Trying to figure out how to operate an Uberti Lightning Rifle. When the chamber is loaded the forend does not lock in place. I need to keep forward pressure on the forend to keep the bolt forward and the action in battery. I don't know if this is normal or not.



I assume it would function like a pump shotgun and lock the forend until the round is fired. Then the action unlocks out of battery.
















 

I don't know about the Uberti, but I have a Tarus Thunderbolt version in .45 and attempted a few SASS matches with it. It will slam fire like an old Winchester M97 shotgun(I happen to use also) I don't have that issue you are having instead it tends to FTF if you stroke it too slow or not just so. I couldn't get a full 10 rounds  to fire . One or more would always jam. I'm experimenting with different bullit weights and right now I don't compete with it anymore. I believe the .45s are a problematic design just because of the size of the damned round. Not a smooth feeding round.

I did see an American Arms version that had been tuned by a gunsmith in South FL run by a competitive teen girl in the FL State match in January. She was fast. But she had some FTF issues but not as many as me. It got worse at the end of the match for her. It was a .38  It could also have been ammo issues as they were very light reloads.

In the end I think the best SASS rifle is a tuned /Short stroked .38 M73 short barrel.

My wife has a 20' .45 Beretta '73 tune by Cody Conagherer. I'll "inherit" it when I get her the afore mentioned .38 short version.

I noticed in your video you were either having trouble loading or unconsiously ejecting live rounds several times. I've done that and srtil do some.
According to that young lightning competitor I talked to,the secret is in the smoothness of the cycling rhythm. It's a timing thing.
I ain't got no rhythm.

Keep practicing the stroke. Don't try to go faster, just smoother. the speed increases naturally. The .45 however doesn't lend itself to many bullet shapes that will feed smoothly and have a flat nose for safety though.  

The best function they say is with the 44-40 round. It's what it was designed for.

I intend to find an American Arms version for a good price and try it.


Good luck,
Best Regards.
TDK

Edit for damn spell nazi and add a link