Cimarron Lightning or Thunderer?

I had a .45 Colt Thunderer years back. I really enjoyed it and it was well-made.

I handled both just recently at Texas Jacks outfitter in Fredricksburg Texas as they are only about an hour away from where I live. The ones I handled were made by Pietta for Cimmaron. Pedersoli also makes them and they are a little more expensive not much we are looking at $25 to $50 more. The handguns are very very nice with the cold harden steel and the actions are smooth...but according to the manager the Pedersoli are smoother. I will be ordering the Doc Holiday with the shiny nickel finish and white grips but mine will be special ordered and will take about 6 months for delivery because like you I want them in the .357 mag. and since it is custom the price goes up by $500 bucks. I would have ordered then but I had just dropped close to 3K on their 1874 Sharps Quigly down under model. I wanted a shiloh but I could not wait a year and a half for production...I could be dead by than.

Which did you handle?

The Thunderer is made on the full-size SAA frame, and comes in calibers up to 45 Colt.

The Lightning is made on the 3/4- size frame. Same size as a Ruger Single Six. They also make it with the plowhandle grip - call it a Model P Jr. It is (or was when I was looking at them) only available in 38 special and 32/20.

The Thunderer has a nice, hand-filling grip. The Lightning, while having a similar shape, is a much smaller grip.

The Lightning I handled - it was like I was holding a stick. Like a Smith J-frame wood grips. Too little there.

I suspect that if a Thunderer feels good, a Lightning won't. And if a Lightning fits your hand, the Thunderer grip will be too big.

Swing said:

Hey pals and gals. I've been looking into a single action in .38 Spl and/or .357 Mag lately. The Cimarron Lightning and Thunderers, with the birdshead grips, are handsome looking wheel guns. The prices are very reasonable; in fact to the point I'm a little concerned about quality.

Anyone have experience with these? Good, bad, or ugly?

Thanks!

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I have two of the Lightnings in 38 and am very attached to them. Beautiful guns that work perfectly except I have one chamber that is difficult to eject. My gunsmith has it for smoothing that up. I also have two Stallions, one bird head, which is the rounded style of bird head, not the Colt style on the Lightnings.

I had 2 Cimmaron Thunderers, 1-44 SPEC and 1-44/40. Both had the nicely checkered birds head grips. Really nice guns.

I ordered the model P jr. In 38 special to go with my full sized model P in 45 Colt.
I also ordered the birds head grip by itself so that I could switch back and forth as it pleased me.
I wear the jr in a cross draw holster position and the full size in the 4:00 position. Both are excellent hand guns with excellent accuracy. I tuned them up and installed Wolff gun springs and they are slicker than snot as they say.
No pictures because of photobucket. Sorry.

flightsimmer said:

I ordered the model P jr. In 38 special to go with my full sized model P in 45 Colt.
I also ordered the birds head grip by itself so that I could switch back and forth as it pleased me.
I wear the jr in a cross draw holster position and the full size in the 4:00 position. Both are excellent hand guns with excellent accuracy. I tuned them up and installed Wolff gun springs and they are slicker than snot as they say.
No pictures because of photobucket. Sorry.

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I believe the grip frames would be different, since they are on mine.

Try Imgur.com for hosting photos- works a treat for me and it's free.

RealGun said:

I believe the grip frames would be different, since they are on mine.

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No, I've switched them back and forth several times now and it is currently wearing the birds head.
I didn't mean that I switched with the full sized model P, just the two grips for the Jr.

I looked at a lightning at a gun show today-very tempting. If I had had the $$$ available without having to trade, I'd probably have bought it.

flightsimmer said:

No, I've switched them back and forth several times now and it is currently wearing the birds head.
I didn't mean that I switched with the full sized model P, just the two grips for the Jr.

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Must be choice of words, because it doesn't add up. Too bad pictures are a challenge. The Stallion, model P Jr reproduction, is square butt frame, while the bird head in both styles is round butt. That is how I know it by owning those guns.

RealGun said:

Must be choice of words, because it doesn't add up. Too bad pictures are a challenge. The Stallion, model P Jr reproduction, is square butt frame, while the bird head in both styles is round butt. That is how I know it by owning those guns.

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You just switch the grip frame. Not that hard to do.

I must be going blind - can't see any pictures.