Has anyone on this forum actually held or fired one. If so please tell me about it. They cost between 800-1000 bucks and no-one has one to check out around where I live.

Haven't seen the reproduction yet...do know a guy who collects and shoots the originals. The repro follows the original pretty closely from what I've read, so I'd guess the fault of the original have been some what reproduced....the extractor isn't the strongest ever designed.

Extaction was a problem with the originals, but that was more about the poor brass of that era than anything else. Will find old rounds (collectors type I guess) marked "C.L.M.R." on the heads...Colt Lightening Magazine Rifle. Sectioned, these were made a littel bit thicker and usually take the small sized primers (even in 44/40). Some have a little inward turned "flange" around the primer leaving only a small center "bullseye" for the firing pin to strike...kind of a reinforcment. Have never seen that headstamp used on the big rounds chambered in the large framed Lightning (all the way upm to 50-95), just in the medium frame like the one they repro.ed. (the small frame was a.22RF).

With today's brass, the extractor system works fine (he shoots his toys).

Am interested in the new repros. myself...guess I caught the bug from being allowed to shoot a cute 32-20 one afternooon.