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Special Interests - Groups & Societies => Colt Firearms => Topic started by: tommy4toes on March 23, 2016, 01:09:14 PM

Title: 1877 Lightning revolver question
Post by: tommy4toes on March 23, 2016, 01:09:14 PM
Hey all - does anybody have any experience with these revolvers? I finally got mine together, and when I load the cylinder with only five rounds, it tends to over-rotate when that empty chamber comes by the boltstop. When I load six rounds, it indexes fine. I probably just answered my own question right there. Just curious.

 Is this normal? I never had one of these. I want to use it for CAS a little bit.

T4t
Title: Re: 1877 Lightning revolver question
Post by: Abilene on March 23, 2016, 01:40:38 PM
I don't know about the over-rotation.  This gun, being double-action, is not SASS-legal.  You could shoot it in NCOWS, but I definitely wouldn't want to shoot it too much.
Title: Re: 1877 Lightning revolver question
Post by: tommy4toes on March 23, 2016, 03:21:47 PM
SAS legal is not a concern, as the group I shoot with will just think it's cool. I'll see how it does Saturday - some live rounds will break it in.

T4t
Title: Re: 1877 Lightning revolver question
Post by: St. George on March 23, 2016, 03:35:14 PM
If it's over-rotating 'now' - you've got a problem 'now'.

Using to compete with is only going to exacerbate what's wrong, it's not going to break it in - that happened well over 100 years ago - but you could easily be looking for more parts.

Scouts Out!
Title: Re: 1877 Lightning revolver question
Post by: tommy4toes on March 23, 2016, 08:37:23 PM
Left out some information - all new internals, and it works A Plus in single action. It even works properly in double action, when "fired" slowly. Puzzling little pistol.

T4t



Title: Re: 1877 Lightning revolver question
Post by: Fox Creek Kid on March 23, 2016, 10:45:48 PM
Left out some information - all new internals, and it works A Plus in single action. It even works properly in double action, when "fired" slowly. Puzzling little pistol.

T4t






Who is making "new" internal parts for these? News to me.  ???
Title: Re: 1877 Lightning revolver question
Post by: tommy4toes on March 24, 2016, 06:37:17 AM
Wisners makes all of the springs, and odds and ends. Colt Parts & Bob's supplied the rest, some NOS. After sleeping on it, I'm going to work on the cylinder stop "tail" profile. The timing is good, if a little tight. I may trim the hand just a little to put some slop in it.

Like I said, its spot on in SA. The cartridges ride across the face of the cylinder stop; the empty chamber
 takes away that drag and lets the cylinder over-rotate. I think.

Puzzling little pistol, first time ever working on one of these.

T4t
Title: Re: 1877 Lightning revolver question
Post by: bear tooth billy on March 24, 2016, 08:43:50 PM
I have one I bought a few years ago, it was worked on by a gunsmith, and he got it
working properly but said to never bring it back. Funny thing about mine, I noticed the screws were
a bit loose, I tightened them up and it would not work right, so I loosened them back up and it works
fine. Don't know if they are all that way.  I was told to not shoot it single action, due to the
complicated spring setup inside

                                                BTB
Title: Re: 1877 Lightning revolver question
Post by: tommy4toes on March 25, 2016, 01:30:48 PM
I've had the same experience with mine - when I change one thing two or three other things change. The gun operates on balanced spring tension. Try, try again - I will figure this thing out eventually dot dot dot dot... Thanks


T4t
Title: Re: 1877 Lightning revolver question
Post by: bear tooth billy on March 26, 2016, 08:24:27 AM
I spent a couple days in Tombstone in Jan., at the gunfighters hall of fame in the Doc. Holiday
display they have a lightning just like yours and mine. I've read a couple books about Tombstone
since then. Doc had a concealed carry permit, and carried a silver 38 "self cocker". I haven't been
able to absolutely verify this but I believe it's probably true. So it's pretty cool that you're shooting
an original lighting just like Doc carried.

                                   BTB