Roger Rapid
-
Posts
1,001 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Events
Posts posted by Roger Rapid
-
-
Got a PM about nearby places to stay - thanks for asking. We have a list of motels on our website (kingsriverregulators.com ---> Fort Miller Annual) or you can just CLICK HERE and then click on the FT. MILLER AREA LODGING button...
Hope you can make it ... this match is a whole bunch of fun and challenges!!!
RR
-
Dusty Devil Dale...
Thanks for posting info about the ore cart. Here's another photo that shows the cart and track a bit better. While the cart is motorized (and has a driver who runs the brake and direction controls), the run goes down hill for about 100' during which time the shooters engage shotgun, pistol, and rifle targets along the way. The ride is basically smooth - although some bumps have been put in just to keep you on your toes. So, instead of shooting at moving targets, you're moving! Some of the targets are large steel plates that are pinned into the back wall (you can't see it in photo but the wall where those four blue plates are about 5' square and are pinned into a vertical wall that is about 50' high!). Then, there are pistol and shotgun targets along the way. In this photo, the driver is standing on the back of the cart, the shooter is seated, and one of the spotters is walking down with the cart. Moving your guns around and loading and shooting from a seated position is trick.
Fort Miller's mine car is a hoot! You just gotta come shoot it!
RR
-
It was my understanding that TB was no longer available. Anyone know if that has changed?
RR
-
Cowboys, cowgirls, rustlers, gamblers, drovers, and outlaws…We’re saddling up for the best cowboy shooting event ever: the 2024 SASS Western Regional / 29th Annual Chorro Valley Shoot-Out at the Chorro Valley Regulator’s range in San Luis Obispo, California!And you just don’t want to miss it.We’ve got all the side matches including: 100y/125y/300y Long Range, 12 super stages, Black Powder Night Shoot, Cowboy Trap, a ton of vendors, the ultimate 5-Star Banquet Dinner, Team shoot, Wild Bunch, Top 16 Shoot-off, Costume Contest, Poker Tournament, Bingo, an acoustic music jam session at our campfire with s’mores, amazing camaraderie, super weather, and an incredible fun-filled weekend on California’s beautiful Central Coast. And, to help keep you fresh and on your tiptoes, we’re shooting four stages a day over three days. And to top it off, our Chuck Wagon (food vendor) is ready to feed your bellies.Wow! It just doesn’t get any better than that!Our on-line system is ready for you to process your registration now and reserve your camp site. Sign up today and get on our Who’s Coming list, tell us who you want to posse with, and leave the rest to us.• To view schedule of events CLICK HERE• To register on-line: CLICK HERE• If you prefer to mail in your registration and camping forms, CLICK HERE to download PDF forms• Want to see our 2024 video (4.5 min)? CLICK HERE
Get us on your calendar now: August 7-11, 2024!Got questions? PM me - I’m here to help you…Come shoot with us!Roger Rapid-
1
-
-
We’re just 10 weeks away from the 29th Annual ShootOut at Fort Miller.This is a not-to-miss fun and challenging Cowboy Action Shooting™ match from April 18-20, 2024 at the Kings River Regulators' range in Clovis, California.The Shootout at Fort Miller features: Side Matches galore (Speed Pistol, Speed Rifle, Speed Shotgun, Long Range, and a chance to take a test-ride-and-shoot on our heralded Ore Cart), followed by a two-day 11-stage Main Match filled with fun, challenging, and mystifying scenarios. And, there’s our Awards Dinner, Raffle, Ice Cream Social, a ton of camaraderie, and much more!• Your entry fee includes a free raffle ticket to win a ’73 Winchester rifle!Mark your calendar, download a reg form, and come out and shoot with us!!Roger Rapid
-
Hi Old Grouch...
I'll send you a copy of my Taurus manual (24 pages). The Taurus "ThunderBolt" Lightning is more similar to the AWA version - the Uberti and Pedersoli internal workings are quite different from each other, and from the AWA version.
Uberti or Pedersoli parts will NOT fit the AWA version. (I have also prepared detailed manuals for the Uberti and Pedersoli Lightnings.)
On its way to you.
Stay Healthy!
