H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619

Obsess is perhaps a good word. I knew someone who had one, whom I knew was selling off many of his guns because he was retiring. I had in fact bought some things from him before. One day, on a whim, I wrote to him and asked if he still had his Lightning Bolt and if he'd be interested in selling it. He was, and he did, for $800. It was a deal.

Well... You may have a bigger problem than money. Not very many of these Lightning Bolts were made before AWA closed up shop. No one seems to know the exact number, but an excellent article Guns of the Old West magazine was able to confirm the existence of exactly 3 of them in wild, and estimated the total number ever made to be at 15 or less. (I was VERY lucky to obtain mine.) Granted, I have since then seen information that suggests there may be a few more, but we are not talking triple digits here for a total. I want to start a Lightning Bolt owners society but nobody has responded to the inquiries. I don't know why. BTW, a picture of my Bolt is shown in the article.

When I first started looking at the possibility of a Large Frame Lightning, I was put off by the calibers that it was offered in. They were all ones I'd never heard of! They were all marketed as "Express" calibers, big bullets going at, for the time, very high velocities. But then I discovered something intriguing about the so called, .45-85-285 cartridge. As it turns out, the .45-85 uses a case the dimensionally identical to the .45-70. Using the much lighter 285 grain bullet instead of the heavier 405 one created a much higher muzzle velocity. WHY Colt did this instead of just chambering it for the very popular .45-70, I do not know. The only difference in the cases is that the 85 uses a small rifle primer for some reason. Well, suddenly, this became a priority to me. Afterall, .45-70 brass is easy to come by, and I was already set up to load for it. But when I finally got the rifle, I did discover one one other quirk of the cartridge. The .45-70 loaded with a 405 grain bullet is just a tiny but too long to fit through the loading gate. I'd also read that they did the rifling different in this gun, one suited to the high velocity lightweight bullet. Even if you could get 405 grainers to work, they'd be going to slow to work with the rifling. No problem. I figured 300 grain .45-70 bullets would be close enough. Well, I was right. They were just shorter enough to fit, and the gun is supper accurate out to some pretty decent distances. I am using data for a "Trapdoor safe" loading with the 300 grain bullet, so it works quite well. Once I run out of 405 grainers, I very well may standardize on the 300 just so I don't have to keep track of what is what. If you really want a Large Frame, this is the caliber I'd recommend. Proviso! These are expensive rifles. I was saving up for 2 years to be able to afford it! You mentioned .38-56 caliber. I am sure you know that this, in spite of the name, is nothing like the .38-55. The 55 is based on the .30-30. The 56 is based on the .45-70. It IS possible to make .38-56 brass from .45-70 brass, but I don't know how involved the process is. Still, I have SEEN many more of these in the .38-56 than the .45-85, so that might be a way to go. They were also available in .40-60, but at this point, I have no clue what that means. The differences between .40-60 Marlin, .40-60 Colt, 40-60 Winchester and .40-65 Winchester make my head hurt. One source says they are 4 different incompatible cartridges, and another says they are all the same. I'd avoid this caliber simply because I can't make sense of it. They were also in .50-95, but apparently brass for it is now pretty much unobtainium, to say nothing of ammo. And that's all I know for sure. Good luck. For contrast, Large .45-85, Medium .32-20, Small .22 Long All Colts The Lightning Bolt pistol is an AWA .45.

Questions. 1. What is she? (Colt, Uberti, Pietta, something else.) 2. What caliber? 3. How old is she? 4. Why do people not understand that video formats are wider than they they are tall and insist on recording things taller than wide? Especially if the videos are to be viewed on a computer screen.

One does not necessarily preclude the other.

