Project Deluxe Lightning - Intro & Disassembly

Join us as we get started on an exciting restoration of a deluxe, case hardened Colt Lightning medium frame. This is part 1 of an in-depth look at the entire firearms restoration process.

[@cliveward7562]

Hi Mark. Love all your lever gun videos. I own a Winchester 94ae 24inch Legacy in .357 mag. Pistol calibre lever guns are popular here in the UK. I enjoy all the strip down and restorations especially.

[@thecinnabar8442]

We'll be showing a lot more of these kinds of episodes from the new shop in Cody.

[@gregg-lv7dd]

I came across a couple of guns many years ago that had been in a fire. A fire fighter discharged a fire extinguisher in a closet with several guns in it causing very similar damage as you have on this colt.

[@thecinnabar8442]

I think you're right about the fire suppression chemicals. I didn't think of it having been in a fire because there are no signs of heat damage. It's sad that someone didn't clean up a special rifle like this immediately after it happened. Thanks for the insight.

[@JohnCBobcat]

I'd agree, if only because I worked in a place where someone had sprayed a dry-chemical ABC fire extinguisher in a hallway. Left a yellowish powder everywhere, similar to what was inside the receiver after the lower action works and bolt were removed.

[@CplSkiUSMC]

Awww... what's so special about Cody, Wyoming? I mean, aside from the fact that we both live here? And it's a beautiful place at the foot of the Absarokas? And we have an incredible mountain wilderness at our doorstep? And this is Wyoming cowboy country? And... well, I guess it is pretty special after all. I've never been an antique gun guy or gun collector, my idea of guns is that they have to shoot long and very straight. But I still have an appreciation for the classics and love their history. That's why I can spend all day in the firearms museum over at the Buffalo Bill. Watching you disassemble that Lightning was a demonstration of knowledge and craftsmanship. I'm looking forward to this series and can't wait to see that rifle looking beautiful again.

[@JoseyWales44s]

Looking forward to the subsequent videos. Glad to see a classic old rifle restored for future generations.

[@bavariasuhl]

i love the lightning, been looking out for a USFA deluxe 45 curved grip. I just love em. Say hi to cameron and keith for me - craig

[@thecinnabar8442]

Will do. Those USFA Lightnings are very well built. They command a high price these days.

[@mikerobinson6606]

That's a fancy Lightning!

[@thecinnabar8442]

She's a rare one and well worth the time and effort to bring back to life. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@flintrichards945]

Wow I really like this video super interesting I have never seen a colt lightning taken apart and it’s going to be fascinating watching the refinish process thank you so much for these videos.

[@thecinnabar8442]

You're very welcome! Thanks for watching

[@dianecullum1281]

(Mike C.) I have several Rolling Block projects in the works. All need blueing and color case so I am really looking forward to watching future episodes on these processes. Love how you walk us through the details and show us how everything works. Thanks again Mark!

[@thecinnabar8442]

We do a lot of work on vintage single shot rifles including Rolling Blocks here at Wyoming Armory. I'd like to produce an episode on Rolling Blocks. That's a model we haven't covered yet. Best of luck with your projects. Let me know if we can help you out.

[@dianecullum1281]

@@thecinnabar8442 (Mike C.) I originally wanted to set up my own color case equipment but I've been seriously considering sending these guns out for the work. I will surely give you a call if I decide I'm going to go outsourced. I'd love to see you do something on the Rolling Block! Now I have two guns on video request with you (Spencer was the other).

[@Dwyer88]

This will be a fun series! You are such a great teacher thanks again Mark!

[@daryllinkugel3804]

Can't wait to see your process. I just did an 1890 Win .22 and it was a complete mess when it came in.

[@ricktaylor5744]

Thank you very much for sharing some of your knowledge and those beautiful works of art and history.

[@thecinnabar8442]

My pleasure, Rick!

[@jeffgrier8488]

Thanks for bringing us along on this one, we really appreciate it!

[@thecinnabar8442]

You're very welcome, Jeff!

[@stockarboy]

Great video, and good luck with that "I'm gonna be off the hook" statement!

[@thecinnabar8442]

I know. Wishful thinking, right?🤣🤣🤣

[@steveshoemaker6347]

That is going to be an eye popping Gun when it all done.....Thanks Mark..... Old F-4 II Shoe🇺🇸

[@oregonoutback7779]

This was so much fun! Seriously looking forward to all the following episodes. Thanks, Mark.

[@Almost_Made_It]

Looking forward to the polishing video. I’ve done a ton of polishing on guns and learned a lot about it, but I’m only self taught with just some sandpaper and handmade wood blocks and a few buffing wheels. My stainless vaquero is all but a mirror. And I don’t mean that like everyone else does after they go at their pistol with mothers polish for a few hours. I mean polishing grit progressions down to .25 micron diamond paste that I had to buy from Ukraine lol.

