Lightning Rifle

[W. D. Pickett]

Does anyone know who makes the Navy Arms Lightning rifle?  Am looking at them and see where Buds has some by Navy Arms.

[Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933]

Pedersoli.

[Frontier Lone Rider]

By most accounts, they are pretty nice rifles.

[Badlands Bob #61228]

Don't do it.

[W. D. Pickett]

 

9 minutes ago, Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933 said:

Pedersoli.

Is Lassiter still working on Lightning rifles?

[Yul Lose]

Just now, W. D. Pickett said:

 

Is Lassiter still working on Lightning rifles?

Yes.

[Boomstick Bruce]

i was at taylors yesterday and a guy was picking out one of two he ordered, wow what a nice rifle!!!! he was telling me pedersoli redesigned them so the hammer doesnt follow the bolt and did something else to them to improve the design but it escapes my feeble mind right now what it was...

 

i think they were like $1900!!! 

 

too rich for my blood!!!

[W. D. Pickett]

Looking and lusting.  I have a Tarus Lightning clone but I can not get on the same page as it.  I find the page and it changes its mind.  Like being different from the crowd.

[John Boy]

Quote

pedersoli redesigned them so the hammer doesnt follow the bolt and did something else to them to improve the design but it escapes my feeble mind right now what it was...

Hammer or sear to prevent slam firing?  Would guess the cant to the chamber opening was re-engineered to allow the lifter a  better angle chambering rounds with no stove pipes of rounds... but both of these are just SWAG's what Pedersoli did

[Marshal Fire, SASS 10064]

FYI, I just had Lassiter do his magic on a Pedersoli Lightning. All,I can say is wow. So smooth and fun to shoot.well worth it. Was lucky that I found a used rifle so could manage the cost. Now the search for another begins.

[W. D. Pickett]

1 minute ago, Marshal Fire, SASS 10064 said:

FYI, I just had Lassiter do his magic on a Pedersoli Lightning. All,I can say is wow. So smooth and fun to shoot.well worth it. Was lucky that I found a used rifle so could manage the cost. Now the search for another begins.

Howdy Marshal,

 

What caliber do you shoot in the Lightning?

[Marshal Fire, SASS 10064]

Mine is a 357, it can run 38 but not happy with those. Mine is a carbine now would like to find a rifle version. Lassiter mentioned that he liked the Pedersoli lightning. I have not tried but have heard that they do not function well with BP which is mine current shooting choice so will use the lightning for fun at monthly shoots. 

[Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933]

3 hours ago, Marshal Fire, SASS 10064 said:

Mine is a 357, it can run 38 but not happy with those. Mine is a carbine now would like to find a rifle version. Lassiter mentioned that he liked the Pedersoli lightning. I have not tried but have heard that they do not function well with BP which is mine current shooting choice so will use the lightning for fun at monthly shoots. 

Like a lot of guns how well they handle BP depends on the caliber.  If you want to shoot a Pedersoli Lightning with a steady diet of BP buy the .44-40.  Of the calibers chambered in the Pedersoli in order, the worse for BP is the .45 Colt, then the .357 and then the .44-40 being no problem.  Pedersolis have .357 written on the barrel.  They are not advertised by Pedersoli as shooting .38s.  The Pedersoli website gives .357 loading instructions and if those instructions are followed the guns work very well.

 

https://www.davide-pedersoli.com/supporto-dettaglio.asp/l_en/idsu_7/recomandations-for-the-proper-ammunition-to-load-in-the-pedersoli.html

[Hoss]

I've been very happy with my AWA lightning in 44-40. Only problem I ever have is if I "short-stroke" it. then it will jam, but if I'm careful to fully work the slide, no problems. the AWAs will not slam fire.

[Larry Earp SASS#60034]

2 hours ago, Hoss said:

I've been very happy with my AWA lightning in 44-40. Only problem I ever have is if I "short-stroke" it. then it will jam, but if I'm careful to fully work the slide, no problems. the AWAs will not slam fire.

 

There must be something different with your AWA. I slam fire mine all the time. In fact I prefer to pick it up and hold the trigger back while I slam fire all ten rounds.  I've had at least 5 AWAs and they all slam fired.

