[Capt.Ahab]

Hey dickcorn I looked up your rifle's serial number in the Colt database.
Says your rifle was made in 1891.
From Wiki..."The medium-frame Lightning was manufactured between 1884 and 1904. It was the first slide-action rifle offered by Colt.
Colt records indicate 89,777 were produced, in calibers .32-20, .38-40, and .44-40 as a companion arm to the Colt Single Action Army revolver"...
I'm seeing .32-20 Winchester centerfire ammo available through companies like Black Hills, Selway Armory and Ammotogo.
If you buy any I would stick to a low velocity round that has a flat nosed bullet (due to the stacking of the tubular magazine). The High Velocity 80 grain ammo that you may see available is loaded too hot for some older firearms.

[dickcorn]

Thanks so much for the info!! So awesome it's in such good shape for its age too. I'll definitely have it checked over by a professional if I try and shoot it though. I've been wondering about it since I was a child and you've solved a big mystery. I'm super stoked if you can't tell. Lol

[Midwest sticky]

Originally Posted by shithawk420

Hey midwest sticky,you do realize that the original SAA is the rarest and most expensive gun there is right?i think i saw a pair go for a million dollars at auction.anyway my buddy has a ww2 m1 Garand and the star of his whole collection a mosin nagant sniper rifle.they were so good the german snipers preferred them if they could get there hands on one from dead russian soldiers or captured munitions bunkers

I've seen plenty of em sell on auctions for right around 5 grand, maybe I'm thinking of the wrong year model.

[Green Squall]

Originally Posted by shithawk420

Hey midwest sticky,you do realize that the original SAA is the rarest and most expensive gun there is right?i think i saw a pair go for a million dollars at auction.anyway my buddy has a ww2 m1 Garand and the star of his whole collection a mosin nagant sniper rifle.they were so good the german snipers preferred them if they could get there hands on one from dead russian soldiers or captured munitions bunkers

I've heard about this too. The Russians had cold weather lubricants for their weapons that worked very well in the freezing temperatures and the Germans did not. Many soldiers would pick up and use a Mosin instead of their Mauser. The Germans were totally caught off guard by the weather.

[Useful Idiot]

I will add to this thread tomorrow....I have a few contributions.

[shithawk420]

Ah,yes thats right Green Squall.in actuality the mosin nagant was made with the best parts they had from various other rifles and selected the best parts by hand.at least thats what i was told.i could be wrong.

Great thread by the way.id post some modern AR-15 customs but dont wanna stir the pot.(pun intended)

[Capt.Ahab]

Yes, let's stick to the Antiques.
Is anyone familiar with the Darne action shotguns?
The breech slides open when you pick up the tab on top of the receiver, vs. a break action .

I have one made by a French company called Charlin. It's a very finely made lightweight double barreled 12 ga. made in the early 1950s. My grandfather bought it while still stationed in Europe after the war. Luckily he had the fore site to order it made with 2 3/4 inch chambers instead of 2 1/2 which was more common over there at the time. I even have the original sales receipt. I occasionally use it for upland bird hunting.

[Wendull C.]

That is a beautiful weapon. The engraving goes well with the blued barrels.

[armedoldhippy]

Originally Posted by shithawk420

Hey midwest sticky,you do realize that the original SAA is the rarest and most expensive gun there is right?i

actually, there is one other pistol far rarer & more valuable...if anyone ever finds it. during the twenties or thirties (as the story goes) the US Army had Luger, of German military fame, build 3 prototype 45 cal. versions of their pistol. two of them were destroyed during testing, and the last one seems to have disappeared when the project was canceled. a true one of a kind...

[bugman52]

old Remington dubble barrel ,demascus steel barrels.