New Custom Colt Lightning Rifle

[CowboyTutt]

Hi guys. I recently came into a brief "windfall" of extra money as I was moving from one school district to the next as a school psychologist. I had two paychecks during the month of July. As some of you may remember I was quite smitten with the Pedersoli Lightnings at the SHOTSHOW in February of 2008. I had a possible agreement with EMF for a hand-picked specimen from Pedersoli that would be tuned by our own Steve Young at a later time. After doing more independant research, it seemed better to go with AWA firearms as Russell, the current owner of AWA, is the world's most foremost expert, and the originator, of the current Colt Lightning copies. Russell quite literally has traveled across the world to help other companies set-up their production lines for their Colt Lightning copies. With luck and good fortune, our own Steve Young will be doing the trigger/action job on this rifle when it is completed.

As ordered so far, the rifle is to be made in a lengthened 45 Colt that is 1/10th of an inch longer and that uses a special 360 grain Keith bullet designed by Daniel Marchel, of "454 Long" fame. If Russell can make it cycle and chamber OK, it should be a respectable long range rifle, even for the Billy Dixon Range! It features a receiver that is CCH by Trumbull, fire-blued appointments, a 24" octagon barrel, and upgraded wood. It should look extremely purdy, and will hopefully shoot just as well when Steve's gunsmithing is completed!

The deposit has been placed, and I will keep you all posted as to the development of this rifle!

-Tutt

[Duff L Bagg]

Sounds like a very nice rifle. When is the expected delivery date?

[Griff]

Sounds sweet! Not knowing enough about the lockup and capabilities of the Lightning action, I won't comment further... but t'were it me, I'd have stuck with the standard .45 Colt.

Obviously, we want pictures and a range report!

And... can I shoot it?

[CowboyTutt]

Don't have any expected delivery date as yet. Your right Griff, it I was interested in selling it, or had a shred of common sense, I would have chambered it for a conventional 45 Colt cartridge. But then again, I haven't sold a gun yet, so I built it for me! I needed to get velocity well over 1100 fps to clear the transonic barrier for best long range accuracy, and I also wanted to keep pressure and "gun stress" down, thus the longer cartridge. Russell is currently making a select few rifles in 454 Casull. He assures me that the problems with the original Colt design were related to the materials used, and that the action is actually very strong with current metalurgy and tolerances. It should easily handle 45 Colt +P, which is all my loads will be doing. Hopefully, it should work very well. Steve Young has a lot of respect for Russell, and I suspect everything will work out just fine.

-Tutt

[3t-]

Tutt,

This sounds like a fun project you got going, it would be exciting being involved in building a rifle up to your specifications, especially such a classic design.

I am interested in the idea of expanded cartridge offerings in this design. I'm not sure I could appreciate a 454 Casull enough to go that route but one chambered in 44spc and even 44mag...then I would be forced to place my order

Next time you have Russell's ear if you could float the question on the 44spc/44mag I would appreciate it, let us know what he thinks.

Have Fun

[Hobie]

Sure is nice of you to share this project with us so that we can vicariously enjoy the process.

I was wondering if they would make the large frame and could then have a .50-95... Oh yeah... Ummm.. oh, I'm awake now...

[Ysabel Kid]

Heck Tutt - I'm drooling already. Better post a warning when you post the pictures or I'll ruin my computer!

Congrats buddy!!!

[Andrew]

Heck Tutt - I'm drooling already. Better post a warning when you post the pictures or I'll ruin my computer!

Yeah.

[CowboyTutt]

Hobie, I wish they made the large frame too! I'll mention it to Russell, as well as the 44 sp/mag when I talk to him.

-Tutt

[Modoc ED]

Tutt -- Sounds like one heck of a project. Too bad you've got to wait so long for the new rifle but then again, sometimes, the wait is half the excitement and pleasure in ordering/getting a new gun.

[Griff]

Thanks for the reply Tutt. I recognize where I'm not very knowledgeable, and hoped you'd give the answer you did. Like I said... hope you let me shoot it!

[CowboyTutt]

Griff, OF COURSE you can shoot it when the time comes. I just got the following email from Russell, and sent on to him your requests for a large frame version and one in 44 Mag (don't think he can make one that does both 44 special and 44 mag as the design is inherently very sensitive to COL).

