Beretta Stampede Marshall vs. Uberti "Lightning"

[wasrjoe]

As a going away gift to myself and from my parents for when I join the Air Force (we're going to split the bill), I have a choice between a Uberti "Lightning" and a Beretta Stampede Marshall. I've handled both and absolutely love both revolvers. However, I like the Uberti more because of the slightly smaller size and lighter weight.

Now, my only question is if there is a significant quality difference between the two. If there is not, I'm going with the Lightning. However, seeing as I love both of them, if there is a quality deficiency in the Uberti I'll gladly take the Beretta.

Thanks for your help!

 

[Jim Watson]

The only Colt Lightning revolver I know of is the original 1877 double action.
It is notoriously fragile and best left to collectors.

Edit to add: See, I told you so.


Uberti makes for Cimarron a small frame single action with round butt faked up to look like the Colt, and cataloged as a "Lightning" but it is not an accurate replica. Largely because SASS doesn't allow double actions, and because the original Colt Lightning is complicated and delicate (as in expensive to reproduce.)

Is that what you are thinking of?
http://www.cimarron-firearms.com/thunderer-lightning.htm
Their quality seems a little variable. Do a search on the SASS Wire
http://www.sassnet.com/cgi-bin/ubbcgi/ultimatebb.cgi
and see what turns up.

Ruger makes a bird's head single six .32 H&R that would be a good solid small size single action.
http://www.ruger-firearms.com/Firearms/FAProdResults?function=famid&famid=14
the seventh gun down the page.

Beretta now owns Uberti, but the Stampede family is not just a Uberti Colt clone with a Beretta grip medallion. the Stampedes have a transfer bar action similar to Ruger.

I don't think you can take your own single action revolver to the Air Force.

 

[wasrjoe]

Jim, thanks for the reply. I was not planning on bringing it to the Air Force. It is just a nice excuse to get my parents to go halves on a gun.

Thanks for the links, I'll do a search. The store rep did say "Colt Lightning" when he handed me the pistol, but after searching for a while on the internet, I figured he must have been mistaken. That's OK, an honest mistake.

 

[wasrjoe]

After doing some searching, I got a bit more confused than I was, but finally centered in on what I believe the revolver to be. It seems you're dead-on with the Cimarron name, Jim. I think that they're made by Uberti. I don't know, though. I came up with the names Cimarron, Uberti, and EMF. I'll have to check for sure tomorrow. But, as I said, I'm pretty sure it's the Cimarron.

Anyhow, I think I'll pick it up. All the problems I read about seemed to be minor, fixable, and probably not present anyhow since this is a new pistol in a new store. For the price of the pistol and the apparent quality, I'll take the risk.

 

[BluesBear]

I know that Uberti makes all of the versions currently sold under the Beretta, Cimarron and EMF brand names.
But do all of the versions have the transfer bar safety or just the Beretta Stampede?

The Cimarron parts list on their website doesn't show any transfer bar parts that I can see.

Another question is will the Cimarron cylinders work in the other versions?

 

[Cortland]

But do all of the versions have the transfer bar safety or just the Beretta Stampede?

Just the Stampede. The Navy Arms, Cimarron, EMF, Taylor's, etc have hammer-mounted firing pins. The Lightning that Cimarron sells is actually the Lightning SA. They've reproduced the grip frame of the old Lightning, but the new gun's SA. The market for a true Lightning reproduction would be tiny.

As I understand it, the various American companies (Navy Arms, et al) order guns/parts from Uberti to their specifications and do the final assembly/fitting/finish etc themselves. So even though they're all Ubertis, quality can vary by sub-brand. Navy Arms is often thought to have the best Ubertis, followed closely by Cimarron and the others.

There's a similar thing happening with other Italian makers like Pedersoli.

 

[BluesBear]

I know the Cimarron Lightning is a single action. What I am looking for is a single action with transfer bar just like the Beretta Stampede, only chambered for .44-40.

 

[Cortland]

What I am looking for is a single action with transfer bar just like the Beretta Stampede, only chambered for .44-40.

A quick search of GunsAmerica shows 4.75", 5.5" and 7.5" Beretta Stampedes in .44-40 for sale.

 

[BluesBear]

Thanks Cortland.
I saw those yesterday and was surprised because Beretta make no mention of anything in .44-40 in their 2004 or 2005 catalog.

This is for a friend of mine who wants a 3" or 3½" .44-40 for Cowboy side matches. We found a Stampede in .45 Colt at a local shop and she really loved the grip.

She's also wondering if the new Beretta Laramie will be available in a short barreled pocket version.
Her husband has a Schofield in .44-40 but that's not historically accurate. The Laramie would be.

 

[jeff-10]

I don't think you can take your own single action revolver to the Air Force.

Thats odd in the Army you can as long as your in the CONUS. You just have to register it with the provost marshall or something like that and keep it in the arms room. I knew a guy who spent a whole months pay to buy a Colt SAA and then kept it locked in the arms room for 2 years and never fired it.