Colt M1877`s

[Lethemgo]

My buddy has a colt thunderer and a lightning and I'm thinking about getting one of them maybe both because when do you have a chance to grab one. By looking around the 41 seems to be costly to buy everything to get started loading for. The 38 doesn't look to bad with some reading looks like you can just use 38 spec stuff. Of course I'm not sure that is true so i come to you guys to find out who's loaded it and how. Brass looks cheap enough to buy from starline for both of them but has anyone used the 38 bullets and dies for one. Plus if anyone has a trick up thier sleeve on the 41 I'd like to hear it. Of course if I get one or both I'll post some pics because we all like to see new guns. Thanks

[Dan Cash]

I don't own either gun but seriously advise against .38 Special loads in the .38. The caliber should be stamped on the side of the barrel and will say something on the order of .38 Colt or .38 Long Colt. A .38 Long Colt may accept a .38 Special cartridge but it is too potent for the gun. Inquire on the Colt forum https://www.coltforum.com/index.php. Those guys are expert on all things Colt and will give you good advice.

[Lethemgo]

I wasn't planning to use 38 spec loads in revolver just the components. Colt forum was where I got the idea. I tried a fired 38 brass in cylinder and it was very tight but it was fired sized might still work. Starline brass is cheap enough if I get it I'm sure I'll just go that route.

[Wayne Smith]

Starline makes .41Colt brass, uses the .38 Special shell holder for convenience. Old West Molds has the heeled molds you will need for either of these. Bernie also makes a modified Lee die to crimp the heeled boolit - very nice. The originals are not strong guns, limit your self to BP loads. I shoot the Uberti .41 Colt.

[Texas by God]

Just remember that they are fragile and proceed accordingly.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[Lethemgo]

I'm kind of thinking about the lightning but they are a fragile guns. Not sure if i'm going to get one but kind of leaning towards the 38 since it's the one in the best shape. But since I was there grabbed a Colt saa bisley in 32-20. Guess I better post some pics of that one.

[Harry O]

I have never fired an 1877 Lightening with a .38 Special. I have fired an 1892 series Colt (made in 1902) with .38 Special Federal Target loads many times without any problems. Note that the target loads are not very powerful, the straight-through chambers will take the longer brass case, and the hollow-base bullet will expand to grip the oversized barrel (approx 0.375" groove diameter vs .358" bullet diameter. I understand that new .38LC replicas have 0.357" groove diameters, so they are completely different.

All the stuff you need to load for the 41LC are available now. That was not the case 25 years or so ago when I started shooting it. All it takes is money.

[Lethemgo]

Fellow Husker....I wasn't going to fire a 38 spec in the lighting just use the components. I'm thinking as much as I would shoot it I'd probably just buy a couple hundred boolits online. been gone from Nebraska for 40 years but always a Husker at heart. Read your write up on the .41....nice work.

[smkummer]

I have never fired an 1877 Lightening with a .38 Special. I have fired an 1892 series Colt (made in 1902) with .38 Special Federal Target loads many times without any problems. Note that the target loads are not very powerful, the straight-through chambers will take the longer brass case, and the hollow-base bullet will expand to grip the oversized barrel (approx 0.375" groove diameter vs .358" bullet diameter. I understand that new .38LC replicas have 0.357" groove diameters, so they are completely different.

All the stuff you need to load for the 41LC are available now. That was not the case 25 years or so ago when I started shooting it. All it takes is money.

Harry O hit the nail on the head. Simply loading 38 special cases with a hollowbase 148 wadcutters and about 2.8 grs. Bullseye mirrors Alliants old recommendation of 2.8 grains bullseye and 150 grain bullet for the 38 long colt. I shoot these in my 1901 army colt.

If your up for the challenge, 41 colt is doable also.

[Harry O]

If you search long and hard enough, there are a few (like maybe three) places on the internet that make and sell some of the small parts that regularly break on the Lightening and Thunderer. As mentioned, they are fragile. There are several places that make grips for them. I don't have either gun so did not bookmark them, so you will have to search yourself.

I have also looked at a couple of YouTube videos of breaking them down and putting them back together. It looks to me like there are a LOT more very small parts in them than later Colt firearms. Probably too small for my fingers. That is also probably why they are delicate. Good luck.

Thanks for the comment on my 41LC webpage.

PS: I have one of the Uberti P Model Jr's in 41LC. It is just about the same size as the original Thunderer. It also feels the same in my hand as holding the original in single-action mode. The Uberti is single-action only.

[bedbugbilly]

Google and learn the difference between 38 Colt Short, 38 Colt Long and 38 Special. Starline makes 38 Colt short and long - I reload them all the time. Smaller quantities are available from Track of Wolf. In the Colt
short and long, I usually use around 120 grain boo lit = load light if it's in an original and I'd be doing a black powder compressed load. YMMV Neither the 38 Colt short or long can be loaded with normal 38 special dies as a rule - Lee makes a set for the 38 Colt short, long. You can size with a 38 special FL die - try a 9mm for seating and use a 9mm taper crimp and try it. The best though is to get a regular set of dies for the 39 colt short/long and be done with it.

Do your research on both revolvers - from what I've read the original Lightening is rather fragile and you need to know what you're doing on repairs - parts - I've heard are as scarce as hens teeth.

[one-eyed fat man]

The cylinders, as noted above, intended for .38 Colt are bored straight through, no step in the chamber. The cartridge evolved from the earliest cap and ball conversions, was outside lubricated with a bullet diameter of round .361-.363. When the Army changed to an inside lubed bullet they changed the bore diameter on the service revolver to .357 with the Model 1903. Some commercial versions, were made in both .38 Colt Long and .38 Special, such as the first version of the Office's Model. Based on the Colt New Army & Navy revolvers it was produced from 1904 until 1908 when it was replaced by the target version of the Army Special. The chambers of the .38 Specials have a step, the .38 Long Colt do not.

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