22lr Remington Thunderbolt ammo

willr · May-31-15 22:05

Has anyone besides me had probllems with this ammo in their NA minis? I have had ftf, split cases (near rim and lengthwise.) I have had these with my Mini mag with lr cylinder. I can't identify if there is a particular chamber where the problem happens. But I've had the same problem with this ammo in another 22lr revolver, too.
willr

pietro · June-01-15 11:06

.

I have - IMHO Remington Thunderbolt & bulk ammo is junk, and I refuse to buy any more.

There's better QC in Lower Slobivia........

.

Kestrel · June-01-15 11:06

Yep. Agree with both of you...it's crap.

MR_22 · June-01-15 12:06

I really like Remington Thunderbolts. When other brands of ammo have jammed in some of my guns, Remington Thunderbolts have always worked. I've had good luck with the Thunderbolts in many guns, although I've not had as much luck with other bulk Remington ammo.

That's just my experience. Thunderbolts have always been cheap, but they've made my guns very happy, both in feeding in autos, and firing in others. I don't recall lots of misfires with them.

boots · June-01-15 14:06

I have not had trouble with Thunderbolt ammo and frankly now days I buy what I can get.

PaducahMichael · June-01-15 15:06

I've shot thousands of rounds of Thunderbolt in several different weapons with no trouble. For inexpensive (relatively!) ammo it is fine by me!

To Old To Run · June-01-15 18:06

The only problem I have had with the Thunderbolts is they key hole out of my mini, never seen any split cases.
I use them mostly for plinking with the rifles and they do good for those.
I've been through a lot of brands trying to find something that shoots well out of my mini, and found two so far that does not have key holes issues , Stingers, and CCI mini mags, so you may have to go on a quest to find what works in yours.

Uncle_Lee · June-02-15 04:06

Quote from: Paducah Michael on June-01-15 15:06
I've shot thousands of rounds of Thunderbolt in several different weapons with no trouble. For inexpensive (relatively!) ammo it is fine by me!

Same here.

For all the folks that have it and refuse to shoot it, make me a good price and I will take the trash off your hands.
This is a chance to clean off your ammo shelf.....

Texron · June-02-15 14:06

I have shot quite a few rounds of Thunderbolt out of several handguns. I have never had a problem shooting them, but man are they dirty. I just don't like the amount of time I have to spend cleaning the guns. But, it is cheap, And I will use when I have nothing better.

adp3 · June-02-15 20:06

I haven't run any through my minis, but in my Ruger MKII's the Thunderbolts have proved quite accurate and reliable. I would rather shoot them than the R-P "Golden Bullet" any day.

Best Regards,
ADP3

cwlongshot · June-03-15 02:06

IMHO its always been junk... I think its a lil better now with the RN bullet design.

As mentioned lean times, I shoot what I can get and that included buying thunderbolts.

CW

bud · June-03-15 05:06

Four or five years ago [after listing to all the negative talk about thunderbolt ammo] I gave a couple of bricks of them away to family and friends. I had NEVER had any problems with them, but like a dumb ass, I followed the crowd. Now I wish I still had them! There selling for two or three times as much as what I paid for them , AND I GAVE THEM AWAY. $:-\$ I value you guys opinion, but on this one I made a mistake.

boone123 · June-03-15 05:06

I tried some Thunderbolts once in a 10 inch Ruger MK II, shooting long range. Accuracy fell off pretty fast as the gun got dirty. Boy, did it get dirty.
I have some Winchester M-22s. that shoot great in a semi-autos. They leave strips of lead in revolver barrels. The jump from the chamber to the bore is just to much for the soft bullets. Tried some in a rifle, but after about the third shot I have to pry the spent brass out of the chamber with a small screw driver. Savage rifle.
Uncle Lee if you stop by I will give you the rest of the Thunderbolts I have.

Every gun is not the same, and every lot of ammo can be different. Like Remington 22s. I have shot clean, and I have shot dirty, and I have shot some that blew the rim out, and damaged a couple of guns. Remington paid the bill. Sort of luck of the draw.

boone123 · June-03-15 06:06

Bud
If you can beat Uncle lee to my house, I will give you my Thunderbolts.
In the last month I have bought 3 buckets of Remington 22s . 1400 rounds each. Also some bulk packs of Federal Match Target, and yesterday a bulk pack of 525 Remingtons. All from Cabela's. They have been getting a shipment of ammo once a week now for awhile. Just have to be there at the right time, which I have figured out. Every week the price goes up about a penny a shell.What I bought yesterday, before tax, was 7 cents a shell.

Uncle_Lee · June-03-15 16:06

Hey Boone, Thanks I'll pick them up right after my next birthday.....

RogueTS1 · June-04-15 06:06

I love the Rem Goldens. I find them the best bulk ammo in my guns. CCI tops the list as the best of all .22LR ammo in my opinion but I do not consider it bulk ammo.

Kentucky Kevin · June-04-15 07:06

My Glock conversion kits run 99% flawlessly on the Goldens for the past 7(SEVEN) years.
I'm selling the rest 5K on VCI/Armslist & I'm willing to ship at cost (bulk rates)

ksblazer · June-06-15 15:06

Like others my experience is that I'll get a bad round or two that won't out of a brick. It was a little on the dirty side too.