RR
-
1
-
-
Lightning rifles are super fun to shoot, but do take some practice - as with anything - to learn how to cycle them smoothly and consistently. Most problems I see with Lightnings are the driver, not the vehicle. The AWAs can be made to run well. Taurus is the bottom of the barrel. Uberti's have too many built-in safety's, and a Pedersoli Lightning is a fine machine. They are all tight out-of-the-box and need some help with slicking (unless worked on before), and they all need frequent teardown and cleaning because of intricate inner workings - but look at the cleaning as your friend, it's what you do if you want to shoot one. Because of the bolt design, the straight-shell versions (.45LC/.357) have some blowback (the necked case of the .44-40/.38-40 have much less) but good glasses help. I have several flavors, and my Pedersoli is my favorite match gun - it helped win me a buckle!
I have detailed teardown documentation for the Pedersoli, Uberti, and Taurus (Taurus document can be used for AWA) that is available gratis - just PM me.
RR
-
1
-
-
Pardners...
Regarding my assembly/diassembly manual, I'd like to ask that you do not forward it to someone else unless you also provide me with their email address. I send out updates and corrections from time to time - the current version is rev. 15 - and I want to be sure everyone gets the most current version. I promise not to use the email list for any other purpose than to provide updates or information related to the Pedersoli Lightning. (The current version is 28 pages and the PDF file is 9M.)
Thanks...
RR
-
Lost Vaquero...
The firing pins on the .357 models are .060" diameter and are prone to breakage. Rather than replacing it, I'd suggest you install a .45LC firing pin which is .095" dia. The larger diameter of the firing pin end requires drilling the bolt. The larger firing pin runs as well and will not break. I can do it for you if you are concerned about drilling the bolt.
RR
-
2 Barrels Bob...
On it's way to your email - enjoy!
RR
-
Lost Vaquero...
Yes, a push stick is really helpful. I use a small piece of antler with the end rounded and keep it in a loop in my gun belt.
While the design of the cartridge retaining lever allows the Lightning to accept a range of bullet lengths, it is ideal to stay as close to the intended OAL as possible. The .357 version was designed for a cartridge OAL of 1.60˝ - and you can load a bit shorter than that. However, while it is generally accepted that a "... .357 gun will also shoot .38 ...", proper feeding and positioning on the lifter - at speed - depends on the cartridge properly fitting the length of the lifter, and seating properly under the two side guides. .38SPEC rounds with short bullets (like 96g) can slide forward and either stove-pipe or get its rim hung up between the lifter the side guides. Note also that Pedersoli's Lightning is stamped ".357." and not ".357/38". So, it is best to load .357s, or .38s with heavier lead - like 125g - and keep the length as close to 1.60˝ as possible (with a good crimp, of course).
Set up right, these are great rifles!
...RR
-
1
-
-
Hi John White - be glad to send it.
Please PM me your email address - the document is 5.6M and 27 pages long.
Best,
Roger
-
The Lightning will lock up on re-assembly if the "bolt block" (the part that hangs from the bottom of the bolt) is not engaged in its opening in the "carriage feeding shaft". As such, the "carriage feeding shaft" cannot release the bolt block (and bold) when the foregrip is pulled back. Releasing it is a rather simple matter of reaching into the magazine's opening with a small "L" shaped wire and pushing the bolt block back to unlock it (the process is described and there is a photo of the wire in my Pedersoli Document). Happy to send you a copy - or it looks like YL might send you one.
Hard to tell why the action is being clumsy now but PM me and we can discuss the details off line and then come back on with a solution to share with others.
Best,
Roger
-
H.K.U.
Thanks, and Yes, the Lightnings are subject to this, especially if you've either lightened the firing pin spring or replaced it with a lighter one. The overall length of the firing pin on these rifles is actually less than the overall length of the bolt - at least they are on the Pedersoli and Uberti versions. The firing pins are driven by inertia - the hammer hits the pin which drives it forward to the primer. If the spring tension is too light AND if there is debris in the firing pin opening or on the pin, the pin may not return far enough to protrude from the back of the bolt which, in turn, means that the hammer can't hit it.
They are still VERY fun rifles to shoot!!!
...RR
-
Lightning45LC...
If by "optics" you are referring to sights, you can mount any front or rear sight with a 3/8" (9.5mm) dovetail on a Pedersoli Lightning rifle. Some fitting may be required. As to the type or style, that's really up to your personal preference.