Andy,

Going good here, as I get into the rifle I may be able to send you some photos.

Regards,

Russell

Also, Jeff Quinn indicated that he might let me post an article on the new rifle at Gunblast.com presuming that I think its good enough. I want it to be of similar quality to Jeff's articles and his other contributors and I'm hoping I can write something worthy. We shall see. Russell has a good story to tell in and of itself of how the repro Lightnings came to be, as well as the building of the rifle itself. Come to think of it, the article might be too long!!!!!!

-Tutt

[Andrew]

Come to think of it, the article might be too long!!!!!!
-Tutt

Nope. I love reading about making/working on guns.

[3t-]

Ok Tutt,

Tell Russell that I would go for the 44special. My vote anyway

[Tycer]

I'm excited to watch load development.

What is the OAL of the round you want to use?

[CowboyTutt]

Tycer, the dummy rounds I made for Russell using the 360 Keith were the same overall length as a 454 Casull with a 360 WFNGC which we think is about as long as the action can feasably be "stretched". I believe they were 1.76". This is a tenth of an inch longer than the usual 45 Colt. The 45 Colt case is also thinner in the web than a Casull case, so will hold a bit more. Its not a huge ammount but it is enough to get me what I need.

3T, here is a link to the flyer on the Lightning rifles. Buying from Russell is like buying from Winchester in the old days: you can order them about any way you want. If you like 44 Special, would 44-40 suffice???

http://www.awaguns.com/rifles.html

-Tutt

[Ray Newman]

Griff: RE. strength, or as you stated the "capabilities", of the Colt Lightning.

A while back there was a thread about the Colt Lightning's on the Colt Forum or CAS.

IIRC, the small frame Lightings all were . 22's.

Colt chambered the medium frame Lightings in what we now refer to as "pistol calibres".

The large frames were "rifle calibres" -- .40-60 (.40-75), the Omnipresent & Omnipotent .45-70, .38-55 or 38-56, & a .50 calibre.

I'm not sure when Colt ceased production of these rifles & I've wondered if the late Lightings were guaranteed for White/Nitro/Smokeless?

Speaking of the Colt Lightning, does anyone know of a dealer who stocks the Lightnings clones made by U.S. Firearms ? I examined their Lighnings @ the '08 SHOT Show & was impressed w/ the quality. Not exactly inexpensive, but well made.

[Old Savage]

Can you still use 45 Colt rounds?

[Mike D.]

I have owned, loaded for and hunted with a large frame Colt Lightning in .40-60-260, which is the same as the .40-65 WCF. It is a substantial firearm that is not a pleasure to pack around hill and dale. The 1876 Winchester is just about the same size and weight, so you can get the picture. The Colt isn't really a weak action, either, but it cannot be loaded to the same level as the 1886 can, of course. I won't get into the specifics of my .40-65 loadings, because I'll most certainly be charged with "rifle abuse", but we'll suffice to say that the old gun is still "alive and well".

[CowboyTutt]

Old Savage, I don't think I will be able to fire "factory" 45 Colt but won't know for sure until we try. As I said before, the design is very sensitive to COL. Since I load my own, its not an issue for me.

Mike D. sounds like a neat rifle. If you have any pics, I'd love to see them!


-Tutt

[Ray Newman]

Tutt: I kook on the AWA site for information about their Lightning rifles.

Could not find what I was looking for as whether or not they make their own actions/rifles, or get the actions/parts from US supplier/foundry, or buy the Italians Lightnings & re-work the rifle.

Do you know for sure??

[CowboyTutt]

Ray, I know the barrels are from Green Mountain (and confirmed it by calling G.M.) but nothing else for sure. It sounds like Russell assembles the guns himself from parts. As to the origin of all of them, I do not know. russell did tell me there is no differences in materials from his "regular" Lightnings and his 454 Casull ones, so the metalurgy must be respectable.

For who asked, he is already experimenting with one in 44 special/44 mag!

Tutt

[Ray Newman]

Tutt: thank you. I need to call them & get some more info. Again, thanks.