RealGun
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Hornady shortens their cases to allow use of FTX bullets.
Lightning .38 Special
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Gordon
Member
I inherited an original Colt Lightning Lightning .38 at about 11 years old from a grandfather . I took a couple weeks of occasional dry firing to break it. I took it apart to fix it at about 16 and took a year or so to gather the original parts that broke in the beginning of the 1960s. It is a terrible pistol to work on and the fix lasted about a box of .38 Long Colts worth of ammo before broke again. The gun was nickel in great shape with hard rubber grips. I sold it while in the Army training in mid 60s when I need money for $50 . I have come to learn the original Lightning is one of the weakest mechanically revolvers Colt ever produced ! I hope the repros are redesigned. I had briefly a 1878 Colt .45 and it had been in use many years without breaking but I sold it quickly in late 70s as I was "lightning" shy ! Incidently the 1878 had about a 20 pound + DA , maybe that solved the problems before New Services.
RealGun
Member
The Colt Lightning was double action, while guns bearing that model name now are single action, small frame Model Ps (Jr), alike in the grip style.
Gordon
Member
Yeah I'd love to have one of those !
BigBlue 94
Member
At least your ejector rod functions! The one on mine barely pokes the empty 45 Colt casings out. I need to just carry a stick for it and remove the rod and housing.
RealGun
Member
If you switched to 45 Cowboy Special, it would probably poke those out just fine, I would think. Yours is a Thunderer, I believe.At least your ejector rod functions! The one on mine barely pokes the empty 45 Colt casings out. I need to just carry a stick for it and remove the rod and housing.
Jim Watson
Member
Is that one of those two-groove "safety" base pins?
If so, shorten to standard.
If so, shorten to standard.
RealGun
Member
I don't think that should be the prevailing wisdom. I have three of those guns and simply learned how to operate them. I would concede that I wish Uberti would not make them like that, since there is only one groove that gets used. A gun safe is for safety as well as security. There are features of other guns that I wish were not there. I don't see enough people refusing to buy S&W guns with locks they don't want. I don't read that removing the lock and plugging the hole is that common, once people got used to the idea.
BigBlue 94
Member
Its called the "El Malo 2" but yeah thunderer 'based' on a P frame. Its a Cimarron made by Pietta i believe. The issue with the ejector rod is it is too short with too little travel. It barely touches the case. If i get the cylinder lined up just right i can catch the mouth of the case and it works.
Jim Watson
Member
Elmer Keith mentioned the Army officer with a custom SAA. It would still "pull its empties" from under a 4" barrel.
RealGun
Member
I have two P Jrs, one Lightning Cimarron and one Stallion Taylor's, both 3", and neither will push spent brass all the way out. The Taylor's has chambers free enough to let me poke and have the momentum carry the case out flying. The Cimarron is a bother picking out brass, even after having the chambers honed smooth and to consistent ID. I have another of those guns in 5 1/2 barrel, and the ejector is the same length.
The ejector pin sticks out beyond the back of the cylinder by 1/2" on both barrel lengths. So, a case longer than .50 may need some coaxing. I don't shoot loads stout enough for spent brass to be tight in the chambers, so most of the time they pop out just fine. I usually shoot 38 Long Colt, with brass 1" long. The 45 Cowboy Special is about 7/8", never a problem in my 45 Colts, thus my suggestion.
It should be noted that at least on these Juniors the ejector tab swings down to clear the base pin. Without that the ejector really can't work.
p.s. the cylinders are 1" long.
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Jim Watson
Member
Yes, but...
First, the 1877 is famously fragile and difficult to repair.
Second, double actions are not allowed by SASS, a big user of period revolvers.
So there is no incentive for anybody to make new ones, they just put funny handles on single actions.
First, the 1877 is famously fragile and difficult to repair.
Second, double actions are not allowed by SASS, a big user of period revolvers.
So there is no incentive for anybody to make new ones, they just put funny handles on single actions.
‘Just to clarify Jim’s last statement -
While typical SA’s do have the grip frames swapped out for Birds Head grips; these Cimarron Lightenings have a significantly smaller overall frame that is somewhat close to size of the 1877 Colt.
Actually when compared side by side to each other, you can see that the Cimarron Lightning fits right in middle when compared to the original Colt Lightning and the SAA.
Jim Watson
Member
Fako nomenclature. The small scale single action with round butt is their Lightning, same shape grip on a full size SAA is a Thunderer.
There is also a "birdshead" single action without the prawl at the top and without the bulbous appearance at the bottom, just a smooth curve from top to bottom.
There are also SAAs with 1860 shaped butts. I like the length but not the droop.
There is also a "birdshead" single action without the prawl at the top and without the bulbous appearance at the bottom, just a smooth curve from top to bottom.
There are also SAAs with 1860 shaped butts. I like the length but not the droop.
BigBlue 94
Member
Marketing Nomenclature!
Prawl... Learned a new word today lol.
I enjoy a multitude of looks and feel to revolvers. Variety is the spice of life! Ive got plenty of plow handles, and one each Thunderer, Birds Head, and (Ruger) Bisley.
Prawl... Learned a new word today lol.
I enjoy a multitude of looks and feel to revolvers. Variety is the spice of life! Ive got plenty of plow handles, and one each Thunderer, Birds Head, and (Ruger) Bisley.
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