[@jeffryrichardson9105]

Any chance you could get the white powder tested to see what it is? 👍🏽😀❤️🇺🇸

[@loupuleff571]

Mark, this is going to be a very interesting project I'll be watching for sure !!

[@Berniessen]

I sold a Lightning yesterday a day before this video popped up and i brougt a new magazine gate from Sam Simmons and he really did a great job on reproducing these,but they need some timing well atleast in my case this time..... But we can be thankfull he is around for 1887 Winchester screws and magazine mates and dust covers for lightings and 73 winchesters and various other parts..... I like Colt Lightings but u need to find one thats tight and works well cause its hard to get a worn out to become a tight gun,like Winchester 93/97s and 87s are easy to delete the wear if u know a few tricks....On a lightning its a diffent story

[@thecinnabar8442]

Sam told me you had bought a gate or two from him. Nearly all magazine gates need some fitting in order to properly time the action and get them cycling correctly, even when using a part from another original Lightning. Timing a Lightning is nearly a lost art these days. I work on Lightnings regularly. Some of them are easy to get running again and some can be a real challenge, but it can be done if you understand the geometry involved.

[@Berniessen]

@@thecinnabar8442 Yeah absolutely correct they can be bought back to life. I brough 3 magazine gates from Sam and 1 fitted spot on,1 required welding a filing on the ears to make them spot on....And the 3th is a spare one cause order now is receive in 3 months in my case wenn having bad luck. (or 2 years and longer if u wait for barrels from certain producers) Its time consuming but indeed its weld a small dot file it and test it and so on and so on if ure lucky its a 30min job. I had bad luck like i had and both ears snapped off cause of my mistake and then it takes alot longer.. But in the end the gun worked fine as it shut.

[@brivas3343]

This is going to be a good series. Always oved those Colt Lightning long guns.

[@Copperheadroad1]

Seems like many of us are interested in this one. Count me in!!! Thanks Mark.

[@thecinnabar8442]

You got it! Thanks for watching.

[@chrischiampo7647]

This Series Is Right Up My Alley Mark 😊😀❤️

[@richardboquist1531]

Great video. Looking forward to the rest of the series

[@1248dl]

I'm looking forward to this series.

[@frankdibiase3372]

You’re a born teacher,Mark!

[@bobbarrett6540]

Great gun and restoration project - can't wait to see the finished gun!!!

[@jeffryrichardson9105]

Very interesting! Great project very exciting! 👍🏽😀❤️🇺🇸

[@kbjerke]

THAT will be a delightful project, Mark!! I'll be watching! ❤ 👍

[@SuperHorseshoer]

this was A AWESOME VIDEO!!

[@thecinnabar8442]

Thanks so much! Glad you enjoyed it.

[@MChristianson-o5l]

Thanks for your education on these fine rifles😊

[@thecinnabar8442]

You're very welcome!

[@JoeRiordon]

Love your videos up here in Canada!

[@thecinnabar8442]

Glad you like them!

[@jimhudson9958]

Looking forward to seeing the process.

[@daveclemons1225]

Great Video Mark! Looking forward to seeing the next episode and the progress on this fine Colt Lightning! Thank you for making the video! Really like the Lightnings! One of my favorites to shoot and collect.

[@mrj10101]

Full meal deal on that one!

[@henrysara7716]

Thank you Mark. Lovely restoration to follow up.

[@wilberfifer5563]

Excellent Mark, Thank you.

[@bavariasuhl]

awesome video - really looking forward to this. the Lightning is the most ignored gun of. the west it seems, but i love em

[@bullseyedixon5660]

SUPER VIDEO THANKS MARK

[@dogbone1358]

Can you do a chemical analysis on the gunk to find out what it was?

[@ralphbernieri3362]

Man, that's one sweet little shooter!

[@haroldborjas9138]

exellent video teacher! 🤠👍

[@toyotaBrad62]

Another excellent video !

[@quitethe2stroke881]

Hey there, Excellent video! I own a rifle just like this one, makes me happy to see this one getting treated well! My rifle has pretty bad feeding issues, I've torn it down to the trigger assembly, but I didn't pull that assembly apart. I cleaned and re oiled everything inside, and it functioned great, until I shot the gun. Is there any common issues that cause this, that you know of? Thanks in advance!

[@dr.durellshepard398]

Thank you Sir, That is truly an amazing mechanism. .....Doc

[@thecinnabar8442]

I agree, it's a fascinating design. The designer was actually a dentist who sold the design to Colt.

[@digitalimager4946]

Happy trails from Scotland 🤗

[@thecinnabar8442]

Thanks for watching! I have very deep roots in Scotland.

[@b0rd3n]

Can't wait!

