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On a previous post regarding physical considerations,  a Pard suggested Taurus Thunderbolt.

Does anyone out there currently shootwith one of these,  and if so, how does it perform?

If you know of this firearm,  any information would be appreciated. 

The reason I ask is after the suggestion I watched a bunch of videos on the rifle and almost all of them had the rifle jamming. 

I would not want to suggest a firearm that may further frustrate the shooter. 

Thanks. 

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My Taurus Thunderbolt .45 Colt works just fine...

 

... as a single shot...

 

... usually...

 

... not always...

 

... sometimes it will even get off a 2nd or 3rd shot before it takes a coffee break...

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The Taurus Thunderbolt has a long pedigree of jamming, breaking and no parts available. There is a reason you don't see many of them on the firing line. I have one. It works sometimes. It might run for three shots or therty shots. When it hangs up i have to take it apart to clear the jam. 

I would never recommend the Taurus Thunderbolt.

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Funny you mention this. I had a guy at the Cabela’s Gun Library try to sell me one a while back. I really know nothing about them. I figured if I hadn’t heard of it there must be a reason so I shined it on.

I really wasn’t interested in it but I was curious.

 

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The Taurus Thunderbolt, now discontinued ... between the operator's lack of knowing how to shoot a pump firearm and the inferior quality and lack of quality control was a the nightmare of nightmares.  But if a competent gunsmith knows how to re-engineer the deficiencies and the operator's skill level increases ... it can be a neat rifle to shoot

Mine was re-engineered and I went to the range with several different reload lengths. Shot in 10 round bursts: vertical & horizontal and slam fired the loads too.  Out of 50 rounds, had 6 that either failed to chamber or stove piped during extreme workout

I do shoot the rifle at matches but like levers better

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While there have been those who have found a way to make the Taurus work, the general consensus here on the Wire is that the to call the gun a piece of $#!+ would be an insult to manure.    That being said, there seems to be not as much consensus as to what does make for a good Lighting reproduction.   Each of the makers out there have their supporters and detractors, but I can only offer my personal observations and experiences.

 

When I decided that I wanted one of these rifles, I was fortunate to be able to compare the Taurus to the Beretta (which I believe was actually made by Uberti) and the AWA.   The Taurus had an action that felt like rubbing two sheets of sandpaper against one another.   The Beretta had a much smoother action, but it felt clunky to me.   The AWA had a smooth action that just felt right.  I bought the AWA, in .45 Colt, and have never regretted it.  In fact, my first ever clean match was shot with this rifle, at End of the Trail no less.   One word of proviso, it must be kept clean.  While blowback has never bothered me, it is clear from the dirty cases that some is occurring in this caliber.  You've got to keep the channel where the firing pin lives clean and gunk free, or you will eventually get some failures to fire.   But if it's clean, it won't give you problems.

 

I like this gun so much that it has become my favorite SASS gun, and when I recently found another one in .44-40, I bought it.  The new one's action is just as smooth as the .45, and while I have only test fired it, I anticipate it working just as well, if not better, thanks to how blowback is basically a non-issue with the .44-40.

 

If there is any drawback to the AWA Lightings it is that the company no longer exists.

 

Other people will swear by the Pedersoli, and there does seem to be a general opinion that of all the Lightings on the market today, this is the best of the bunch.   I have never handled one, so I can not comment.  I have read here that they will not slam fire like the originals (and the AWA) do.

 

The USFA version was on the market so briefly and are so rare that I don't know if it even has a reputation one way or the other.

 

And then there are genuine real Colts.   I'll have one in .32-20 in a few days.   I'll give my opinion at that time.  :)

 

 

Good luck.

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My father had one in 45 Colt that I ran some rounds through without issue.  Full length, 200 gr RNFP's ran fine.  I briefly toyed with the idea of shooting a lever shotgun(87) and a pump rifle, just to be different.  The short, close to the chest action of the pump was something that didn't seem like it would ever feel "natural" though, so in a rare moment of clarity and good judgment, I passed on that notion.

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I have a Stainless Taurus Thunderbolt in 45 Long Colt.  It has never failed to load or fire.  That is not it's issue.  The blow back in my eyes got to me.  There are some remedies for the 45LC blowback, slightly larger rounds. etc.  But, mine works just fine.  I got it for Wild Bunch, using a pump action rifle along with the pump action 97 was the intent, then our club quit offering Wild Bunch.

