Celtic Cowboy, SASS 111421 Posted March 17, 2022 Share Posted March 17, 2022 Pards, I have an itch for a Lightning rifle clone that I think I might want to scratch. I'm not really sure that I want to go down this path so I was thinking i might see if anyone had something collecting dust in the back of the safe that they wanted to part with. I was thinking the Taurus Thunderbolt as it seems to be the least expensive. I would prefer .45 but I could also be interested in a .38 (I don't load any other possible cowboy caliber and don't want to start) I would prefer something stock still simply for the sake of cost as I am not convinced I would replace my 73 with this so I don't need a super slick race rifle. Shoot me a PM if you have one that needs a new home and we'll see what we can work out. Celtic Cowboy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yul Lose Posted March 17, 2022 Share Posted March 17, 2022 Pedersoli Lightning would be my preference, I’ve had and used the others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outlaw Gambler Posted March 17, 2022 Share Posted March 17, 2022 There is a reason the Taurus is the least expensive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarge Posted March 17, 2022 Share Posted March 17, 2022 PM Sent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randy Saint Eagle, SASS # 64903 Posted March 17, 2022 Share Posted March 17, 2022 This discussion has come up in the past and if I recall correctly the biggest opinion was that it would make a fairly good tomato stake. I'm old and may not be remembering correctly? Randy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Throckmorton,23149 Posted March 17, 2022 Share Posted March 17, 2022 never ever under any circumstances consider doing this. many,many,many have tried to use them, to almost zero success. The Taurus versons just never worked right, for the most part,going back many years Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Three Foot Johnson Posted March 17, 2022 Share Posted March 17, 2022 No, no, no. When I worked at Sportsman's Warehouse in '07, I bought one in .45, knowing full well the bad reputation. I had it apart several times and never could make it through a full ten rounds without a jam or a speed unload through the top of the action. I finally sold it for $400 last year, with full disclosure that it didn't work. I paid $465.49, so I didn't get hurt too badly. Oddly enough, people came out of the woodwork, "Oh no, I wish you had told me you wanted to sell that", "Oh no, I've been looking for one for a long time", "Hey, you don't have another one of those $400 Thunderbolts do ya?" Weird. If you want to throw money at the problem, I guess there are people who have redesigned the action, made new parts, and eventually made them work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abilene, SASS # 27489 Posted March 17, 2022 Share Posted March 17, 2022 If you get one, Lassiter can make it work well. But it won't be a cheap gun any more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pugilist sass1006 Posted March 17, 2022 Share Posted March 17, 2022 I had a stainless in 45 LC. After much work & many a boogered stages it made a really lousy lamp post. Last I saw of it was setting in shop for repairs.P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goody, SASS #26190 Posted March 17, 2022 Share Posted March 17, 2022 Shot with a fellow that followed some instructions that another pard had posted here on the wire. His ran good, he just never did like shooting a pump. Sorry I don't remember who it was that posted the fixes. But maybe someone will chime in. Bottom line is I believe they will work if you put in the work. But if you add 2 or $300 to the pot and get a Pedersoli you're home free. I have one somewhere and it runs(ran) like a champ, no mods needed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abilene, SASS # 27489 Posted March 17, 2022 Share Posted March 17, 2022 26 minutes ago, Goody, SASS #26190 said: Shot with a fellow that followed some instructions that another pard had posted here on the wire. His ran good, he just never did like shooting a pump. Sorry I don't remember who it was that posted the fixes. But maybe someone will chime in. Bottom line is I believe they will work if you put in the work. But if you add 2 or $300 to the pot and get a Pedersoli you're home free. I have one somewhere and it runs(ran) like a champ, no mods needed. It was Deadeye Dallas. There were several discussions. Here is one: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cholla Posted March 17, 2022 Share Posted March 17, 2022 I had a Pedersoli version from Yul Lose. My mind could not make the jump from lever to pump so every time I tried to go fast it was train wreck. I have seen a few that run them well and they scream. Yul Lose is a Lightning connoisseur so I would listen to his advice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ezra Hawthorne Posted March 17, 2022 Share Posted March 17, 2022 How much would a Pedersoli Thunderbolt go for these days? