1877 Lightning revolver question

tommy4toes · 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

Abilene · 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.

tommy4toes · 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

St. George · 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!

tommy4toes · 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

Fox Creek Kid · March 23, 2016, 10:45:48 PM

Quote from: 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

Who is making "new" internal parts for these? News to me.

tommy4toes · 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

bear tooth billy · 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

tommy4toes · 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

bear tooth billy · 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