This is a very good representation of the scarce Colt Burgess Lever Action Rifle.  Colt Mfg had only built 6,603 units from 1883-85 when production was suddenly discontinued.  Today, they're not too easy to find and most of the ones we've seen have lived a hard life!  This particular rifle is in 44-40 with a standard 25 1/2" octagon barrel, full magazine, and crescent buttplate.  Serial number is in the 2600 range.  Original sights include the standard Colt semi-buckhorn rear sight and German silver front sight.

The Burgess was a great rifle but lived a very short life.  The story is that Colt's neighbor in nearby New Haven, CT, Winchester Repeating Arms was not too happy about Colt's emergence in the lever action rifle market.  Winchester had a good product line-up in the early 1880's  marketing the Models 1866, 1873, and 1876.   Given the quality of the Burgess as well as its design, it seems obvious why Winchester had every reason to fear this new lever action rifle.  Historically, Winchester's normal mode of operation was to buy out threats to their market to get rid of competing models like they did with the Whitney and Spencer Companies. However, Colt was far too large and successful to buy and their main bread and butter products were its successful line of revolvers like the 1873 Colt Single Action and double action Models 1877 and 1878.  If Winchester wanted to get rid of the Burgess Rifle, they were going to have to use a new tactic so against Colt.  It was simple old testament style, reciprocity!  WRA designed a few revolvers, even going so far as to build prototypes, and sent some of the drawings over to Colt in Hartford.  The basic message was that if Colt was going to pursue Winchester's lever action market, then Winchester was ready to go into the revolver business.  Apparently, Colt got the message and the Burgess Rifle was abruptly discontinued.  While forced out of the lever action business by Winchester, Colt was not entirely pushed out of the longarm business as they quickly replaced the Burgess with a novel and successful pump action rifle design known as the Colt Lightning Rifle.

Overall condition grades to NRA Antique VG+ to Fine overall.  The frame still has about 40-50% original blue that is thinning and mixing with a light patina.  Left side of the frame its original Rampant Colt Horse or "Horsey" just like you see on all of the Colt Lightning rifles.  The loading port still shows about 20-25% original fire blue mostly around the corners while the bolt still has 60% fire blue.  Strong traces of fire blue remain on the hammer and several of the screws.  Hammer shows strong hints of original case colors with lever mostly turned brown with hints of color in protected spots.  Very good screws throughtout.  Barrel and magazine are mostly brown patina with 25% original blue that's streaky throughout the length of the octagon and grows a little stronger in the protected areas.  Excellent barrel address marked "COLT'S PT. F.A. MFG. CO. HARTFORD. CT. U.S.A. PAT. JAN.7.73. OCT.19.75 APR.1.79. DEC.7.80. DEC.13.81. JAN.3.82."  Very good wood that has excellent wood to metal fit that's tight and still swelling slightly proud over the metal...just like it should.  No chips or cracks.  The Burgess rifle is notorious for having bad cracks and large chips missing from the right side of the forend just in front of the frame.  In order to accomodate the loading port, which slides forward under the wood, Colt had to maching out the inside of the forearm leaving the walnut almost paper-thin.  This rifle has one of the best forends we've ever seen...no chips...there was one little hairline crack that was just starting to form...it is now perfectly mended and invisible.  You'll have a hard time finding a Burgess with a better forend than this one...even nice ones are  usually wrecked in this area.  Stock has its original sliding trapdoor for the cleaning rods..now long gone.  The action works perfectly and this is probably the most impressive part of the Burgess design.  The action is as smooth as silk and almost effortless to operate.  Its far smoother than any Winchester with a toggle link action like the 1873.  As much as I'm a Winchester fan, its not hard to realize why Winchester was so worried about competition from Colt.  The bore has 6 deep grooves and after 125 years is still pretty bright and Very Good+ overall.  A nice example of the Colt Burgess!

Item# 0849

SOLD