Opinions on What Direction to Take This Colt Lightning In

[oldfoneguy]

I'm going to give the firing pin a shot. Even made from mild steel I can work by hand it will be stronger than brass.
I have a feeling this rifle is chambered in 22LR. I fit a long rifle in the chamber with ease. If the barrel will take it, long rifle is 100 times easier to find here than shorts. The barrel doesn't specify the round just 22 cal.
I was able to get a couple of shots down the barrel with the borescope after some scrubbing with a bronze brush. There is definitely still rifiling down there. I also have a shot with a hollow point long rifle in the barrel chambering perfectly set back from the throat rifling.

Information

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[browningautorifle]

I have a feeling this rifle is chambered in 22LR.

OK, maybe try cycling some through the action...now that it's in pieces... Maybe after cleaning and trouble shooting. Agreed, LR is far better. It doesn't SAY short, the Winchesters that were short said either short or gallery. Show us the firing pin after...

[Daan Kemp]

Clean up, re-assemble. Minimum to make it shootablr. Fit new firing pin. Try out. If everything works, enjoy shooting it. Fix what needs to be fixed. Then decide what the future holds and how far to go.

[oldfoneguy]

Here's the current update on the lightning.
After extensive cleaning a bullet for a 5.56 NATO will travel the length of the barrel with a light push of a cleaning rod in certain spots. The majority of its length the bullet will just fall. There are slight abrasions on the bullet but no scoring. Meaning that this barrel is bad and will need to be sleeved. Depending on the cost of sleeving I may have nothing more than an interesting wall hanger on my hands. No great mystery now as to why it was left in the barn.

[Salt Flat]

I agree with Daan Kemp and the others. It's well worth replacing the firing pin and installing a liner. I've done a few 1890 Winchesters like this. It's quite satisfying to save these.

[oldfoneguy]

It's all a matter of economics right now. I'm not going to get rid of it so it'll be something I can get back to in a year or so. Again it's based on the price of lining the barrel.

[Daan Kemp]

Start with getting it shooting. You might have good accuracy with the bore like it is now. Or even close up plinking fun.

[painter777]

https://cdn3.volusion.com/prmzd.wajf...CT328-43-3.jpg

https://cdn3.volusion.com/prmzd.wajf...CT328-43-2.jpg

[oldfoneguy]

https://cdn3.volusion.com/prmzd.wajf...CT328-43-3.jpg

https://cdn3.volusion.com/prmzd.wajf...CT328-43-2.jpg

Thanks for that it's going to help a lot

[painter777]

On Rimfirecentral I found a thread posted by TRAP55 that gives a walk thru on dis-assembly and re-assembly of the Lightning Small Frame.
A link: Colt Lightning Small Frame Disassembly | Rimfire Central Firearm Forum

BTW, I see he silver soldered his broken firing pin to use as a template to fit a steel replacement he got a hold of.