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1890 Lighting Loads


Pee Wee #15785

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Lighting Nickel finish serial number 416XX, made 1890, .44 Winchester.  What smokeless load and what FFFg load would you use?  Have Starline brass and Lasercast 200gr RNFP bullets.  Live in Ohio, ride bike so where would you take to gunsmith if needed.  2 Pedersoli, 1 USFA, 1 Colt in the family.   :D

 

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For a 200 Grain RNFP in .44-40, I run 5.5 grains of Trail Boss in my Lightnings, 1 by AWA and one by Colt.   
I use the same load for .45 Colt as well.

 

In .44-40, and .45 Colt, I also use this same load in my Henry, 66, and revolvers.

But, Trail Boss is impossible to find right now.   I have been using 5.9 grains of Win231/HP-38 (Same powder) in .45 Colt with good results.   My sources for data say to use 5.5 grains of HP-38/Win231 for .44-40, and I plan to try it next time I load up some ammo in that caliber if Trail Boss is still not available.

Don't have a BP load to suggest.

I agree that Lassiter is the "go to guy" for various questions about the Lightning.  He has repaired two of mine that suffered some breakage, an AWA in .45 Colt, and a Large Frame Colt in .45-70.   Ironically, the same problem in both guns.

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On 9/5/2022 at 7:46 PM, Pee Wee #15785 said:

 2 Pedersoli, 1 USFA, 1 Colt

 

It's a start.  :)   What are the calibers?   You are gonna find that "The Lightning Bug" is a dangerous condition to have.   It starts out simple.   You want to get a Lightning, just to have one.   Then you decide you like it.   Then you use it, to the shock of many, at a "big" match.   (You will be in the minority, and stand a good chance of being the only shooter with one.)  Next thing you know, it's your favorite main match gun.

Then this happens...


Lightnings.jpg.874e6bae4276d1dff035caaa4ad60dab.jpg

 

From top to bottom...
 

Colt, .45-85
AWA, .45 Colt

Colt, .44-40
AWA, .44-40
Colt, .32-20
Colt, .22 Long
AWA Lightning Bolt Pistol, .45 Colt.

On the way, .44 Special.

 

Beware the Lightning Bug!  Once it bites you, it never lets you go!

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I can't much help ya with that heathen, fad, smokeless stuff, but the 3f BP is simple.  Just stuff enough in the case to get some compression when you seat the bullet and crimp.  It'll go BOOM ever time you betcha.

 

If you wanna reduce the load, yule need some form of filler.  I like Cream-0-Wheat.

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