My "new" rifle

[sumthin fishy]

New to me anyways. Its stamped february of 1883, a .32 cal colt pump action(I guess those are rare, opposed to the lever action of the same caibre)

the rifle
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a384/mikewoodsy/fishpics029.jpg

showing the flip up sight
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a384/mikewoodsy/fishpics030.jpg
Octogon barrel http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a384/mikewoodsy/fishpics031.jpg
.32 cal stamp
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a384/mikewoodsy/fishpics035.jpg

[blackwolfXKAV]

Very nice. My dad works at the Colts factory as a supervisor. He's seen the presidents' guns (they have custom made pistols) and knows at least one 5 star general there. I've looked at some of the catalogs and they have some pretty fancy stlyes for custom; mother of pearl, cherrywood, the list goes on and on...

Gun:a weapon of self defense for you, correct?

[sumthin fishy]

Im actually looking to find out more on the gun black, ask him if he can give you a spec sheet on it, since the internet just gives me a bunch of crud about how to buy/sell it. And no, its not a weapon for me. Its a tool. That is, if it is usable. If not it will be a showpiece. If I need to protect myself with a gun I will, but I tend to steer away from conflict as much as possible. I would use it to hunt most likely.

[nursie]

Awww, SF...just box it up and send it to me...I'm looking for a Christmas present for my husband ;)
I'll send you one you can hunt with..

[bigscout]

Very nice SF!!!!

[UncaBret]

Cool! Where did you find it?
I have a 1944 M-1 Carbine and am looking for a WW1 Enfield.

[aardvark1]

32 Rimfire or 32-20?

Neat gun!

One of my other hobbies is Cowboy Action Shooting (Aardvark Kid, SASS #30200L). Lot of the shooters are getting the repo's of the Colt Lightnings-and paying WAY too much for them (I'll stick with my Rossi 92 Winchester clone!)

Putting on my Gunsmith hat (as that is what I do for a living-at my shop now taking a break from doing an action job on a 1911), be careful shooting it. Fairrly fragile action, parts aren't all that availible.

Give ya $2.00 for it....

:dance2:

[rosita]

Oh boy, SF, that's JUST what you need!!! Just don't play with it when you've been testing the beers, please!!! Nice gun, by the way.

[sumthin fishy]

It is a .32-20, nursie's husband looked up the S# and fount it was made in 1892. 1883 was the pattent year stamped on the barel. I have a friend with a smith in the family who will do a safety check before I will shoot it. Even then, it will only be a few rounds every other blue moon or so ;) I got it from my half brother, for free, who got it from his uncle(on his dads side, no blood relation to me). My brother called a place and asked for a rough estimate of value, and was told it was near $2,000 :)

[Native American]

SF, those wonderful Colt Lightning rifles were made back in the day when all of the metallic cartridges in use were black powder loads. I don't know if I'd try a handload with even the smallest charge of modern smokeless powder in it, though I've heard that all factory-assembled loads these days are charged to the 19th century pressure standard (and are thus supposed to be safe in your older firearm).

Luckily, there's a way to confidently shoot these beautiful classics safely...some mfgr's now build black powder loads in the .32-20 WCF (Winchester Centerfire) chambering for your Colt. There seems to be a resurgence in using old .32-20 and .32-40 arms for cowboy action shooting these days. Of course, I'd do just as you mentioned earlier and have a gunsmith or other expert give it a good look, first.

In case nobody has brought this up, the ".32-20" designation means two things. First, the bore size (32 calibre), and second, the original charge of black powder in the case (20 grains).

I'm envious. That is quite a find. I've never seen one before, and the heavy octagonal barrel with that tang-mounted vernier rear sight are not something I've seen often except on rifles used for longer ranges.

v/r, OF

[aardvark1]

Makiing your own BP loads is easy; no scales needed to measure the powder, done on volume.

Decap and prime the brass. Fill case with powder (for this load, I'd go for fffG or Pyrodex "P"). You want the powder to be compressed 1/8 inch when the bullet is fully seated. Seat bulet and go shooting!

Clean bore with hot soapy water. Season with a vegeatable based oil (petroleum based oils and solvents will combine with the BP residue to form a tar. Once the barrel is seasoned (just like a cast iron skillet) clean-up is a breeze.