But for the price it didn't bother me and I always cleaned my guns after shooting them.

Right now I just wish I could find some .22 ammo around here for a decent price. How I miss the days of getting a brick of thunderbolts for under $20.

Harold2689 · June-07-15 15:06

We bought 2k rounds of .22LR Remington Thunderbolt Round Nosed ammo several months ago at Dick's Sporting Goods. The price was right... The first 20 rounds through my Star Lancer pistol had 2 FTF's, 1 split brass case, and 2 FTE's. I agree it is also very dirty. My wife and I both shoot it just to use it up. As we are progressing through it, there doesn't seem to be as many bad rounds, but it is very dirty. We'll use it up, but I doubt we'll buy any more.

You get what you pay for... (If you're lucky...)

Harold

boone123 · June-07-15 21:06

I was in a gun shop in Longmont Colorado a couple of days ago, and he had some bricks of thunderbolt for sale.
Said he had sold 67,000 rounds of 22 ammo in the last 6 weeks. I would guess based on the price of his guns, that he sells a lot of guns, which might just help keep the ammo coming in. Best prices I have seen anywhere lately.

boone123 · July-26-15 11:07

Walked into Walmart last night and there was four cases of Federal 22 Match Target ammo there. Last week there was 100 count plastic packs of Remington 22s in a couple of Walmarts I was in. Cabela"s has been pretty well stocked now for A couple pf months. They raised the limit you can buy, but would like people to believe that there is still a shortage, Whatever it takes to keep the price up.
I can only hope that the voters don't do this to us again.

With any luck at all, the day may come back when I can walk into Walmart, and know they have 22 ammo, and only go to customer service 3 or 4 times to get waited on, and go home with some ammo.

38sp · July-27-15 12:07

Trash ammo . IMHO

boone123 · July-28-15 07:07

38sp
Trash? Why is that? Maybe I am missing something. I shot 53,356 shells in 22s last year. Much if it through revolvers with a 6 inch barrels, double action. Most of my shooting is from maybe 10 yards, out to past 150 yards. I have had FTF and light loads in every brand, including CCI ammo. The only 22 ammo I don't shoot is Thunderbolts.
I pretty much proved to myself that there is good ammo and bad ammo in every brand. It can change from lot to lot.
Also, some guns shoot some brands better than others, but that also can change with the next lot number.
I learned a long time ago when somebody has trouble hitting their target, its not the ammo, or the gun. Most of the time its the shooter.
Just me...

To Old To Run · July-28-15 17:07

Boone

That many rounds adds up to a lot of fun times. Now if I'm asked if I shoot a lot I'll have to say no, but I know of someone who does.

To Old

boone123 · July-28-15 21:07

I just can't stop. Have the same problem with motorcycles. Life is to short to skip the fun it has to offer.

gebe · August-10-15 12:08

I've shot many rounds of Thunderbolt. I have no problem with them except like others have said, they're somewhat dirty but that's not enough for me to stop using them.

Texduk3 · August-10-15 13:08

I cannot place an accurate opinion on this type of ammo.
But,
when I go to Gander Mountain, and that is ALL THE .22 LR THEY HAVE,
I question it.

Uncle_Lee · August-12-15 04:08

Just because they have it doesn't make it bad.
It may be the only brand that they can get....
There is still a shortage.

Kentucky Kevin · August-12-15 22:08

Great wall of China had CCI shot shells on shelf. First thing in 22 I've seen on shelf in 3-4 years

Uncle_Lee · August-13-15 04:08

I have been watching The Wall here in Tell City for over 5 years and have seen nothing rimfire on the shelf....

boone123 · August-13-15 10:08

lee
Wrong Wall, or wrong time of day, or maybe somebody like me got them all.
I bought over 50,000 twenty two shells from Walmart last year, which is about a half mile down the road from my house.
Its all about timing and perseverance. Also having a wife and a friend helped me.
I shoot what I buy.
I go to Walmart four time a week, most times a dry run. = two hundred trips a year, plus...

OV-1D · August-13-15 13:08

Quote from: boone123 on August-13-15 10:08
lee
Wrong Wall, or wrong time of day, or maybe somebody like me got them all.
I bought over 50,000 twenty two shells from Walmart last year, which is about a half mile down the road from my house.
Its all about timing and perseverance. Also having a wife and a friend helped me.
I shoot what I buy.
I go to Walmart four time a week, most times a dry run. = two hundred trips a year, plus...

Boone your truly INSANE .

Texduk3 · August-13-15 15:08

probably why I cannot find 22 ammo at the 7 Walmarts in my area, and the distribution center is 10 miles away.

boone123 · August-13-15 16:08

ov-
If you think I am insane when I have ammo, you should see me when I don't have any ammo.

If I am insane, I can't tell it from having fun.

A few days ago when I rode a motorcycle 650 miles in two days, my butt thought I was insane. That was 2, part days.

CavScout · August-13-15 16:08

I got a new Walther HK MP5 SD .22LR with a handful of 25 rd. sticks last year!

So I dug out my stash of $7/brick Remington Thunderbolts, and went to the range...

As with my old Feather AT-22, they cycled the action reliably... even though there were a few noticeable squib loads.

I've also noticed the occasional squib loads when running Thunderbolts through my Marlin 39's.

Never had one plug a barrel, so far!