Hmmm... I have 3 AWAs. .45 Colt .44-40 .45 Colt Lightning Bolt pistol. I also have 4 Colts. .22 Long. .32-20 .44-40 .45-85 Also, Lassiter has a Taurus (his suggestion for it to be the donor) that is being turned into a .44 Special. But if I really NEED a Pedersoli, I'll have to get one someday. Just need to decide on the caliber. To be honest, if that weird, heavily modernized one in .44 Magnum was available in a standard configuration, I'd already have one. When all is said and done, I have never had it as a goal to have Lightnings by as many different makers as possible. Rather, I have a desire to have a Lightning in as many different CALIBERS as possible. I guess that means the following... Of the original calibers, that leaves .38-40. I am not sure which, of any, of the replica makers did that caliber, so it might mean another Colt. As far as the large frame version goes, I am content with the .45-85 one, which is basically the .45-70 with a lighter bullet. I am not interested is pursuing the various other big calibers. And even if I was, the large frames are so expensive, or the calibers so obscure, I don't want to go down that rabbit hole. Now, as far as other medium frame calibers go, while I have never been generally interested in .38 Special as a main match caliber, I came very close to getting a very fancy AWA in that caliber once that had a kind of silver colored, engraved receiver. This was the way it was made, and I understand it was a specific variation they did on that caliber, not a custom one off. And, it was not all that expensive. I got outbid at the last minute. If I ever find another one, I'll probably go for it. Especially since my AWA .45 Colt runs .45 Schofields no problem. I am curious to learn if one in .38 Special will run .38 Long Colt. If it won't, it's not a deal breaker, but I still wanna find out. I know .357 Magnum was also an option for some of the replicas. I don't know if other calibers were available, or what they would be. That being said, someone here on the Wire, I can't remember who for sure, I think know who, but don't want to say the name in case I am wrong, mentioned that he was building himself one in .32 H&R Magnum. (I honestly wonder if it would run .32 S&W Longs) Well anyway, if he ever decides that he doesn't want it anymore, I hope he'll give me first crack at buying it off of him. Now that of course brings up the idea of custom created ones in calibers of special interest. If I could get one, .38 S&W would be great. So would .45 ACP, or .45 Autorim. And this point, I better shut up. I am starting to look at seriously expensive things, and that's not a good idea.

I am curious. When it comes to cannelured brass, I've noticed that sometimes the cannelure is very prominent, and at other times, you gotta look twice cuz it's so faint. But I have to admit, I've never had a case split at the cannelure. What causes the splitting? There's gotta be something other than the cannelure itself that it causing the brass to fail.

But they won't tune everything. They won't tune their 86's for example.

Yeah.... That's very true... We're overdue for another one.

Well, some of the games are being played at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Mass and... Err. Wait. It's been renamed "Boston Stadium" for the duration for some reason. Don't understand that. Anyway, BOSTON stadium is the home of the New England Patriots. You know the most successful team in history that plays REAL football. Some soccer team plays there too, but I don't remember their name.

And I now found this comment about the gunfighter ballads. Alas, I didn't list what I did on every stage... As often as not, the bigger shoots often have a "theme" of some sort. I have found that sometimes it can be fun to try to tailor your shooting to the theme in some way. The most "elaborate" theme I ever tried to fit was a regional shoot that had the theme based on old gunfighter ballads. Each stage had a description that was based on an old song of that type. In going a bit overboard, I used different guns on each stage to match the song in some way. For example, on the stage based on "El Paso," I loaded the last round in my rifle with black powder to create "the white puff of smoke from the rifle." For the song on "Big Iron," which was before I made my own, I used a Walker and a Buntline. For "Back in the Saddle Again," I used a pair of antique .44-40's to match the line, "Totin' my Old .44." For Ringo, the line, "The deadly .44" inspired me to use .44 Magnums on that stage. And so on and so forth.

