Anybody shoot there Colt lightning?
- Thread starter Dave.S
- Start date
Willy Tincup
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Owen Sound
I have 3 of them; 1 in each calibre. Have never shot the 44 or the 32 but have shot the 38 with light loads. Think they were 4.6 grs of Unique [its a few years ago] ....shot very well with 180 gr RNFP using a nice old original tang sight. The 38-40 is one of my favourite calibres and thus the 38 gets the action. Never really tried it for speed so can't comment on the reliability of fast fire. I just got the 32 and have some hand loads for it so will shoot it one of these days. Good luck with yours.
Revolver, or slide action rifle?
As I recall, the Lightning was the 38 cal stable-mate to the Thunderer (.41 LC cal.)
Name was also used on the slide action rifles.
Cheers
Trev
, the Colt Lightning slide-action rifles could be slam-fired (i.e. no disconnector).....
Hi Dave
I've a Lightning in 38-40 that I shoot occationally. Second year of production. Sights not original, but period. Wood needs a bit of work yet & have new stock & foregrip yet to fit (winter project). Replaced some internal bits & now she is slick as pup#### on a vinyl floor. Fire away with any questions & I'll help if I can. Pic of the old girl below...
Cheers
jaguar/TheCounty
I've a Lightning in 38-40 that I shoot occationally. Second year of production. Sights not original, but period. Wood needs a bit of work yet & have new stock & foregrip yet to fit (winter project). Replaced some internal bits & now she is slick as pup#### on a vinyl floor. Fire away with any questions & I'll help if I can. Pic of the old girl below...
Cheers
jaguar/TheCounty
Shooting the Colt 'Lightning'
Dave - and other 'Lightning' shooters
I've got a repro Uberti 'Lightning' II in .45 Colt. I'd prefer it in 44-40, one of the original calibres, but ..... Accurate and very nicely finished and put together. However, it does have a few peculiarities .....
First off, it requires positive feeding of the rounds into the loading gate. If you don't, a round can slip under the carrier causing a jam. This necessitates dumping out all the rounds from the mag tube and pushing the offending cartridge into the mag tube with a screw driver.
Secondly, the slightest rearward pressure on the slide handle will cause a light hammer fall - no ''Bang!; just a dimple on the primer. I have to discipline myself to push it forward; a sort of "push-pull" technique familiar to guys who shot skeet doubles with pump action shotguns that 'slam-fired' like the M12 Winchester.
Thirdly, just operating it needs to be done with definite, almost forceful intensity or it will gibble up.
Are any of these foibles associated with the originals as well?
Dave - and other 'Lightning' shooters
I've got a repro Uberti 'Lightning' II in .45 Colt. I'd prefer it in 44-40, one of the original calibres, but ..... Accurate and very nicely finished and put together. However, it does have a few peculiarities .....
First off, it requires positive feeding of the rounds into the loading gate. If you don't, a round can slip under the carrier causing a jam. This necessitates dumping out all the rounds from the mag tube and pushing the offending cartridge into the mag tube with a screw driver.
Secondly, the slightest rearward pressure on the slide handle will cause a light hammer fall - no ''Bang!; just a dimple on the primer. I have to discipline myself to push it forward; a sort of "push-pull" technique familiar to guys who shot skeet doubles with pump action shotguns that 'slam-fired' like the M12 Winchester.
Thirdly, just operating it needs to be done with definite, almost forceful intensity or it will gibble up.
Are any of these foibles associated with the originals as well?
- Location
- Golden Lake
I had a .32-20 rifle. I was a great plinker and short range "varmint" gun.
I never had any loading issues. I used a 100 gr Lee plain base bullet with 10 grs of 2400.
I read an article somewhere that you could fire .32 ACP rounds out of a .32-20. So tried it and yes - they do fire but don't eject.
I never had any loading issues. I used a 100 gr Lee plain base bullet with 10 grs of 2400.
I read an article somewhere that you could fire .32 ACP rounds out of a .32-20. So tried it and yes - they do fire but don't eject.
Hi Sharps '63
Never have seen any of those issues with mine. I would strongly suggest you contact the manufacturer. The issue of the hammer dropping is a safety concern for sure. Not sure if the uberti is fully locked if your slide is moving back even slightly. Next one may fire instead of dimpling and if not in battery could be very dangerous for shooter & bystanders.
Cheers
Jaguar/TheCounty
Never have seen any of those issues with mine. I would strongly suggest you contact the manufacturer. The issue of the hammer dropping is a safety concern for sure. Not sure if the uberti is fully locked if your slide is moving back even slightly. Next one may fire instead of dimpling and if not in battery could be very dangerous for shooter & bystanders.
Cheers
Jaguar/TheCounty
hammer fall
Jaguar
Thanks for the input!
So, what happens if you apply a little rearward pressure on the forearm of your rifle and squeeze the trigger?
