely on the frontier, and still retains about 40% of the original plating, with the rest worn to a polished steel patina. This has worn the markings somewhat, however the etched panel on the left side can still be seen in the right light. It is still marked on the top of the barrel with the Colt two line address, correct for a shorter barrel:-

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 clearly visible:-

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

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. This example is marked 38CAL on the trigger guard and etched very faintly with COLT. D.A. 38 on the left side of the barrel, so it is definitely a "Lightning."

We purchased this revolver as a "LIGHTNING" and it is in very good condition, being one of the “Shopkeeper’s Specials”, made without an ejector rod and easy to conceal. It displays a lovely patina overall from use and cleaning, giving it a great "been there" look, with just a bit of past peppering in areas where the plating has eroded. The Mother of pearl grips are in lovely aged condition, showing overall yellowing and surface cracking from use. They are slightly chipped around the edges from already having put in some almost 150 years of service. Clearly the revolver of a very fashionable individual. Though, as famous WWII General George S. Patton said once when someone stated that his famous revolvers were "pearl-handled":

“Son, only a pimp in a Louisiana whore-house carries pearl-handled revolvers. These are ivory.”

Well, if any revolver we've had could be said to be "PIMPED OUT" when it was new, this is it! The revolver cycles beautifully in both single and double action, with none of the finicky behavior we often see with these old “cowboy” revolvers. The mechanics are crisp with just a bit of wobble, and the cylinder lockup is solid. The cylinder base pin can be removed easily for cleaning by depressing the button on the frame, though the button itself is a brass replacement. The bore is in is in excellent condition, showing a bright finish with crisp lands and grooves. There is just a bit of wear and past fouling, now removed, making this a truly exceptional bore from the era of black powder.

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 lovely Nickel-plated example of an early Cartridge Colt Revolver in .38 caliber, fitted with beautiful mother of pearl grips! In very good condition and ready to display, a Pre-1899 ANTIQUE made in 1882 Ready to add some real BLING to your collection!.

Specifications:-
Year of Manufacture: 1882
Caliber: .38 "Long" Colt
Ammunition Type: Centerfire Cartridge
Barrel Length: 2 ½ inches
Overall Length: 8 inches
Action: Single/Double Action
Feed System: 6 Shot Revolver