OK. Lemmie in here,
As a retired Gunplumber, I think I can comment with some ........ acuity. The original Lightning was a fine looking rifle. A few of the actually ran really well. They didn't last in the market place very long as their reliability came into question. Actually, with some exceptions, the rifles weren't reliable. Fixing the issues proved to be involved. Folks simply gave up and the guns faded away.
Then ...... Came the REVOLUTION. The current manufactures touted their Lightning rifles would set a new standard for SPEED in the CS game!! The new/old guns were awaited with reckless abandon. Folks got in line to buy them. Took the to the first match knowing full well they were going crush the competition. Not Hardly.
The guns required huge amounts of work to get them to run. Normal cost to make one run was some amount of money MORE than the original price of the rifle. Then it would still break. After a while, the number of Gunplumbers who would even attempt the lightning dropped off to maybe 3 or 4. Then 2 or three.
The only lightning that has shown any reliability "out of the Box" is the Pedersoli. YES!!! Lasiter, primo gunfighter and swell Gunplumber won several prestigious matches with a Tarus Thunderbolt. The innards of the rifle Lasiter used to such success bear no resemblance to Tarus parts. He is one of the 2 or three who will work on a Lightning, let alone a Thunderbolt. But ..... Bring your Broker.
Toward the end of their Glory, and when I was still Working, I had opportunity to speak with a couple of the guys from USFA. Both of those guys lamented they hated the day USFA brought out the Lightning. Lost their butt on warranty work.
This had been a very Verbose (didn't know I Knew big wurds didja) way of telling Lonesome Pigeon, The Pedersoli is the only Game worth playing. I shoot on a regular basis with a couple that both run Pedersoli's. They run really well. Occasional hiccup. They DO NOT run really fast. Additionally, the ergonomics of the Lightning make it one of the most uncomfortable rifles I have ever tried to shoot.