[@billclifton8400]

Is that possibly baking soda someone put on there to try and neutralize rust or whatever someone put on it that removed the bluing?

[@Berniessen]

Just a question what u do wenn u have a rare gun like ones where parts are hard to find? I got 2x a 1886 winchester coming in from the US last week and one had a broken sear/trigger and the hammer would jump up alot after the bolt passed the hammer. I know u can find triggers from a a 1886/1892 for +-100$ for a used/worn part ,but in my case if i buy one today it takes over 4 5 weeks to get here,so i had a great idea..........I had like plenty of short/worn 1897 winchester sears lying around and a good spare 86/92 trigger/sear part......... So i made a tool where i can clamp sear/triggers and i cut a tip from a late 93/97 sear and welded it on a 86/92 trigger and it works great,it took me a while to get the angle right so the sear would lock against the hammer..... Benefit is i made the sear that i welded together a hair longer then a standard size sear,this results in less friction between bolt and hammer.... Many people would not like the idea of having the idea of have a custom made/welded sear in there precious antique gun,but for me its a great solution to keep oldies going as i buy guns from gunbroker/guns international and buying cheap and sell cheap/fast is what keeps me going but............................I get so many corpses of guns in.......U know what i mean with hidden secrets u dont see or read in the add.....

[@thecinnabar8442]

When I have damaged hammer notches or worn-down sears, I build them up with a tig welder and reshape them. I use a .040" electrode and .035" mig wire for filler. After building up the part, I shape them using a good original part as a template. Then they get surface hardened and installed.

[@Berniessen]

@@thecinnabar8442 i am younger then U....but i love to learn... Meaning guns are so intresting in many way.....technique,design,materials used,weak points and so on... I love working on them and getting better at fixing them.

[@4ager505]

I was thinking this might have been a company security rifle at a mine where a deposit of some valuable industrial chemical was discovered. Maybe left on site in an abandoned building after operations folded up...to be discovered years later.

[@alphacharlietango969]

Interesting

[@kbjerke]

Did you discover what all the white gunk inside was? I'm curious!

[@thecinnabar8442]

Based on some of the comments I've received from viewers, my bet's on fire suppression chemicals. The rifle shows no signs of heat damage, but it may have been saved from fire damage only to be damaged by the suppression chemicals

[@kbjerke]

@@thecinnabar8442 Sort of mixed blessings, I guess. But it got deep into the receiver, even! What a mess. But she's certainly worth preserving!! Thanks, Mark!

[@gunsmusicnaturebeer]

That reassembly video coming soon?

[@thecinnabar8442]

There are several episodes left in this series as we work through this project before we'll get to reassembly. I have shown how to reassemble Lightning rifles on at least one previous episode.

[@gunsmusicnaturebeer]

@@thecinnabar8442 Thank you! I'll have to take another look. Must've missed it when I searched the channel.

[@thecinnabar8442]

I think it was in the episode called, "Lightning Baby Carbine Fix-It"

[@BigRooster616]

It was in a fire !

[@thecinnabar8442]

Thanks, that fits. I didn't consider it having been in a fire because there are no signs of heat damage. However, fire suppression chemicals wreak havoc on firearms finishes and leave a white residue like on this one. It's mystifying why someone wouldn't have cleaned it up a rare firearm like this if that's what happened.

[@DougBird-p9g]

I love the lightning but not a fan of the pistol grip. I prefer a straight grip.

[@BB_46]

Maybe the rifle was stored in close proximity to muriatic acid or some other caustic acid.

[@luke8210]

My bet is owner had a swamp cooler.

[@raygardner2864]

Where would you find 44/40 shells for that gun ?

[@larryreinke6136]

Starline brass makes 44-40 brass if you reload, they are out of stock at times. For ammo look for Cowboy Choice ammo, they sell 44-40

[@thecinnabar8442]

I reload for the 44-40 and have a large supply of both ammo and components. Fortunately, 44-40 has become much easier to find lately. If you look up that caliber on Ammoseek.com, you'll find lots of offerings.

[@larrypierce5925]

Can you rebarrel my model 92 44-40 26 inch octagon bbl

[@thecinnabar8442]

Yes. We regularly rebarrel firearms with correct replacement barrels. You can find our contact information on our website: www.wyomingarmory.com/

[@dennisfaulkner5470]

Put in a old style gun case with desiccant and left lying flat.. 😢

[@michaelhayes7471]

Kinda looks like navel jelly on it

[@timkirkpatrick9155]

Looks like it was in a manure pile.

[@jakebronger3568]

looks like fertilizer

[@thecinnabar8442]

I think you're very close. A couple of people have mentioned fire suppression chemicals. Many of the ingredients used in fertilizers are also used in fire suppression.

[@saxdogg69]

Hope all is well Mark....I hope you show us the whole journey with this one!