Double action revolvers were all the rage in Europe, being produced by Adams, Webley, and Tranter, but on the other side of the pond, Samuel Colt was not a fan.

Colt thought a self-cocking gun lacked accuracy, wasted ammunition, and was more liable to mechanical failures. After the U.S. Civil War, the United States military valued ruggedness and accuracy as it fought guerrilla-style conflicts with Native Americans in quick skirmishes, hence Colt’s Single Action Army. In contrast, European militaries fighting land wars wanted large caliber guns that could fire quickly.

Col. James Benton, commander of Springfield Armory, wrote of the double action revolver, “The only advantage this system possesses is, that the arm can be fired rapidly without disturbing the aim. The disadvantages are, liability to accidental discharge, and failure to explode the cartridge.”

From the Colt Museum comes this outstanding Colt Model 1877 Thunderer with a 3 1/2-inch barrel and a serial number that dates it to the second year of production.

Following Colt’s death and the success of the Single Action Army, the company finally gave in to the double action trend, releasing the Model 1877. Originally known as the Double Action, Self-Cocking Central Fire Revolving Pistol, a bit of marketing for the gun was needed. Benjamin Kittredge, a large Colt distributor who already named the commercially available Single Action Army as the Peacemaker handed out nicknames to the double action revolvers. The .38 caliber was known as the Colt Lightning, the .41 caliber as the Colt Thunderer, and the .32 caliber as the Colt Rainmaker. The Model 1878 in .45 caliber was named the Omnipotent.

Rock Island Auction Company’s May 2-4 Premier Auction offers collectors a rare opportunity to bid on all three models of the double action Model 1877, including the Rainmaker that is only counted in the hundreds made, as well as the Model 1878 Omnipotent, for which there are less than 200.

This early production Model 1877 Lightning is ejectorless with a 4 1/2-inch barrel and scroll engraving and a wolf head on the left side of the frame and on the sides of the hammer.

Double Action Demand

Frederick van Oppen, manager of Colt’s London Agency, shared his thoughts with the company headquarters in Connecticut, acknowledging the success of the Single Action Army but knowing for Colt to succeed in Europe, a double action revolver was needed.

The Rainmaker, a .32 caliber of Colt's Model 1877, is rare with only about 200 made. This example is even more rare for being likely engraved by Cuno Helfricht. The engraving covers 75 percent of the gun's surface is in the form of fine floral scrolling on a punch dot background.

“Our new Army pistol continues to give general satisfaction. We hope to do much with it, but all gunmakers abroad and at home, within British Dominions especially, state they can scarcely sell anything now in revolvers but double action central fire .450 bore pistols, with short to medium length barrels in preference,” van Oppen wrote in a letter to Colt headquarters in 1874, also forwarding on examples of English double action revolvers from Adams, Webley, and Tranter.

The company apparently considered making a double action revolver for a short time before reversing course, disappointing van Oppen who fired off another missive in 1874 noting that a San Francisco gun dealer ordered 200 English double action revolvers from Birmingham and that a London export house was no longer getting Single Action Army.

This first year production Colt Model 1877 Lightning Sheriff's model is ejectorless and has a 3 1/2-inch barrel. It was shipped to Schuyler, Hartley & Graham in July 1877.

“Your decision on the subject of manufacturing double action pistols is a great blow to our hopes of being able to increase our sales here, or to hold our own in the arms trade here, the competition in which is yearly growing harder.”

An 1875 letter from Col. James Franklin, vice president at Colt, to van Oppen seemed to show some acquiescence by the company possibly pressured by Webley introducing a double action revolver in the United States. “We are working out the double action pistol question. Perhaps we will be soon able to do something with it.”

William Mason, Colt’s plant superintendent worked on a double action design in 1876. Franklin wanted to know how many double action revolvers could be sold annually by the London Agency and van Oppen replied that he could sell 500 to 600 in the first year if chambered in .450 Boxer. Van Oppen also received a double action test model that seemed to be partially made from Single Action Army parts. He did not approve.

Once the Colt Lightning started production, it took several months for any to be sent to London because of their popularity in the United States.

This Colt Model 1877 Lighting Sheriff's Model has an acid etched panel that says "COLT D.A. 38." The gun was a presentation piece from Samuel Colt's nephews LeBaron and Samuel Colt to N.S. Burnham, believed to be a railroad employee.

The Colt Lightning, Thunderer, and Rainmaker

Upon first appearance, the Model 1877 looked like a slimmed down Single Action Army but with a “bird’s head” grip. Along with its three different chamberings, this six-shooter was also offered in barrel lengths from 1 1/2 inches to 7 1/2 inches. Despite taking different calibers the exterior appearance of the gun was the same from the Colt Lightning to the Thunderer to the Rainmaker.

The 1877 was first offered in .38 Colt and priced at $14 before the .41 Colt Thunderer was added. Only a couple hundred were chambered in .32. Because of the double action, the guns were considered to be complicated with a reputation for breaking. Still, more than 166,000 of the Model 1877 were made between 1877 and 1909. They were popular with police who could conceal the guns because of their size.

The following year, the more robust Model 1878 – and the Omnipotent – was introduced.