 

My buddy bought a Beretta Lightning in 45LC and it works just fine also.  The blowback on it hits me on the forehead which is not too bad.  The best is the Pedersoli and any in 44-40.  The necked cartridge helps to reduce or eliminate the blowback.

 

You have to learn how to run the rifle.  They used to say run it like you had stolen it.

 

One buddy shoots the Colt Lightning and it is still going.

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There was a guy here on the Wire a few years back (Deadeye Dallas??) who figured out all the required fixes and did several.  And Lassiter not only got one running but won some major championships with it.  But those are the exceptions.

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I've got one of those, but have never shot it. The rockets have asking prices of anywhere between $125 and $350 anymore, so it would be a really expensive match!

100_1455.JPG

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I have gone through everyone of the replica lightnings and several in some cases.  Taurus worked if you went slow like target shooting.  Beretta/Uberti always seemed to run well but for the last round which would magically jam.  The AWA ran for a bit until some parts broke and no parts available.  Gunsmith got it running but never seemed quite right and was always worrying about bteaking another part.  Pedersoli so far seems to run most consistent but if you get the right bullet and cartridge length.  Mine is a 357 and it means that, not 38 sp.  The worse is trying to wedge 10 rounds in it.  At eight it gets tough, 9 I can mostly man handle a round in.  Ten seems to be no way.  Pedersoli has a limiter that is one piece with the follower and I am loath to do anything to it least I screw up the rifle.

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34 minutes ago, LostVaquero said:

I have gone through everyone of the replica lightnings and several in some cases.  Taurus worked if you went slow like target shooting.  Beretta/Uberti always seemed to run well but for the last round which would magically jam.  The AWA ran for a bit until some parts broke and no parts available.  Gunsmith got it running but never seemed quite right and was always worrying about bteaking another part.  Pedersoli so far seems to run most consistent but if you get the right bullet and cartridge length.  Mine is a 357 and it means that, not 38 sp.  The worse is trying to wedge 10 rounds in it.  At eight it gets tough, 9 I can mostly man handle a round in.  Ten seems to be no way.  Pedersoli has a limiter that is one piece with the follower and I am loath to do anything to it least I screw up the rifle.

There a couple of things you can do to ease loading, pm sent.

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2 hours ago, J Bar Binks, #47015 said:

I've got one of those, but have never shot it. The rockets have asking prices of anywhere between $125 and $350 anymore, so it would be a really expensive match!

100_1455.JPG

 

 

what the heck is that ? ive never seen one of those , i dont think i want one but gotta ask because id hate to overlook a real find here .....

 

 

im not into pumps beyond 22s so im not commenting on the OT 

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"IF" your seriously considering a Taurus Thunderbolt, Please send me a check for the quoted asking price (what ever that price is).  That way, one of us will be happy.

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12 hours ago, Father Kit Cool Gun Garth said:

5a14770a5dd5d_ShockedFace-RESIZED.jpg.25511a2c06328e257d528f0aa4a249a1.jpg

Did I just see that this rifle prices at $4,000+?

If so,  not even an option.

Am I missing something here?

 

Most probably for a COLT'S Thunderbolt Rifle.

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11 hours ago, watab kid said:

 

 

what the heck is that ? ive never seen one of those , i dont think i want one but gotta ask because id hate to overlook a real find here .....

 

 

Gyrojet Pistol...

 

 

p18rHd0.gif

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16 hours ago, Shotgun Clay said:

I'll buy one when you can shoot Classic Cowboy with a MBA Gyrojet. :lol:

My 1st engineering job after graduating from UCB in 1968 was with MB Associates.  It was located in an abandoned Nike Ajax site in what is now San Ramon CA.  During the job interview the interviewer reveled in telling a story where in an another interview the interviewer carelessly displayed a gyrojet pistol that was loaded.  No living thing was injured; however, lights & ceiling tiles were destroyed.  It was a great place to work; because, there weren't many employees.  During lunch on Fridays DOD films were shown in the conference room.  I think the only commercial products were flare rockets & the gyrojet pistol.  Their primary customer was the DOD.  I was doing computer simulations of how to defeat North Vietnamese SA-2's with chaff dispensing gyrojets.

P.S. $125 per gyrojet is a bargain.  The base of the rocket has small canted conical nozzles to impart spin.  The macining tolerances have to be very tight to get stable flight. 

