Colt's Lightning rifles should have been a tremendous success; the Medium Frame rifles and carbines were chambered for many of the same cartridges as their beloved revolvers and are excellently made, fast firing, and well-loved by their owners. However, Winchester's lever actions were already cemented in most American minds as the repeating rifles. This Lightning was manufactured in 1888 and features a German silver blade front sight, adjustable sporting rear sight, standard two-line Hartford address/patent dates (1883-1887) on the barrel ahead of the rear sight, "32 Cal." at the breech, the Rampant Colt on the left side of the receiver, and an oil finished checkered forearm and smooth straight grip stock with crescent buttplate.

Very fine with 85% original blue finish, a large patch of mild pitting visible on the right side of the frame, thinning on the left side of the frame, trigger guard, and buttplate. The wood is excellent with crisp checkering on the forend, some minor nicks and scratches, and some minor bruising. Mechanically excellent.