LIGHTING RIFLE AMO

OSKBOY

HI I HAVE A COLT LIGHTNING RIFLE 40-60-260 SER NO. 119 IN GREAT SHAPE. I WANT TO SHOOT IT, BUT I WAS TOLD A 40-60 WIN. WONT WORK. I NEED TO GET A MARLIN 40-60, IS THIS TRUE. THANKS JOHN

charliemeyer007

Interesting. This might help and later I'll see what I can find in my cartridges of the world book.

https://forum.cartridgecollectors.org/t/colt-40-60-260/23967

added from the COW 4th edition dimensional data table

40-60 Marlin diameter bullet .403, neck .425, base .504, rim .604 case length 2.11, cart l 2.55 twist 1-20 rimmed straight

40-65 Winchester .406, .423, .504, .604, 2.10, 2.48, 1 in 20-26 rimmed straight

40-60 Winchester .404, .425, (shoulder .445), .506, .630, 1.87, 2.10, 1-40 rimmed bottleneck

The test say the 40-60 Marlin is correct for the Colt rifle and 40-65 Win is interchangeable.

rufe-snow

From my experience, their was a lot of variation, tolerance wise in 19th Century BP cartridges. And the rifles they were chambered for. Black Powder is a low pressure propellant, that burned very dirty. It's residue in a tight toleranced chamber. Very likely would cause jambs, and failure to fire problems.

Do a chamber cast of your rifle. And compare the dimensions, to the data in the, "Cartridges of the World", book that Charlie referred to.

My WAG, sight unseen, is that the Colt. Will function with the Marlin ammo, just fine. Winchester ammo would be something else entirely? Need chamber cast, and data from the COW to make a determination.

navc130

Cartridges of the World says they are not the same and the 40-60 Marlin is correct for the colt Lightning. The Winchester case is shorter and the rim is wider. HOWEVER, depending on manufacturing tolerances, the Winchester cartridge MAY chamber. This gets into the realm of using a different cartridge than the gun is chambered for: safety, function and action strength.

OSKBOY

Thanks to all john