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There's something about a birdshead grip that just feels right in the hand, and the Cimarron Lightning Dual Cylinder nails that feel. The original Colt 1877 Lightning was a favorite of names like Billy the Kid, but its double action guts were famously delicate. Cimarron's founder Mike Harvey reworked the design as a straightforward single action, so you get the compact frame and graceful lines of the 19th century original with internals that hold up to regular range time.
What sets this CA980DC model apart from the standard Lightning is the second cylinder riding in the box. The fluted cylinder runs .38 Special, and the smooth non-fluted cylinder handles 9mm Luger. That's a big deal in practice. When you want the traditional cowboy experience, load up the .38s. When you want cheap, plentiful practice ammo, drop in the 9mm cylinder and shoot all afternoon without wincing at the ammo shelf. Swapping cylinders takes seconds, no tools needed.
The finish work here is what Cimarron built its reputation on. The 3.5 inch barrel and cylinders wear a deep standard blue, the steel frame gets a color case hardened treatment with those swirling blues and straw tones, and the smooth walnut grip rounds out a package that looks like it walked straight out of the 1880s. At 6 rounds of either caliber, the small frame keeps the whole thing light and quick to point, which is exactly why the birdshead layout earned its following in the first place.
This one makes sense for a lot of folks. Cowboy action fans get a period-correct look with single action simplicity. Collectors get one of the more distinctive frames in the Cimarron lineup. And anyone who just enjoys wheelguns gets the flexibility of two of the most common revolver and pistol cartridges around in a single, handsome package. It's a shooter and a conversation piece in equal measure.
No moon clips needed. The 9mm cylinder headspaces the rounds on the case mouth, so cartridges drop right in and chamber correctly on their own. Empties are pushed out one at a time with the ejector rod, just like the .38 Special cylinder.
It's quick and requires no tools. Like most traditional single actions, you release the base pin, roll the cylinder out through the loading gate side, drop in the other cylinder, and reinsert the pin. After a couple of practice runs it takes well under a minute.
No, and that's by design. The original 1877 Lightning's double action mechanism was complicated and fragile, so Cimarron rebuilt the gun as a single action while keeping the classic small frame and birdshead grip. You get the vintage look with a much simpler, more durable action, meaning the hammer is cocked manually for each shot.
Cimarron made it easy. The .38 Special cylinder is fluted with the traditional scalloped cuts along the outside, while the 9mm cylinder is smooth and non-fluted. A quick glance tells you exactly which caliber is loaded in the gun.
| UPC | 844234240388 |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | |
| Manufacturer Part Number | CA980DC |
| Action | |
| Barrel Finish | Blued |
| Barrel Length | 3.5" |
| Caliber/Gauge | .38 Special |
| Capacity | 6 |
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