Colt Lightning rifle
{{Short description|Slide action light rifle}}
{{Infobox weapon
| name = Colt Lightning Rifle
| image = File:Colt- Lightning .22 Rifle.jpg
| caption = Colt- Lightning .22 Rifle
| origin = {{flagcountry|United States}}
| type = Slide action Light Rifle
| is_ranged = YES
| service =
| used_by = {{flag|United States|1867}}
San Francisco Police Department
| wars = Spanish-American War
| designer =
| design_date =
| manufacturer = Colt's Patent Firearms
| unit_cost =
| production_date = 1884–1904
| number =
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| weight =
| length =
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| cartridge = various; see text
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| barrels = round, octagon
| action = Slide
| rate =
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| feed = Tube magazine
| sights = Iron
}}
File:Colt- Lightning .22 Rifle.jpg
File:Lightning Carbine 44 cal.jpg
File:Lightning rifle breech open.jpg
File:Colt-Lightning Rifle Function.jpg
File:Colt M1855 Rifle Funktion.jpg
The Colt Lightning Carbine or Colt Lightning Rifle was a slide-action (pump-action) rifle manufactured by Colt from 1884 until 1904 and was originally chambered in .44-40 caliber.{{Cite book | last=Flayderman | first=Norm | author-link=Norm Flayderman | title=Flayderman's Guide to Antique American Firearms... and their values | date=2001 | publisher=Krause Publications | location=Iola, WI | isbn=0-87349-313-3 | page=669}}{{cite book | last = Boorman| first = Dean| title =Guns of the Old West: An Illustrated History | publisher = Lyons Press| date = 2004| pages =128 | isbn = 978-1-59228-638-6 }} 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.{{cite book | last = Wilkerson| first = Don| title = Colt's Double Action Revolver, Model of 1878 | publisher = Wilkerson Press Press| date = 1998| pages =128 | isbn = 978-0-9617876-4-6 }} Its profile 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. It is however reported to have been used by American forces in the Spanish-American War, most likely as privately purchased weapons.
Variants
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 {{convert|26|in|cm|abbr=on}} barrel and 15-round magazine, and a carbine with a {{convert|20|in|cm|abbr=on}} barrel and 12-round magazine. The San Francisco Police Department acquired 401 rifles all of which had {{convert|26|in|cm|abbr=on}} round .44-40 barrels and bore S.F.P 1 through S.F.P 401 stampings on the lower tang.{{cite book | last = Sapp | first = Rick| title = Standard Catalog of Colt Firearms| publisher =Gun Digest Books | date =2007 | pages =288 | isbn = 978-0-89689-534-8 }}
The small-frame Lightning (also referred to as "Second Model Colt Lightning") was the first rimfire rifle made by Colt and was manufactured between 1887 and 1904 as a plinking and gallery gun.{{cite book |last=Wilson |first=R. L. |title=Colt: An American Legend |location=New York |publisher=Abbeville Press |year=1985 |page=272 |isbn=0-89660-011-4 }} Colt records indicate 89,912 were made, in .22 Short and .22 Long. Barrel length was {{convert|24|in|cm|abbr=on}} and the rifles had a blued finish, case-hardened hammer, and a walnut stock.
The large-frame Lightning (also called the "Express Model") was manufactured between 1887 and 1894. Colt records indicate 6,496 were made in different big game calibers such as .38-56 WCF,{{Cite web|url=https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/72/3378/colt-lightning-large-frame-express-slide-action-rifle-in-3856|title = Colt Lightning Large Frame 'Express' Slide Action Rifle in 38-56}} .40-60 and .50-95 Express. Barrel length was {{convert|22|or|28|in|cm|abbr=on}}.
Modern versions
Reproduction Lightning rifles are still manufactured today by companies such as Uberti, Taurus, and Pedersoli for hunting, historical reenactment, and competition purposes such as Cowboy Action Shooting in calibers such as .38 Special/.357 Magnum, .44-40, and .45 Colt. Of these calibers, only the .44-40 was offered in the Lightning when it was originally produced by Colt.
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.davide-pedersoli.com/tipologia-prodotti.asp/l_en/idt_59/rifles-pedersoli-lighting-pump-action.html Pedersoli Lightning page]
{{Colt's Manufacturing Company}}
Category:Rifles of the United States