.45-85-285. 27.5" octagonal barrel. SN: 1259 (mfg. ca.1888). Blued finish, smooth walnut stock with crescent butt, checkered forend. Slide action large frame express caliber rifle with half-magazine, folding peep tang sight, semi-buckhorn barrel dovetailed rear sight and dovetailed front sight blade. Barrel marked in two lines ahead of the rear sight COLT'S PT. F.A. MFG. CO. HARTFORD, CT. U.S.A./PATENTED MAY 29, SEPT. 18, 83, MAY 26, 85, JUNE 15, 86, FEB. 22, 87. Left rear angled barrel flat marked 45-85-285. Rampant Colt logo on left of frame very weak. Only 6,496 large frame Lighting express rifles were produced circa 1887 to 1894 and the lack of surviving factory records often make researching of these rifles difficult, particularly to confirm special order features like half-magazines. A well used example of a Large Frame Lighting Rifle in a rare, half-magazine configuration. {ANTIQUE}