Description
Item Description
Bryant Ridge Co. is pleased to present a revolver that was Colt's first attempt at producing a double-action revolver for a penny-start auction; this is the Colt Model 1877 "Lightning"!
According to the included factory letter from Colt, this Colt Single Action Army was sold to Liggett & Myers in St. Louis, Missouri, and shipped to Continental Tobacco Company in New York, New York, on July 25, 1902. There were 100 guns in the shipment.
According to our research, American tobacco companies such as Continental Tobacco began placing metal tags in their products in the early 1900s as a way to combat counterfeit tobacco sales and reassure customers that they were receiving genuine goods. These tags quickly became part of a broader promotional strategy in which consumers could save and redeem them for catalog rewards. Depending on the number submitted, customers could exchange the tags for items ranging from household goods and clothing to larger premiums such as furniture, buggies, watches, and even firearms—including examples like this Colt Model 1877.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Manufacturer: Colt
Model: 1877 "Lightning"
Serial: 134892
Date of Manufacture: 1902
Caliber: .38 Colt
Finish: Blue
Barrel Length: 4 ½"
Optics/Sights: Integral Blade Front and Frame Notch Rear
Stock/Grips: Black Checkered Synthetic with Rampant Colt Logo in an Oval at the Top
Action: Double-Action Revolver
Markings: Standard
Bryant Ridge's Analysis:
The Colt Model 1877 Lightning was Colt’s first attempt at producing a double-action revolver, introduced in 1877 and manufactured through 1909. Designed by William Mason, it represented a major technological leap for the company, offering a faster firing cycle than the traditional single-action models that had dominated the frontier era. Built on a compact frame and chambered primarily in .38 Long Colt, the Lightning was intended as a civilian sidearm—sleek, relatively lightweight, and offered in barrel lengths suited to concealed carry or daily use. Despite its innovative design, the mechanism was famously intricate and somewhat fragile, earning a reputation for being difficult to repair, though it remained popular with notable figures such as Billy the Kid. From a collector’s perspective, the 1877 Lightning is valued today as an important milestone in Colt’s evolution and as one of the earliest mainstream American double-action revolvers. Production totaled roughly 166,000 units, but surviving examples in high condition—especially those with original finish, rare barrel lengths, factory engraving, or documented provenance—command a premium. Its place in firearms history as Colt’s pioneering DA design, combined with the charm of its Victorian-era styling and Old West associations, makes the Lightning a prized piece for enthusiasts of early revolver development and 19th-century Americana.
Contents:
Model: 1877 "Lightning"
Serial: 134892
Date of Manufacture: 1902
Caliber: .38 Colt
Finish: Blue
Barrel Length: 4 ½"
Optics/Sights: Integral Blade Front and Frame Notch Rear
Stock/Grips: Black Checkered Synthetic with Rampant Colt Logo in an Oval at the Top
Action: Double-Action Revolver
Markings: Standard
Bryant Ridge's Analysis:
The Colt Model 1877 Lightning was Colt’s first attempt at producing a double-action revolver, introduced in 1877 and manufactured through 1909. Designed by William Mason, it represented a major technological leap for the company, offering a faster firing cycle than the traditional single-action models that had dominated the frontier era. Built on a compact frame and chambered primarily in .38 Long Colt, the Lightning was intended as a civilian sidearm—sleek, relatively lightweight, and offered in barrel lengths suited to concealed carry or daily use. Despite its innovative design, the mechanism was famously intricate and somewhat fragile, earning a reputation for being difficult to repair, though it remained popular with notable figures such as Billy the Kid. From a collector’s perspective, the 1877 Lightning is valued today as an important milestone in Colt’s evolution and as one of the earliest mainstream American double-action revolvers. Production totaled roughly 166,000 units, but surviving examples in high condition—especially those with original finish, rare barrel lengths, factory engraving, or documented provenance—command a premium. Its place in firearms history as Colt’s pioneering DA design, combined with the charm of its Victorian-era styling and Old West associations, makes the Lightning a prized piece for enthusiasts of early revolver development and 19th-century Americana.
Contents:
This example will ship with the factory Colt letter and all other paperwork as 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 with Insurance $50.00
Long Gun Standard Shipping with Insurance $70.00
Any orders placed with magazines that are not compliant with your state, county, or city regulations will not ship with your order.
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.
Payment MUST be received within 14 days.
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
Our #1 priority is customer satisfaction. We want to build a lasting trust in the relationship with our customers, so that you will always look to us for all your firearms needs. If you have any issues with your transactions please contact us, and we will work with you to resolve any issues you may have. We greatly appreciate your trust in us and we look forward to fulfilling all your future firearm needs.
Bryant Ridge also reserves the right to cancel any sales that may occur while gunbroker.com is experiencing technical issues that affects the entire site or a complete site outage, within an hour of the auction ending.
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About Us
From a small town hobby, to a leader in the investment and collector grade firearms industry. Bryant Ridge Firearms is here to offer the best in quality and customer service when you are looking to unload your collector grade firearm collection.
