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Ruger SR22 Pistol & Remington Thunderbolt ?

10K views 16 replies 15 participants last post by  Ronald Patton 
#1 ·
Hello everyone...I purchased 4,000 rounds of Remington Thunderbolt .22LR ammo today and am wondering how it preforms on the Ruger SR22 Pistol? I've never used the stuff, I've ran Remington Golden Bullet, CCI Blazer, Remington Target, & Winchester White Box (horrible stuff) everything I've shot worked fine with no issues except the Winchester 333 round whitebox...I mainly bought it because well it's hard to come by .22 these days and it was $0.05 a round (not bad) and my father is coming to visit soon and I'd like to take him out to the range. Was it a bad buy ? Good buy ?

I usually shoot about 200-300 rounds when I go the range...and clean the gun afterwards.

Thanks for reading/replying.
 
#3 ·
I have had lots of FTF and FTE with Thunderbolts. Not just in one gun either.
I try to avoid TB's whenever I can. But you may have better luck with them than I have. These days you won't have any problems selling them. I also found that the Thunderbolts are quite dirty. At least you have more .22 than most folks.
 
#4 ·
I mainly shoot thunderbolts in my SR22. No issues what so ever. However, the bulk Federal stuff gives me fits. I have the Winchester 333 bulk ammo but I have not tried it yet in my gun. Blazer, CCI, Thunderbolts, Golden Bullets (by Remington) and Aguila all cycle fine.
 
#6 ·
My personal experience with Thunderbolt ammo is that they are a little dirtier and tend to lead up easier. Solution: clean your pistol a little more often! I don't find them to have any more FTF's or FTE's than any other econo ammo.
 
#9 ·
I have not shot T-bolts through my SR22s.

I have shot them through my Mark pistols. Never again. They leaded up the barrels so much that by 150 rounds the rifling was completely leaded up and the bullets were keyholing and zero was completely lost.

I got that Mark home and the barrel was so leaded up that the cleaning brush rod got stuck in the barrel. It was an epic project getting it out. I had to soak the barrel assembly in MP-7 and then pound it out. That sucked, to put it mildly.

I will never shoot T-bolts again. Never.
This is part of what was leading up the Mark's barrel. There was more. The barrel was literally sheathed in lead. This T-Bolt ammo is unfit for its intended purpose in my opinion. No other ammo does this:

 
#10 ·
Had a young man I was instructing come to me with his S&W 22A. He was convinced that it had worn out after only 3 months. He was getting keyholes and 24" groups at 10 yds. I put a bore scope to the barrel and saw leading like Redlegs picture. This was after about 250 rds of Thunderbolts. Soaked bore with Hoppes #9 for an hour, and a some stout bore brush work, presto ! Pistol is good to go.
I personally won't buy them, as you must clean a lot more often. But, as ammo is so difficult to get, you are hard pressed to say Never.
 
#11 ·
All good to know. I'm about to take ownership of my SR-22p next week, and I have a box of Thunderbolts lying around. I'll probably break the new gun in with some of the last of my Mini-mags, and then I'll try running the Thunderbolts through it.

In the past when I've used them, they are quite dirty and lead the barrel. I didn't have nearly the same issue as Redleg, but still really bad, even for a .22

Remington Golden Bullets don't seem to have nearly as many issues as they used to. They are still dirty (lead dust) but they function better than almost any 22 round in my guns, aside from glorious CCI stuff. I'd love to find some more of them.
 
#12 ·
Can't quite recall the reasons - maybe just a bit concerned about leading - but when I find Thunderbolts instead of shooting them I use them for sale or trade or gift to family members who are short on 22s. I know they have their detractors but most of my 22 inventory currently is Golden Bullets - with a few minimags and maybe one pack of something else I don't quite recall.
 
#13 ·
All of my rimfires share the same gun safe. I can only assume they convened a meeting of some sort several years ago and unanimously resolved, "No more Thunderfarts." Rifle or pistol, doesn't matter. None of mine like Rem ammo of any kind so I stopped buying it several years ago. Even through the current drought I take a pass on any Remmy ammo. Just doesn't work for me. And the greatest irony is that two of the most reluctant users were Remington 597s (since down the road in new owners' hands).
 
#17 ·
Hello everyone...I purchased 4,000 rounds of Remington Thunderbolt .22LR ammo today and am wondering how it preforms on the Ruger SR22 Pistol? I've never used the stuff, I've ran Remington Golden Bullet, CCI Blazer, Remington Target, & Winchester White Box (horrible stuff) everything I've shot worked fine with no issues except the Winchester 333 round whitebox...I mainly bought it because well it's hard to come by .22 these days and it was $0.05 a round (not bad) and my father is coming to visit soon and I'd like to take him out to the range. Was it a bad buy ? Good buy ?

I usually shoot about 200-300 rounds when I go the range...and clean the gun afterwards.

Thanks for reading/replying.
It will be a fantastic buy if it works well in your guns! I am having problems finding 22 lr for less than TWENTY CENTS PER ROUND! REDICULOUS!
 
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