Ah! I found the old thread. Here's my after the shoot report on what I used! At the MA/CT/RI Tri-State last weekend, I used different guns on every stage. The stages were inspired by "Westerns through the decades." So, I tried to use guns that were seen in the Western in question. On all stages, since in the movies that had a shotgun, a side by side was featured, I used a 30" Parker with F/F barrels. The Great Train Robbery: Remington 1875 (replica). Colt SAA (2nd Gen) Both with 7.5" barrels. No rifle featured in movies, so I just used an ASM 92 rifle. .45 Colt. Stagecoach: Large Loop Winchester 92 carbine. Uberti SAA, 7.5". Original Great Western, 5.5". .44 Magnum Treasure if the Sierra Madre: ASM 92 Rifle. 4.75" Colt (3rd Gen) 7.5" Colt, (2nd Gen) .45 Colt High Noon: Winchester 92, Colt 7.5" (1st Gen) Colt 5.5" (3rd Gen) .32-20 The Magnificent 7. S&W New Model 3. Colt 5.5" (1st Gen) Uberti Henry, .44-40. The Outlaw Jose Wales Uberti Walker, Pietta 1860, Uberti 1866 rifle. .45 Colt Silverado: 75 Remington 7.5" SAA 2nd Gen, Hollywierd Henry based on Uberti 66 carbine. Pistols in .45, rifle in .44-40 Unforgiven: Uberti Schofield, 75 Remington, .45 Colt. Original Spencer 56-50. Open Range 7.5" Colt and 75 Remington. 66 Rifle .45 Colt True Grit (remake) Colt Dragoon, Uberti Schofield, 66 rifle. .45 Colt. I had FUN. I think I set a record on the Unforgiven stage, 200+ seconds! Not only was it with a Spencer, but it didn't eject the rounds properly, just pulled them halfway out of the chamber so I had to flick 'em. But.... I shot a clean match.

I think Bulgaria will catch the snitch because they have a better seeker, but their chasers are not as good as Ireland's so they will manage to run up the score and win the final game and the cup. Oh wait, that's Quidditch...

If I was shooting a single barrel, single shot shotgun at a match, I'd have a double or a 97 in the cart in case there were any popper targets. Just common sense, to my mind. That said, twice at the MA/CT/RI tri-state, I used different guns on every stage. One time the theme of the match was Cowboy ballads. Each stage was named for a different cowboy song. So, on each stage, I used the guns referenced in the song on that stage. Off the top of my head, here's what I remember for the stages and guns... Big Iron: Well, I used my Big Iron. El Paso: Because there is a line in the song, "I see the white puff of smoke from the rifle," I made sure shot 10 was loaded with black powder. Back in the Saddle Again: Because there is a line in the song, "Totin' my old .44" I used a pair of antique .44-40s. Ringo: Because there is a line in the song, "the deadly .44" I shot this stage with guns in .44 Magnum. I don't remember what the rest of the songs/guns were, but I had fun. More recently, the theme of the shoot was Western films of the decades. I specific movie was chosen for the 1900, 10's, 20's etc through the 90s. I made sure to use a gun that appeared in that movie on that stage. Some that I remember were The Great Train Robbery: A 75 Remington Uhmm.... Ugh... I can't remember the movies, but I remember using a 92 with a John Wayne loop, a Colt Dragoon and a Walker, an 1860 Colt, SAAs of specific barrel lengths, a New Model 3, a Winchester 73, a Henry, a Hollywierd Henry, a 66, a Spencer, a 58 Remington, a short barreled SxS, a long barelled SxS, a Schofield, a S&W American, and probably a few others. Again, I had a LOT of fun, and this one, I shot clean! I finished dead last, but it was probably the most fun I'd ever had a big shoot.

As an aside, I considered one of these when I was wanting a .45-70 revolver. As you said, they have 5 shot cylinders, and to me, that somehow makes them look "off" dimensionally speaking. Was still wondering what to do when I stumbled across the above Phelps in the caliber. It may be a somewhat goofy looking pistol, but everything seems to be proportionally correct.

Until relatively recently, as stated in the original post, the non-drunken consumption of alcohol during pregnancy was not a big deal. It has long been known that drinking to excess while pregnant, like getting drunk on a regular basis, was not a good thing, but that was true in general as well. Of course, smoking wasn't a big deal either. (Now, using pot probably is not seen as big deal, but the first two are. But let that go.) Given what was reality for literally thousands of years, I think that under normal circumstances, the occasional drink during pregnancy is probably safe. But we have decided to go to the opposite extreme and say it's always bad. I don't know which end is left anymore.

