Description
Please read the Item Characteristics for important listing details. You must contact your FFL transfer dealer and have them send a copy of their license with your name, username, the item and order numbers to the seller.
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Item Description
Bryant Ridge Auction Company is pleased to present this antique double-action revolver today for a penny start auction, this is the Colt Model 1877 also known as the .38 Lightning Model!
According to the included factory letter, this Colt Double Action Revolver Model 1877 was shipped to A.G. Spaulding & Bros. Chicago, IL on August 1, 1885 with a total of 6 guns in the shipment.
A.G. Spalding & Bros. Inc., an American sporting goods company, opened its first store in Chicago in 1876. Eventually known simply as Spalding, the company has had a long history of manufacturing baseballs, footballs, basketballs, volleyballs, soccer balls, and a wide range of athletic equipment and clothing.
According to the included factory letter, this Colt Double Action Revolver Model 1877 was shipped to A.G. Spaulding & Bros. Chicago, IL on August 1, 1885 with a total of 6 guns in the shipment.
A.G. Spalding & Bros. Inc., an American sporting goods company, opened its first store in Chicago in 1876. Eventually known simply as Spalding, the company has had a long history of manufacturing baseballs, footballs, basketballs, volleyballs, soccer balls, and a wide range of athletic equipment and clothing.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Manufacturer: Colt
Model: 1877 (Lightning)
Serial: 54119
Date of Manufacture: 1885
Caliber: .38 Colt
Finish: Nickel
Barrel Length: 3 1/2"
Optics/Sights: Fixed Half Round Blade Front with Frame Notch Rear
Stock/Grips: Black Checkered Synthetic with Rampant Colt in an Oval at the Top
Action: Double
Markings: Standard
Bryant Ridge's Analysis:
Colt’s Model 1877 Lightning revolver (occasionally confused with its 1884 Lightning pump-action rifle) was the company’s first double-action handgun, brought out to compete with the double-action British bulldog revolvers gaining in popularity at the time. Besides, after the successful Single Action Army, it was only logical that Colt’s next revolver would be a “self-cocker.”
In fact, if you took a three-dimensional image of the Single Action Army, reduced it by approximately 20 percent, then slimmed and re-contoured the grip into a bird’s head shape but retained the angled ejector-rod housing and flip-open loading gate, you’d have the basic design of the Colt Model 1877, or, as it was initially cataloged, “Colt’s Double Action, Self-Cocking Central Fire Revolving Pistol.”
Priced at $14 and chambered in .38 Long Colt and the less-commonly encountered .32 Long Colt (a .41 Long Colt was soon added), the guns could also chamber the “short” versions of these cartridges. Barrel lengths usually ran from 2" to 3½" without ejectors and 4½" to 7½" with ejectors. The guns were blued and casehardened or nickeled, with gutta percha or checkered rosewood stocks; engraved guns with pearl or ivory stocks could be special-ordered.
To add to their appeal, B. Kittredge & Co.—one of Colt’s largest distributors—gave each of the caliber-designated Model 1877s its own identity: the .38 Colt was The Lightning; the .41 caliber was The Thunderer; and the .32 Colt was The Rainmaker. Although these names were never used by Colt, they became common terminology for the guns.
Unfortunately, the Model 1877 was a mechanically intricate affair; the trigger had multiple humps and curves, and the hammer was equally complicated. But the real problems were the springs, which tended to break, rendering many of the guns as single-actions at best. In his book, Colt Firearms (From 1836), author James Serven noted, “ … anyone who has ever taken one of these Colts apart will testify as to the complexity and delicate adjustments of the mechanism.” Still, the Model 1877s found favor with such notables as John Wesley Hardin and William “Billy the Kid” Bonny, plus hundreds were ordered by police departments and express companies. In all, a total of 166,849 revolvers were made from 1877 to 1909.
Contents:
This example will ship with the matching factory letter seen pictured above!
Return Policy:
We gladly offer a 3 day unfired inspection policy from the time that the firearm is delivered to your FFL. Refunds are available for all qualifying orders.
Model: 1877 (Lightning)
Serial: 54119
Date of Manufacture: 1885
Caliber: .38 Colt
Finish: Nickel
Barrel Length: 3 1/2"
Optics/Sights: Fixed Half Round Blade Front with Frame Notch Rear
Stock/Grips: Black Checkered Synthetic with Rampant Colt in an Oval at the Top
Action: Double
Markings: Standard
Bryant Ridge's Analysis:
Colt’s Model 1877 Lightning revolver (occasionally confused with its 1884 Lightning pump-action rifle) was the company’s first double-action handgun, brought out to compete with the double-action British bulldog revolvers gaining in popularity at the time. Besides, after the successful Single Action Army, it was only logical that Colt’s next revolver would be a “self-cocker.”
In fact, if you took a three-dimensional image of the Single Action Army, reduced it by approximately 20 percent, then slimmed and re-contoured the grip into a bird’s head shape but retained the angled ejector-rod housing and flip-open loading gate, you’d have the basic design of the Colt Model 1877, or, as it was initially cataloged, “Colt’s Double Action, Self-Cocking Central Fire Revolving Pistol.”
Priced at $14 and chambered in .38 Long Colt and the less-commonly encountered .32 Long Colt (a .41 Long Colt was soon added), the guns could also chamber the “short” versions of these cartridges. Barrel lengths usually ran from 2" to 3½" without ejectors and 4½" to 7½" with ejectors. The guns were blued and casehardened or nickeled, with gutta percha or checkered rosewood stocks; engraved guns with pearl or ivory stocks could be special-ordered.
To add to their appeal, B. Kittredge & Co.—one of Colt’s largest distributors—gave each of the caliber-designated Model 1877s its own identity: the .38 Colt was The Lightning; the .41 caliber was The Thunderer; and the .32 Colt was The Rainmaker. Although these names were never used by Colt, they became common terminology for the guns.
Unfortunately, the Model 1877 was a mechanically intricate affair; the trigger had multiple humps and curves, and the hammer was equally complicated. But the real problems were the springs, which tended to break, rendering many of the guns as single-actions at best. In his book, Colt Firearms (From 1836), author James Serven noted, “ … anyone who has ever taken one of these Colts apart will testify as to the complexity and delicate adjustments of the mechanism.” Still, the Model 1877s found favor with such notables as John Wesley Hardin and William “Billy the Kid” Bonny, plus hundreds were ordered by police departments and express companies. In all, a total of 166,849 revolvers were made from 1877 to 1909.
Contents:
This example will ship with the matching factory letter seen pictured above!
Return Policy:
We gladly offer a 3 day unfired inspection policy from the time that the firearm is delivered to your FFL. Refunds are available for all qualifying orders.
Shipping Details
Handgun Standard Shipping $50.00
Long Gun Standard Shipping $65.00
We strive to ship orders within the close of the following business day after payment and documentation is received.
Payment Details
We accept all forms of Payment including Personal Check, Business Check, PO Money Orders, Certified Check, Etc.
Please note we place a 7 business day hold on shipment, for all non-certified payments.
Return Policy
We gladly offer a 3 day unfired inspection policy from the time that the firearm is delivered to your FFL. Refunds are available for all qualifying orders.
Additional Details
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