The hammer isn't dropping per se, it takes a deliberate squeeze of the trigger for the condition to manifest.
I just checked a report I downloaded from a CAS site re: the Lightning.THERE IS NO CLOSED BOLT LOCK, hence the action can open as I described, with a little rearward pressure on the slide handle. The rifle has the ability to 'slam fire' by holding the trigger back and operating the slide.
There is a transfer bar built into the hammer, but it allows contact with the firing pin even if the rifle is not in battery.
In any case, as much as I enjoy the Lightning, the next time a Spencer repro in 56-50 comes available, it's on the block.
Jaguar
Thanks for the input!
So, what happens if you apply a little rearward pressure on the forearm of your rifle and squeeze the trigger?
The hammer isn't dropping per se, it takes a deliberate squeeze of the trigger for the condition to manifest.
I just checked a report I downloaded from a CAS site re: the Lightning.THERE IS NO CLOSED BOLT LOCK, hence the action can open as I described, with a little rearward pressure on the slide handle. The rifle has the ability to 'slam fire' by holding the trigger back and operating the slide.
There is a transfer bar built into the hammer, but it allows contact with the firing pin even if the rifle is not in battery.
In any case, as much as I enjoy the Lightning, the next time a Spencer repro in 56-50 comes available, it's on the block.
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Hi again Sharps.
Got home from midnight shift & had a good look at what you are describing. I can only comment on my particular rifle of course but from closed bolt position there is a definite "give" to release and pull the bolt from battery. This causes the rapid movement of the bolt backwards so that it is to far rearward for the hammer to strike. Hard to pull it out from closed just a tiny bit. I used a fired case that slid in and out with no resistance to ensure it wasn't a case sticking as well. So even though the hammer can fire in a near closed position, it is difficult to position it in that spot from battery. Hopefully someone with another Uberti will chime in. Otherwise I still would suggest talking with the factory.
Cheers
Jaguar/TheCounty
Got home from midnight shift & had a good look at what you are describing. I can only comment on my particular rifle of course but from closed bolt position there is a definite "give" to release and pull the bolt from battery. This causes the rapid movement of the bolt backwards so that it is to far rearward for the hammer to strike. Hard to pull it out from closed just a tiny bit. I used a fired case that slid in and out with no resistance to ensure it wasn't a case sticking as well. So even though the hammer can fire in a near closed position, it is difficult to position it in that spot from battery. Hopefully someone with another Uberti will chime in. Otherwise I still would suggest talking with the factory.
Cheers
Jaguar/TheCounty
Lightning
Jaguar
I've got my rifle beside me as I write this ....
When the rifle is in battery and the hammer cocked, there is a definite resistance to rearward movement of the pump slide - but it doesn't take much effort to overcome it.
If you snug the butt into your shoulder and put any kind of 'pull' on the slide handle, the action comes out of battery. This is enough to prevent a full contact of the firing pin on a primer.
The method that seems to work requires that you hold the slide handle lightly, supporting it rather than applying any pressure. That or pushing the handle away in a 'push-pull' manner, as I said previously.
The factory instruction sheet says" These operating movements (loading/chambering) must be done in a 'very determined manner' otherwise the cartridge will not go into the chamber". They sure got that right! Until you master it, this is not the rifle to make your main match rifle or stake your life on!
I've sent an email to Uberti expressing my concerns. I'll post the reply.
Jaguar
I've got my rifle beside me as I write this ....
When the rifle is in battery and the hammer cocked, there is a definite resistance to rearward movement of the pump slide - but it doesn't take much effort to overcome it.
If you snug the butt into your shoulder and put any kind of 'pull' on the slide handle, the action comes out of battery. This is enough to prevent a full contact of the firing pin on a primer.
The method that seems to work requires that you hold the slide handle lightly, supporting it rather than applying any pressure. That or pushing the handle away in a 'push-pull' manner, as I said previously.
The factory instruction sheet says" These operating movements (loading/chambering) must be done in a 'very determined manner' otherwise the cartridge will not go into the chamber". They sure got that right! Until you master it, this is not the rifle to make your main match rifle or stake your life on!
I've sent an email to Uberti expressing my concerns. I'll post the reply.
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Sharps
I am interested in the Uberti's take on this. Checked again, and mine requires a "determined manner" to open, so to speak. Speaks well for Colt, as this old girl has likely had quite a colourful past with little love and still the action is tight. I never contemplated it coming out of battery at all during the many times I've shot it. All the best.
Cheers
Jaguar
I am interested in the Uberti's take on this. Checked again, and mine requires a "determined manner" to open, so to speak. Speaks well for Colt, as this old girl has likely had quite a colourful past with little love and still the action is tight. I never contemplated it coming out of battery at all during the many times I've shot it. All the best.
Cheers
Jaguar
