Manual

slide can only be released by bringing the hammer to the

down position. In the full and half-cock positions of the

hammer, the slide, handle, and breech-bolt are positively

locked.

A feature peculiar to this rifle is, the breech-bolt is brought

clear forward and the extractor is hooked over the cartridge

in the barrel before the magazine gate will allow another

cartridge to be fed to the carrier, and the magazine gate is

positively locked, only allowing one cartridge at a time to

pass from the magazine, thus preventing blocking the breech

action, and the escape of cartridges under the carrier.

The firing pin is held back positively until the cartridge has

entered the chamber, when the bolt is locked so that

premature explosion is impossible.

Safety Message & Production Note

Special notice: Slam-fire Capabilities

The hammer is automatically locked and unlocked by the

hook near the end of the magazine lever F. By this

arrangement the rifle may be loaded and discharged by the

reciprocating motion of the slide, keeping the trigger

constantly pressed back during the working of the slide. The

USFA Lightning follows the same manufacturing details as

the Original Colt Lightning once made “Under the Dome”

here in Hartford. Slam-Firing {Squeezing the trigger while