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Three Foot Johnson Posted March 18, 2022 Share Posted March 18, 2022 10 minutes ago, Ezra Hawthorne said: How much would a Pedersoli Thunderbolt go for these days? There's no such thing, "Thunderbolt" was a name used by Taurus for their version of the Colt Lightning pump rifle. Every other maker called it a Lightning. Completed Gunbroker auctions indicate somewhere around $1600. $1695 on DGW's website. I didn't think they were still being made. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Celtic Cowboy, SASS 111421 Posted March 18, 2022 Author Share Posted March 18, 2022 Thanks everyone for your input, you've all given me a lot to think about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Fill 'Em 67797 Posted March 19, 2022 Share Posted March 19, 2022 A Taurus Thunderbolt is waste of money. I had one and it was junk. Please don't buy one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Injun Ryder, SASS #36201L Posted March 19, 2022 Share Posted March 19, 2022 I guess no one on the Wire has one or they all would be clamoring to sell or give it away! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yul Lose Posted March 19, 2022 Share Posted March 19, 2022 I knew a guy once who, despite all of the warnings about the shortfalls of the Taurus Thunderbolt, bought one anyway and at the first stage of the first match had a jam that required the rifle to be partially disassembled to clear the jam. He then bitched about nobody warning him that the rifle had problems and I was quick to point out that a lot of people had warned him about it. Lassiter can make them run but it might end up costing more that the price of the rifle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frontier Lone Rider Posted March 19, 2022 Share Posted March 19, 2022 I had a C45 with a 26-inch stainless barrel. The instructions were to run it like you had stolen it and it worked without any issues. I bought it to shoot Wild Bunch and our club stopped doing Wild Bunch, so it stayed in the closet for years. The 45s have some blow back, but I understand that the 44-40s do not. I had read all of the materials, thus I considered it to be my tomato stake, even though it worked without a flaw. I decided to take it to a friend's pawn shop with some other firearms. It sold within one day with people calling asking if it was still there? Who knew? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeb Stuart #65654 Posted March 19, 2022 Share Posted March 19, 2022 I bought a Taurus in 45 Colt, and it ran very well. Then I bought a Pedersoli in 44-40 and it is much smoother to run. Both rifles were stock, so I will second all of the other posts that recommend not getting a Taurus. I believe mine was the exception. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J. Frank Norfleet Posted March 20, 2022 Share Posted March 20, 2022 5 hours ago, Frontier Lone Rider said: I had a C45 with a 26-inch stainless barrel. The instructions were to run it like you had stolen it and it worked without any issues. I bought it to shoot Wild Bunch and our club stopped doing Wild Bunch, so it stayed in the closet for years. The 45s have some blow back, but I understand that the 44-40s do not. I had read all of the materials, thus I considered it to be my tomato stake, even though it worked without a flaw. I decided to take it to a friend's pawn shop with some other firearms. It sold within one day with people calling asking if it was still there? Who knew? Taylor's has imported a some Lightnings. Anyway they started appearing on GunBroker last November. The Taylor's rifles were hitting the $2000 price range. Then some used Taurus Lightnings started showing up and some of them went for the $2000 price range. I don't know why, Taurus sounds like Taylor? I was mystified why someone would pay that much for a Taurus when they could be bought for $600 on other sites. The new Taylor's rifles got everyone excited. JFN Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frontier Lone Rider Posted March 20, 2022 Share Posted March 20, 2022 Wouldn't you know this is running now. I sold mine two weeks ago for $450 and felt guilty of that. I did explain the eccentricities to the buyer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Go West Posted March 20, 2022 Share Posted March 20, 2022 I thought the Taurus was only produced in .45. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Three Foot Johnson Posted March 20, 2022 Share Posted March 20, 2022 It took Taurus quite awhile to get the .357 into production, and it is not nearly as common as the .45 Colt. There was one on Gunbroker a month ago that went for $1140, shipped. 924762506 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.D. Daily Posted March 20, 2022 Share Posted March 20, 2022 I 3/2008 I ended my quest to get a Lightning clone in 45C. It took a couple of months to find a gun store that had any of them in stock. I wasn't going to buy wo/handling them. I couldn't find the Pederosoli but a LGS 60 miles from my house had a stainless Taurus & the Gold Rush. After handling them I bought the Gold Rush even though it was more than twice the price. The Uberti was worth more than twice the Taurus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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