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Posted

 

A recent thread about how Pedersoli is rolling out a new version of their version of the Lightning got me to thinking.   Not about the relative quality or lack thereof of the various reproductions and the original by Colt.  Which, for the record are as follows...

Colt  (Includes all three frame sizes.)

AWA

Taurus
Pedersoli
*Uberti/Beretta 
USFA

 

*I have been led to believe these are/were the same gun.


I think  that covers all of them. 

 

I know that some of us (not me) have representatives of every make of the gun, and that quality does vary, but that even the Taurus can be made to work right with a lot of effort.

But anyway, I am sure that someone here may be in the know.   What was/is the rarest one out there?  I believe that the USFA was made in very small numbers, and I have never actually seen one in the wild.    But I am not sure how many were made by Uberti either.   I've only ever seen one, and that was years ago.    The others I do see from time to time.    Can anyone elaborate?



 

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

USFA did not start at #1 and made less than 200 total.  I had two until last EOT when I sold one.

 

Interesting. I recently acquired S/N 211*. (after I missed out on yours! :()

Posted
39 minutes ago, Crooked River Pete, SASS 43485 said:

I bought new a USFA lightning in 04 ser # 2100. I emailed USFA about where the numbers started. I was told that the first production gun went to a special customer with a custom ser #, that mine was the first sold to the general public.

 

All of these comments about USFA serial numbers makes me wonder what happened to their records.

Posted

Thanks for addressing this H.K.  I hope this isn't hijacking this thread but I did want to point out that not only were there several makers of the Lightning rifle but each manufacturer had its own design ideas for the internal workings of the action. On the outside all versions looked pretty similar but on the inside they are very different. (Below is a chart of the differences between the various versions.)

 

Some data points: Inside and outside, the USFA and AWA are most like the original 1884 Colt Lightning. The Uberti "Gold Rush" has, IMHO, an abundance of unnecessary internal safeties but is nicely made and finished.  I believe the Taurus "Thunderbolt" to be the worst from a standpoint of fit, internal workings, machining, and finish. Lastly, in my mind, the Pedersoli version is head and shoulders above the rest with several well-executed internal design features, and having excellent fit and finish. And, of course, Pedersoli is the only Lightning being made today! Having said all this, all of these versions can be made to run well for CAS in the hands of a capable CAS gunsmith.

 

RR

 

Lightning comparisons.jpg

  • Thanks 1
Posted (edited)
On 11/20/2024 at 12:54 PM, H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619 said:

 

A recent thread about how Pedersoli is rolling out a new version of their version of the Lightning got me to thinking.   Not about the relative quality or lack thereof of the various reproductions and the original by Colt.  Which, for the record are as follows...

Colt  (Includes all three frame sizes.)

AWA

Taurus
Pedersoli
*Uberti/Beretta 
USFA

 

*I have been led to believe these are/were the same gun.


I think  that covers all of them. 

 

I know that some of us (not me) have representatives of every make of the gun, and that quality does vary, but that even the Taurus can be made to work right with a lot of effort.

But anyway, I am sure that someone here may be in the know.   What was/is the rarest one out there?  I believe that the USFA was made in very small numbers, and I have never actually seen one in the wild.    But I am not sure how many were made by Uberti either.   I've only ever seen one, and that was years ago.    The others I do see from time to time.    Can anyone elaborate?



 

 When the Gun Room closed I purchased 12 of the AWA  lightning tomato stakes  .At the time he could not give them away.  Junk to put it mildly.

Edited by Texas Jack Black
Posted
8 minutes ago, Texas Jack Black said:

 When the Gun Room closed I purchased 12 of the AWA  lightning tomato stakes  .At the time he could not give them away.  Junk to put it mildly.

Really?  I quite like mine.  I use it in WB and it's been dependable.  

Posted
2 hours ago, Texas Jack Black said:

 When the Gun Room closed I purchased 12 of the AWA  lightning tomato stakes  .At the time he could not give them away.  Junk to put it mildly.

 

This surprises me.   My first Lightning was an AWA in .45 Colt.   This is the rifle that infected me with the Lighting Bug, and I liked it so much, I got one just like it in .44-40.   Neither has ever given me any real trouble.   The only thing I can compare it to are some original Colts, and they do so favorably.

That being said, I have noticed here on the Wire that opinions on the AWA seem to be evenly divided.  For every pard that says they are great, there is someone who excoriates them, and vice versa.

What caliber(s) are your dozen in, and do you still have them all?

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