[Hoss]

I got mine used, don't know what could have been done to it before. It is a nice, smooth shooting rifle. 

[Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933]

18 minutes ago, Larry Earp SASS#60034 said:

 

There must be something different with your AWA. I slam fire mine all the time. In fact I prefer to pick it up and hold the trigger back while I slam fire all ten rounds.  I've had at least 5 AWAs and they all slam fired.

Some AWAs slam fire some don't.  Interior parts are the same just depends on how they were fitted.

[H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619]

1 hour ago, Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933 said:

Some AWAs slam fire some don't.  Interior parts are the same just depends on how they were fitted.

 

Mine slam fires too.   It's a .45 Colt and I used it at EoT last year with excellent results.

[SlicLee SASS #16638 Life]

All the AWA LIGHTININGS SLAM FIRED. THE AWA INTERNATIONAL WHICH WAS A DIFFERENT COMPANY DID NOT AND WAS TROUBLE.

I HOLD MY FINGER ON THE TRIGGER AND DONT LET GO TIL I FINISH SHOOTING. TOOK TIME TO LEARN TIMING. 

[Ace Hanlon]

From the parts diagrams which I have seen for AWA's do not show a firing pin spring.  For those who have worked on them is this correct?

[Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933]

They do not need a firing pin spring.  They have a firing pin retractor.

[Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933]

4 hours ago, SlicLee SASS #16638 Life said:

All the AWA LIGHTININGS SLAM FIRED. THE AWA INTERNATIONAL WHICH WAS A DIFFERENT COMPANY DID NOT AND WAS TROUBLE.

I HOLD MY FINGER ON THE TRIGGER AND DONT LET GO TIL I FINISH SHOOTING. TOOK TIME TO LEARN TIMING. 

Sort of yes, sort of no.  AWA International was the precursor to AWA USA.  It went bust and the employees bought the business and modified the name.  Whether you called before or after the sale you talked to pretty much the same people.  Whether the barrel was marked International or USA the guns were assembled from the same imported parts.  The USA guns worked better but many still had problems and some slam fired and some didn't.  I had one that went back and forth to Florida so many times it started getting frequent flyer miles.  I even made drawings and a demo tool so AWA test and fix the thing as I was stubborn at that point and wanted the gun to work properly before I started tuning it.  Finally gave up and machined a couple of new parts myself.

[Blackey Cole]

If I ever shoot western I get one of lassiters pump rifles probably in 38/357 or 38-40 most likely the 38 so I can shoot the same ammo in both guns. I got a Marlin 94 cowboy comp in 38 spec. If I really want to shoot odd ball gun I ll use my s&w clones the pump rifle and a 87 shotgun if it's legal. I have a oringinal thunderbolt from Taurus in 45 but it works but I got to be on my game.  It's a 45 Colt so lassiter said not worth fixing up because nothing he can do about the blow back

[SlicLee SASS #16638 Life]

You people on the west coast,LARSEN, don't exactly tell the truth. You don't tell it now, you didn't 10 years ago and still don't now. You have one man and one man only. He is not a gunsmith but a machinist. He makes parts for his Lightining rifle because he and his wife shoot the Lightining rifle for 30 or so years and he learned how to make new parts

and it works. I think thats great. But year in and year out you almost always knock every other person who makes the rifle work.

I, introduced him to the owners of AWA International and he became part of the company as a advisor. After some time he and AWA Int parted company. 

Have told this to you before, don't know what kind of interest you have nor do I care. What ever interest you have lets make it a HONEST one. 

Your comments years back of having some of the rifles in your closet that have never materialized to my knowledge. Have a good day,Lee

[H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619]

Last summer, I shot End of the Trail with an AWA USA Lighting in .45 Colt.  The gun has never been touched by a gunsmith, and it works flawlessly.  I even shot the match clean with it.  (My first ever.)

 

I met Larsen at EoT.  He was amused by my rifle choice, but never derogatory in any way.  I also met Lassiter.  If I recall correctly, he was also amused by my rifle.

 

Take it with a grain of salt.

[Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933]

2 hours ago, SlicLee SASS #16638 Life said:

You people on the west coast,LARSEN, don't exactly tell the truth. You don't tell it now, you didn't 10 years ago and still don't now. You have one man and one man only. He is not a gunsmith but a machinist. He makes parts for his Lightining rifle because he and his wife shoot the Lightining rifle for 30 or so years and he learned how to make new parts

and it works. I think thats great. But year in and year out you almost always knock every other person who makes the rifle work.

I, introduced him to the owners of AWA International and he became part of the company as a advisor. After some time he and AWA Int parted company. 

Have told this to you before, don't know what kind of interest you have nor do I care. What ever interest you have lets make it a HONEST one. 

Your comments years back of having some of the rifles in your closet that have never materialized to my knowledge. Have a good day,Lee

I have no idea what you are talking about so I really don't know what to say.  I have never "knocked" anyone that knows how to make any gun work.  I stated that I had very bad luck with AWA fixing their products.  I didn't mention any names.  I make it a point not to mention names unless I am responding to a question asking who works on a particular kind of gun and I know someone that is doing that kind of work.  I have all kinds of guns in my closets but again I don't know what you are talking about.

[W. D. Pickett]

Never knock another man's gun as he might save your life with it one day, is what one of my uncle's used to say.  I just purchased a Pedersoli lightning in .45 Colt from Cabela's and three days later a Uberti Lassiter tuned Lightning .357/.38 showed up on the wire.  Talked to the wife, endured the rolled eyes, and finally purchased the Uberti.  If your gun works for you, and you are happy with it, great!

[Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933]

Sliclee, I've been in the garage working all day.  I was thinking about your post and the reference to my "closet."  That actually includes the closets, drawers, under the beds and in boxes out in the garage.  I assume you were referring to Lightning rifles.  Here are a few from the deep and mysterious closet.  Never doubt the closet.  (There are things in there I have forgotten I own.)  This was about 15 minutes of searching.  There are more in different spots.  For example, the second photo shows a storage box.  Just a quick look and I can see a Marlin 1893, an old Uberti Henry and an original Colt Baby Lightning waiting for some parts and other work.  In the top photo there are at least two of everything.  I.e., original Colts, AWA, USFA, Pedersoli, Uberti and Taurus.

 

 

[W. D. Pickett]

Howdy Mr. Pettifogger,

 

You have some Lightnings, you.  Wow!  Gotta show the wife.  She thinks I have enough with three of them.  Which ones do you use in CAS?

 

W.D.

 

[Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933]

6 minutes ago, W. D. Pickett said:

Howdy Mr. Pettifogger,

 

You have some Lightnings, you.  Wow!  Gotta show the wife.  She thinks I have enough with three of them.  Which ones do you use in CAS?

 

W.D.

 

At various times all of them.  The oldest is an original first year production Colt made in 1884.  I have shot it at EOT a couple of times.

[watab kid]

a friend had a pair - 357 & 45 , neither worked satisfactorily , but he has made no attempt to get remedy at all , i like the concept and the novelty and that colt made them , 

[W. D. Pickett]

18 hours ago, SlicLee SASS #16638 Life said:

You people on the west coast,LARSEN, don't exactly tell the truth. You don't tell it now, you didn't 10 years ago and still don't now. You have one man and one man only. He is not a gunsmith but a machinist. He makes parts for his Lightining rifle because he and his wife shoot the Lightining rifle for 30 or so years and he learned how to make new parts

and it works. I think thats great. But year in and year out you almost always knock every other person who makes the rifle work.

I, introduced him to the owners of AWA International and he became part of the company as a advisor. After some time he and AWA Int parted company. 

Have told this to you before, don't know what kind of interest you have nor do I care. What ever interest you have lets make it a HONEST one. 

Your comments years back of having some of the rifles in your closet that have never materialized to my knowledge. Have a good day,Lee

Never mind, figured it out....a little slow this morning....

[Roger Rapid]

Larsen… 

Sorry you had to resort to picture taking - for those of us who know you it certainly was not necessary. Your word is good enough for me, as is your knowledge of the issues at hand.

…RR