The Colt M1877 was a double-action revolver manufactured by Colt’s Patent Fire Arms from January 1877 to 1909 for a total of 166,849 revolvers. The Model 1877 was offered in three calibers, which lent them three unofficial names: the “Lightning”, the “Thunderer”, and the “Rainmaker”. The principal difference between the models was the cartridge in which they were chambered: the “Lightning” being chambered in .38 Long Colt; the “Thunderer” in .41 Colt. Both models had a six-round ammunition capacity.] An earlier model in .32 Colt known as the “Rainmaker” was offered in 1877

The M1877 was designed by one of the inventors of the M1873 Colt Single Action Army, William Mason, as Colt’s first attempt at manufacturing a double-action revolver. The M1877 was the first successful US-made double-action cartridge revolver.

The “Lightning” was the favored personal weapon of famous Manchester (UK) Victorian detective and then head of CID, Jerome Caminada. Old West outlaw John Wesley Hardin frequently used both “Lightning” and “Thunderer” versions of the Colt 1877 revolver. Likewise the 1877 “Thunderer” in .41 caliber was the preferred weapon of Billy the Kid and was his weapon of choice when he was killed by Pat Garrett in 1881. Doc Holliday was also known to carry a nickel plated colt thunder in his waistband as an accompanying gun to his nickel plated colt 1873. Both had ivory or pearl grips.