...RR
-
Lighting45LC...
I don't think there is a long-term positive way to clean the Lightning without fully disassembling the rifle. Just squirting any type of cleaner (Ballistol, brake cleaner, Remington oil, etc.) inside the gun only serves to move debris from one point to another and eventually causes build-up where you don't want it. I strongly urge looking at a full teardown as your friend - and tearing the gun all the way down every three or four matches (at the most) to make it run smooth and slick. With a little practice you can have a Lightning fully disassembled, cleaned, and re-assembled in 40-45 minutes. The Pedersoli Lightning can be made to run as smooth and fast as any lever gun.
And... I should add that the straight-cased rounds (45LC, .38/.357) typically run dirtier than the necked cases (44-40, 38-40).
RR
PS: I sent a copy of the disassembly/reassembly document to your email.
-
Go West...
On its way to you.
RR
-
Oops - just re-reading this post. In a previous comment about the holes under the new rocker arm, I said that "... and a spring goes in one of them." I meant to say that "... a spring goes in each one of them." (That is, there are two springs). You can certainly remove one of them and the rifle will run fine.
RR
-
Yul Lose...
I have a carbine (20") in .45LC and love it. Over time I actually found it to be too light and since it is the left hand that is working the fore grip - and moving the gun around while it does - I wanted more weight at the end to the barrel to steady the gun, so I got a 26" with octagon barrel, and it really does make a difference. Not that I love the extra weight, but I do love that it is noticeably steadier.
...RR
-
Yul Lose - thanks for bringing up subject of the rocker arm. Just an FYI that Pedersoli Lightnings with serial numbers after about PL02000 (I'm trying to get data on the exact Sr# when the change was made) use a different rocker arm and a different hammer (to work with the new rocker arm) - and the rocker arm and hammer are the same for either .45LC or .357/.38. I'm soon to send out a updated assembly/disassembly document to everyone on my list, and it will have photos of the new rocker arm. Aside from the fact that the new rocker arm is heavier (which you won't know unless you have the earlier version at hand), the new one has two holes in the bottom, and a small coil spring goes in one of them. The previous version does not have this coil spring. So, if you're ordering a rocker arm or hammer, you'll need to tell your vendor (VTI, etc.) whether it's the new or old version.
RR
PS: Yul Lose - I have a good friend who has one of your carts and LOVES it. (And I'm trying to figure out how to steal it from him!!!!)
-
1
-
1
-
-
Larsen's appraisal is close to the bullseye; actually, when the carriage feeding shaft (the long shaft that is attached to the fore grip) is pushed forward, the cartridge retaining lever is pushed down by a small ramp in the bottom of the feeding shaft. With a .45LC version, two things are possible: 1) the ramp on the feeding shaft is not pushing the cartridge retaining lever down far enough for it to clear the rim of the cartridge. (If your rifle has been slicked, it is possible that the person who did the slicking smoothed down the ramp on the cartridge retaining lever too much preventing it from going down as far as it should). 2) the cartridges are binding at the end of the tubular magazine - where it meets the action - and the cartridges are not making their way properly to the cartridge retaining lever.
Because of the array of small parts and springs and well fitted parts, the Pedersoli Lightning is prone to running poorly if not cleaned regularly - especially when shooting the low-power, dirty powders we use in CAS.
I have a detailed assembly, disassembly, and slicking document (18 pages) for the Pedersoli Lightning which I'm happy to share, no charge. If you're interested, please PM me with your regular email address and I'll send it to you PDF (5Megs).
Here's a photo of the cartridge retaining lever - you can see it at the very bottom of the cartridge in this .357 Pedersoli version.
Best,
Roger
-
1
-
-
Ditto with others on "nice gun but not for CAS." Weak extractor prone to coming out of bolt under hard/fast action. Simple lever-to-bolt mechanism does not provide for solid bolt closure without some re-work. RR
The 29th Annual Shoot-Out at Fort Miller
in SASS Wire
Posted
If you want to shoot the Fort Miller match, we have a cap of 100 shooters and there are only 14 spaces left.
CLICK HERE to get your registration forms, Schedule of Events, and Who's Coming list.
Roger Rapid