That is a pretty big cut. I make about $4000 a month, AFTER taxes and other deductions. It's not a lot. If this their before tax rate, they are actually in a bad way after this cut.

Whenever you are in an area where buffalo roam, you are likely to see a sign that says, "Please do not attempt to pet the furry cows." That being said, buffalo are not docile creatures. They are best left alone. But this video looks fake.

Every time an Air Force plane takes off, it has just enough fuel to take off and meet up with a tanker for in flight refueling before it heads off to where ever it is going. This is normal. Part of the reason is less gas in the tank means less weight, and thus easier and quicker to get airborn. Given that reality, it would seem to me that there is no need to top off the tanks upon landing.

Okay, thanks for the clarification on the 41 Long Colt. So a 4 in 1 gun is possible, but not a 5. Nifty. Also, thanks for the clarification on the "Commonwealth" .45's They also can get confusing if you don't know. I really do sympathize with the plight of Canadian gun owners. Your law are even more convoluted than Massachusetts', and that's saying something. A couple of years ago, I looked into maybe going to a Cowboy shoot in Manitoba. It was complicated, but possible to bring my guns for a "sporting competition," but then I started reading the caliber restrictions and my head started to hurt. I bowed out.

I just saw a Uberti made Lightning rifle in .45 Colt, imported by Taylors, on Gunbroker with an opening bid of $2500, or a buy it now of $2900. Seems a little pricey to me for a Uberti. Then again, my sole experience with a Uberti Lightning is several years in the past, and I found them to be not so great, Maybe they are better now, but this is significantly more than what Pedersoli is charging for there's. I am not gonna go for it, but I did find the price surprising. It's been a while since I bought anything like this new, so I have no idea if this is what they are going for now. For that price, I feel it should be good to go right out of the box...

Okay... Some earlier comments in the thread have confused me, so I am gonna ask if anyone one here can clear it up. Here is what I THINK is the correct scenario... .38-40, .40 S&W and 10mm all have a .401 diameter bullet. Thus, swapping cylinders for these three would work in the same revolver. .41 Long Colt and .41 Magnum have a .410 caliber bullet. .41 Magnum is NOT an elongated .41 Long Colt, so to use both calibers in the same revolver, you'd need different cylinders. The two groups, 40 and 41, are not "compatible" with each other. Am I correct?

That AFF (What's that stand for?) looks remarkably like a real vintage Colt.

One of the criticisms of a bonus target is that as soon as one shooter hits it, it becomes a defacto penalty for anyone who doesn't. This is a valid point, But what about this; there are a handful of bonus targets over the course of the match. No penalty for missing, no positive adjustment for hitting. You just have to take the shot. After the match is over if anyone hits all of them, that gets you the bonus prize. Something like a small pin. Hitting or missing them does not affect your score in the match in any way. Probably no more than one bonus per stage, and maybe not even on every stage. Just a thought.

You are correct on all counts. Those two revolvers in one pic are indeed Nagants. I got the first one when I first got my C&R and everyone was selling them for $69 a pop. Thought they were cool. The cartridge is indeed a very strange one. You can get loaded ammo for them that is surprisingly inexpensive, and I assume there is a way to reload that very strange cartridge. Me, I just use .32-20 brass that has been run through the Lee sizing die to fit. It won't create the gas seal, but it does work well. I personally call using .32-20 brass ".32 Nagant" but that has not caught on. The Nagant gets a bad wrap for having a terrible trigger, and the DA pull is horrific. But the SA version is actually pretty good, and I find the pistols to be well designed ergonomically. Go figure. .44 Colt is another odd duck caliber from back in the day. Just before USFA committed ritual suicide, they were briefly advertising a "series" of SAA copies in the Colt Calibers. .32 Colt, .38 Colt, .41 Colt, .44 Colt and .45 Colt. I don't know if any of them ever made it to market, but I thought it was an interesting gimmick and found myself wanting a set. Oh well.