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I had a Taurus Lightning.  Bought it when they were 365.00 new.  I never tried it in a match.  Over on a practice berm, I tried 250gr factory 45colt ammo.  Tried my best to make it run.  Ran it hard, but no matter what I tried, always got a round under jammed down in there.  Tried 200gr ammo, same thing.  Posted it in the SASS Classified, described the problems, and sold it to someone who wanted to practice working on them.  Maybe I wasn't holding my mouth right, but I find a lever gun with an action job much easier to run.

 

 

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6 minutes ago, McCandless said:

I had a Taurus Lightning.  Bought it when they were 365.00 new.  I never tried it in a match.  Over on a practice berm, I tried 250gr factory 45colt ammo.  Tried my best to make it run.  Ran it hard, but no matter what I tried, always got a round under jammed down in there.  Tried 200gr ammo, same thing.  Posted it in the SASS Classified, described the problems, and sold it to someone who wanted to practice working on them.  Maybe I wasn't holding my mouth right, but I find a lever gun with an action job much easier to run.

 

 

 

Did you also remember to stick the tip of your tongue out the corner?  That’s critical for proper feeding. 

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8 hours ago, Nate Kiowa Jones #6765 said:

Big clue,

the T-bolt retailed for about $450. All the others start at about $1000 :o

 

That should tell you something right there.

 

I occasionally see adds for people trying to sell Thunderbolts for around $800 these days.   Adds give me the impression that they are new.   I've seen used ones in what I assume are NIB (or nearly so) condition for $600.   I see that and I just shake me head so very sadly.

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Regarding comments on Pedersoli Lightnings running better than the other Lightning versions - they do. The Uberti versions are good and nicely made, but the abundance of safeties causes rapid-fire problems. 

 

Lost Vaquero: You can get light weight Delrin followers for your Pedersoli from Armorer's edge (www.armorersedge.com) - and you will feel the difference between their followers and the heavy Pedersoli ones.

 

Lastly, barrel length is important to help steady a Lightning - where the hand working the action is also the steadying hand. I have a Pedersoli Lightning carbine (20"), a 24", and a 26" Octagon and the 26" is far steadier and can run really fast. It is very much worth the extra weight.

 

RR

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31 minutes ago, Roger Rapid said:

Regarding comments on Pedersoli Lightnings running better than the other Lightning versions - they do. The Uberti versions are good and nicely made, but the abundance of safeties causes rapid-fire problems. 

 

Lost Vaquero: You can get light weight Delrin followers for your Pedersoli from Armorer's edge (www.armorersedge.com) - and you will feel the difference between their followers and the heavy Pedersoli ones.

 

Lastly, barrel length is important to help steady a Lightning - where the hand working the action is also the steadying hand. I have a Pedersoli Lightning carbine (20"), a 24", and a 26" Octagon and the 26" is far steadier and can run really fast. It is very much worth the extra weight.

 

RR

My 24” Pedersoli Lightning is my favorite match rifle because of the extra weight. I seem to have more misses with my 20” models.

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1 hour ago, Roger Rapid said:

Regarding comments on Pedersoli Lightnings running better than the other Lightning versions - they do. The Uberti versions are good and nicely made, but the abundance of safeties causes rapid-fire problems. 

 

Lost Vaquero: You can get light weight Delrin followers for your Pedersoli from Armorer's edge (www.armorersedge.com) - and you will feel the difference between their followers and the heavy Pedersoli ones.

 

Lastly, barrel length is important to help steady a Lightning - where the hand working the action is also the steadying hand. I have a Pedersoli Lightning carbine (20"), a 24", and a 26" Octagon and the 26" is far steadier and can run really fast. It is very much worth the extra weight.

 

RR

Thank you. Just ordered one.    I had a longer barrel Uberti/Beretta but it just felt muzzle heavy to me (I know toughen up ;) ).  I mostly use a Marlin CBC as main but every now and then just for fun like to try to lightning.

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3 hours ago, LostVaquero said:

Thank you. Just ordered one.    I had a longer barrel Uberti/Beretta but it just felt muzzle heavy to me (I know toughen up ;) ).  I mostly use a Marlin CBC as main but every now and then just for fun like to try to lightning.

Make sure you contact Roger Rapid and get his Pedersoli Lightning tutorial, you’ll be glad you did, it’s an absolute must for a P. Lightning owner.

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