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round barrels, blue finish, and wood stocks sent to the Birmingham Arms Company in Birmingham, Alabama, on February 19, 1891. It has a German silver front sight, adjustable sporting rear sight, the two-line address and patent marking and the caliber marking on top of the barrel, the Rampant Colt emblem on the left side of the frame, a checkered forearm, smooth buttstock, and steel crescent buttplate. Also included with the lot is a nickel finished Ideal #4 combination bullet mold/capper/seater tool marked for “32 COLTS/LIGHTNING”, Ideal #4 box featuring the Colt Lightning on the picture label, and a 50-round box of Union Metallic Cartridge solid head 32 caliber cartridges marked for “COLT’S NEW LIGHTNING MAGAZINE RIFLE” on the lid, containing approximately 37 rounds of “U.M.C/32 C.L.M.R.” headstamped ammunition. CONDITION: Very fine with 80% plus original high polish blue finish, fading mostly along the bottom of the magazine tube and the buttplate, traces of case colors on the hammer, some light scratches and marks throughout, and some slight spotting. The wood is also very fine and has smooth finish, a few broken tops of the otherwise crisp checkering, minor scratches, and some small dents concentrated near the toe. The reloading tool is in very good condition, with minor flaking of the nickel, and the boxes show scuffing and edge wear. The cartridges show lead oxide buildup on the bullets, and a few of the casings have visibly struck primers. Mechanically excellent. Estimate: 4,500 - 5,500
LOT 3161 Desirable Antique Colt Medium Frame Slide Action Saddle Ring Carbine - Serial no. 52562, 38-40 WCF cal., 20 inch round bbl., blue finish, walnut stock. Manufactured in 1891, this is a fine example of a Colt Medium Frame Lightning saddle ring carbine. The standard two-line address and patent dates is marked on top of the barrel, with the caliber marking offset to the left at the breech. The Rampant Colt is marked on the left of the receiver and the serial number is on the lower tang. It is fitted with a block blade front sight, filler in the rear sight dovetail, and a Lyman mid-range peep sight on the upper tang. It is mounted with a multipoint checkered slide handle and straight grip stock with a carbine buttplate. CONDITION: Fine, retains 75% of the original blue finish and faint case color patterns on the hammer with the balance having thinned to mostly a smooth grey patina, a few scattered patches of light pitting, and refinished buttplate. The wood is also fine with some scattered minor handling marks and mostly well-defined checkering. Mechanically excellent. Estimate: 3,500 - 5,500
LOT 3162 Exceptional Colt Medium Frame Lightning Slide Action Rifle - Serial no. 58173, 38-40 WCF cal., 26 inch octagon bbl., blue finish, walnut stock. This exceptional Colt Lightning Medium Frame Magazine Rifle was manufactured in 1891 and has an octagonal barrel with a full-length magazine tube, German silver blade front sight, adjustable sporting rear sight, “COLTS PT.F.A.MFG.CO. HARTFORD CT. U.S.A./PATENTED MAY 29. SEPT.18.83. MAY 26.85. JUNE 15.86.FEB.22.87.” in two lines and “38 Cal.” marked on the top barrel flat, sliding breech cover, casehardened hammer, the Rampant Colt trademark on the left side of the frame, serial number on the lower tang, two-piece checkered pump handle, smooth straight wrist buttstock, and blued crescent buttplate. Colt introduced the Lighting slide action rifle is 1884 and production continued until 1902. Colt manufactured approximately 89,777 Lighting Medium Frame Magazine Rifles during 1884-1902. They competed against lever action designs by Winchester and Marlin as well as bolt action rifles on the sporting market. Some were used for defensive and offensive purposes as well, including by some Mexican revolutionaries and western lawmen, including most widely by the San Francisco Police. CONDITION: Exceptionally fine with 90% plus original blue finish remaining, fading mostly on the buttplate and upper tang, several patches of surface oxidation on the magazine tube and bottom forward trigger guard tang, bright original case colors, and generally only light handling and storage type marks. The wood is also excellent and has crisp checkering, smooth oil finish, and a few small marks and scratches. Mechanically excellent. Estimate: 3,000 - 4,500
LOT 3163 Exceptionally Fine Colt Small Frame Lightning Slide Action Rifle - Serial no. 66166, 22 RF cal., 24 inch round bbl., blue finish, walnut stock. Manufactured in 1902, the standard two-line address and patent dates is marked on top of the barrel, and the caliber marking is offset on the left at the breech. There is an import mark on the barrel. The Rampant Colt is marked on the left side of the frame, and the serial number is on the lower tang. It is fitted with a blade front sight and fixed notch rear sight. It is mounted with a mostly smooth forearm, having simple border carving, and a straight grip stock with a hard rubber shotgun buttplate. CONDITION: Very fine, retains 80% of the original blue finish, 85% of the original vibrant case colors on the hammer, and half of the original nitre blue on small parts with the balance having thinned to a smooth grey patina and a few scattered spots of very light surface pitting on the left of the frame. The wood is fine with a hairline crack in the bottom of the slide handle and otherwise a few scattered minor handling marks. Mechanically excellent. Estimate: 2,500 - 4,000
LOT 3164 Colt Small Frame Lightning Slide Action Rifle - Serial no. 45208, 22 RF cal., 24 inch octagon bbl., blue finish, walnut stock. Manufactured in 1900. The rifle features a dovetail blade front sight, a fixed notch rear sight, two-line Colt address/patent dates marking stamped on the top barrel flat ahead of the rear sight, “22 Cal” stamped on the upper left barrel flat at the breech, import marking on underside of barrel, and the Rampant Colt stamped on the left side of the receiver. The forearm is smooth but has the outline for a panel of checkering. The buttstock is straight grip with hard rubber buttplate marked with the Rampant Colt. CONDITION: Very fine, retaining 90% original blue finish with thinning to brown on the balance and some loss on top of the receiver. The revarnished wood is fine with stress line at the upper tang, repair at toe of stock and buttplate, and some handling marks. Mechanically excellent.
Estimate: 2,000 - 3,000 103
LOT 3160
Very Fine Antique Colt Lightning Medium Frame Slide Action Rifle with Factory Letter and Accessories - Serial no. 56109, 32-20 WCF cal., 26 inch round bbl., blue finish, walnut stock. The “Colt Lightning Magazine Rifles” in small, medium, and large frame variations replaced the Burgess lever actions as Colt’s repeating rifle offering in the late 19th century. Though they were well-made, like the Burgess, they failed to keep up with Winchester’s sales and thus dropped from production by the early 1900s. The included factory letter lists this rifle as part of a shipment of ten guns of this type in “.32 CLMR” with 26 inch