This Model 1877 Lightning was shipped to Sherman, Texas in 1886. Nickel plated and factory engraved, engraving is floral scroll on a punch dot background along with zig-zag line borders and flourishes. The recoil shield is engraved with a fan pattern. "COLT D.A. 38" is acid etched on the left of the barrel.

From Colt Lightning to Omnipotent

The Model 1878 had a lowered and shortened hammer spur and a was a larger frame than the 1877. It was rejected by the military because it fell out of time and had light primer strikes. That wasn’t a problem because Colt aimed it at the commercial market. The 1878 proved popular with military officers who purchased their handguns. They were also popular along the western frontier.

The 1878 could fire a 250 grain bullet at almost 900 feet per second.

Like the 1877, the Model 1878 were designed by Mason and Charles Richards, Colt’s superintendent of engineering. Its design was deemed more reliable than the 1877. The gun also had a lanyard ring on the butt, something in common with British wheelguns that van Oppen had relayed to Colt. While the 1878 was chambered for eight larger caliber rounds, it is the .45 caliber round that is attached to the Omnipotent.

This Colt Model 1877 Thunderer manufactured in 1881 is ejectorless with a 2 1/2 barrel. The engraving is nearly full coverage floral scroll and borders in the New York style with a nickel and gold finish.

The Model 1878 Becomes Omnipotent

Benjamin Kittredge was an arms dealer in Cincinnati, Ohio from 1845 to 1891 and was one of the original Colt allies that pooled resources to buy 12,000 Colt Single Action Army revolvers at a better price than what the Army was paying. He gave the SAA the name, “Peacemaker.”

He gave nine Colt guns nicknames for marketing, including the Colt Lightning, Thunderer, Rainmaker, and Omnipotent. Kittredge received his first shipment of the 1878 in July of that year, a sample of the .45 caliber. He received an order of six guns that the order marked “Omnipotent” in the Colt ledger.

This Model 1878 is the large frame double action revolver that fires .45 Colt. Given the name, "Omnipotent" by Benjamin Kittredge, this is one of 154 shipped with the designation etched into the gun's barrel. "OMNIPOTENT" is acid etched on this revolver manufactured in 1881.

Kittredge purchased the Model 1878 from his first shipment that year until 1890. Through Colt Records, author Don Wilkerson believes there are 154 Kitteredge-shipped Model 1878s etched Omnipotent on the barrel, making them highly attractive to collectors.

Although not originally interested, the Army did order 4,600 of the Model 1878 for use in the Philippines insurrection. That run of revolvers are considered the Philippine or Alaska models.

This photo of the Colt Model 1878 shows the etched "Omnipotent" on the gun's barrel, making it highly sought after by collectors. The gun's caliber, .45 caliber, can be seen marked on the trigger guard.

Colt Lightning and Outlaw Legends

Sales of the Colt Lightning jumped in the first years of the 20th century as pulp western writers shared the guns carried by John Wesley Hardin, Billy the Kid, Doc Holliday, and Pat Garrett. Famed shooter and writer Elmer Keith wrote in his box “Sixguns” that he carried a Colt Lightning.

The Colt Lightning was also part of a tobacco promotion that if a person bought enough tobacco twists with a metal tag they could return the tags for prizes. Tobacco twists were tagged to prove they weren’t counterfeit nor poor quality. Consumers could order a Model 1877 – most likely the Colt Lightning -- for 1,800 tags.

This Colt Model 1877 Thunderer shipped in 1906 ejectorless with a 3 1/2-inch barrel.

Colt Lightning, Thunderer, Rainmaker, and Omnipotent

This quartet of double action firearms are all fascinating in their own way. The Rainmaker numbers about 200 made, and this example is offered in Sheriff’s Model configuration with a 3 1/2 inch barrel and no ejector, makes it even rarer. The Thunderer with its factory box letters to being California shipped. The Omnipotent, one of fewer than 175 acid-etched with Omnipotent on the left of the barrel is remarkable. The Lightning is a pair with phenomenal engraving by Howard Dove, scrimshaw grips and gold inlay.

This nickel-plated Colt Model 1877 Thunderer Sheriff's Model manufactured in 1880 has "COLT DA 41" acid etched on the left side of the barrel and is accompanied by an original and rare Colt Sheriff's Model 1877 Lightning revolver picture box with .38 caliber crossed out and "41" added in ink.

Colts first-ever double action revolver, the Colt Lightning, Thunderer, and very rare Rainmaker of the Model 1877 are all available in Rock Island Auction’s May 2-4 Premier Auction, offering a tremendous opportunity for the collector who is a completist. In addition, an extremely rare Colt Omnipotent, a .45 caliber double action from the Model 1878 line makes this auction an appointment not to be missed for double action revolver fans or collectors of rare Colts.

Sources:

The Peacemaker and its Rivals, by John E. Parsons

Colt’s Double-Action Revolver Model of 1878, by Don Wilkerson

This Old Gun: Colt Model 1877 Lightning Revolver, by Rick Hacker, American Rifleman

Colt M1877 Revolver The Double Action Taking the Old West by Storm, by Alan Garbers, Guns magazine

Colt initially balked at the double action revolver but they were popular in Europe, like this chieseled and carved Lepage Moutier Adams patent double action revolver that has deep relief floral scroll engraving and floral scroll relief carved grip.