Trouble Free Taurus Thunderbolt?

Crooked Creek Kid · March 28, 2006, 08:26:33 AM

I have been reading alot of different posts with problems on the Taurus Thunderbolt. Is there anyone out there that has purchased one of these rifles that has been trouble free? Been thinking about buying one.

L.G. · March 28, 2006, 11:03:10 AM

I'd say mine has been trouble free. I've had 2 cases split on me (reloads), when that happens, it takes quite a tug to work the action as you don't have the mechanical advantage that you do with a lever action. I have also had one unfired round flip backward on the carrier, whic locks everything up, but I think I didn't work the action briskly enough and that's why that happened. It is a real fast rifle though, and when there's more in circulation I think it may be the race rifle.

Hedley Lamarr · March 28, 2006, 12:08:51 PM

I recently got one of my own. I haven't had the chance to shoot live rounds throught it but I cannot make it jam with my no powder dummy rounds.
The one I borrowed is a few months older and it has some jamming problems, and is rougher than my new one.

I think the newer ones have been tweaked.

Crooked Creek Kid · March 28, 2006, 01:44:42 PM

I think I might wait a couple more months to buy one. The only one I have had my hands on was at the gun shop and the owner racked the slide and it locked up. He finally got the action closed and I liked the way it felt and it had a good trigger...action just didn't work. He sent it back and is still waiting for Taurus to return it. Thanks for the replys.

Sheriff A.E. Moses · April 25, 2006, 08:38:34 PM

I bought a used one from Guano and it has worked flawlessly for me, however another shooter did experience some jams and problems with the same gun, so I think it has a lot to do with human involvement. Maybe I am just lucky, but so far it has never missed a lick with me, and it is in fact a very fast rifle!!

BlaiseNSaddles · April 27, 2006, 03:38:30 PM

Well I got one and finally had a chance to put some rounds through it.

Factory loaded ammo so far (Winchester 255 Cowboy 45LC) and put a couple of rounds in and no problem. Loaded up the magizne with 10 rounds and did a nice slow fire routine to get the feel. No problems.

Another round of 10 (somehow once it gets much past that the angle and the push against the spring to me made it difficult to rounds seated however as it was a new rifle I figure time to let the spring work itself in).
and tried some faster racking and shooting. Not one round got stuck, had problems or failed to go off.

Another 10 and after reading about slam firing I tried that on that load. Kept the trigger down and racked - not the real fast but never let up the trigger. Worked just as advertized.

One last set of 10 in and this time I tried a slam-fire as fast as I could - accuracy was lacking but it spit out those rounds with no problems what so ever.

I was very happy with it.

There were a couple of other Taurus Thunderbolts in the shop I got mine from and I picked out what felt like the smoothest of three they had. They also had a Berretta Gold Rush and while a beautiful finished rifle the action felt no smoother then the Thunderbolt to me.

Crooked Creek Kid · April 27, 2006, 09:42:46 PM

I'm curious about the serial number range on your rifle.

Galloway · April 29, 2006, 06:45:20 AM

Mine has been trouble free. I've only fired about 200rds through it but am very happy with it so far. Even if it did jam ocasionally I wouldnt care because I love the style of it so much. Besides the originals jammed and we want to be authentic dont we?

h c ramrod · May 14, 2006, 08:16:39 PM

Well i have been sellin guns for ova 14 years , we just started to receive some thunderbolt's .
The first one i took home and tested it and it failed, the hammer spring was to week to fire the primer in 45clt.
a smithy could cure the problem by drilling and tapping a jackscrew under the spring to put more load on it.
But you should not need to do that on a new gun. We sent it back to the supplier and they sent another one just today and i tested it tonight and the first round miss fired but after that they all went off. I think the hammer spring needs to be a little heavier but not by much or the action would be stiffer.
I personaly bought a usa firearms lightning in 45clt and it was just the opposite the hammer spring was to heavy and made the action to heavy the triger spring also to heavy , so as usual i thined them out a bit and they a great now . I also took some of the back cut off the hammer sear and it made a nicer trigger pull. after that i was happy with the usa rifle..
some day someone will get it right............ take care H C Ramrod
PS you realy need to make sure you slam the action close with some athority to make it work well..

Pappy Morgan · May 17, 2006, 12:41:49 AM

I agree with Ramrod. The T-bolt I have has only jammed on me once, and that was my fault. I didn't work the action with enough authority. Mine was a bit stiff and tight when it was new. I lubed it up well with "Gun Butter" and that really helped. It is smooth and functions well now. I did notice that you get some spray back of lube if you put to much on. They are meant to run better with light lube I think. I have since used just a tiny bit of "Gun Butter" on the sides and no blow back. Also be sure to use round nose flat point bullets. I had a few plain round nose loaded here and they didn't feed well, I shot them up singlely after that. I want to try some long range buffalo shooting with mine, but need to install a tang sight first. One of the clubs I belong to has 100, 200, & 300 yrds shoots, I am looking forward to using it in the pistol caliber class. They tell me that as long as it is aproved by SASS I can use it.

Shoot often and have fun!!!!!!

Pappy

Crooked Creek Kid · May 22, 2006, 11:15:45 AM

My friend got a new Thunderbolt returned in place of the defective one he sent back. We tested it this weekend and it functioned fine except for one slam fire. This occured about half way through the session and was the first round in a string that was being shot slow and deliberate. Other than that one occurance, the gun fed flawlessly with no stoppages. The ammo used was factory Mag Tech 45 Colt 200 gr. RNFP. This gun's serial # range started with "ZC". Plan on testing it more this coming weekend and will post the results.

outrider · June 07, 2006, 10:01:53 AM

Howdy Crooked Creek:

Couldn't help but see your last post on the T-Bolt. Your friend's T-Bolt worked flawlessly except for a "slam fire" ...boy I hope you have that thing pointed in the right direction..those slam fires are downright dangerous. I returned my T-Bolt a month and a half ago...no word yet from Taurus, however that was one of the big problems...it would slam fire upon closing the bolt. The other problems...you guessed it...JAM...JAM...JAM.

Taurus, better get these problems solved before someone gets seriously hurt with one of these things. Personally, I would not be upset if they just sent me a check covering my investment...

Good Luck

litl rooster · September 11, 2006, 05:12:53 PM

Bought one for my wife back a few months ago, she hasn't been happy with it. > unhappy wife's means trouble< The problem with her's is it don't always fire. A second pull of the trigger will fire the round. I am guessing that what Ramrod said about the hammer spring is correct. Are any other's having this problem. After reading some of the problems other shooters are having with the Manufactur, I am not sure it wouldn't be smarter to pay a smith to fix it. Possibly faster too.

Hell-Er High Water · September 11, 2006, 08:59:40 PM

Regarding slam fires.

I don't know about the Taurus Thunderbolt, but the original Colt Lightning rifles were designed so they would slam fire. I have seen original Colt advertising literature that advoctes this as one of the advantages (

) of the Colt Lightning Rifle.

I have an original Large Frame Colt Lightning Rifle that has been rebarreled to 45-85-285 (Colt's name for the 45-70 with a 285 grain bullet and 85 grains of black powder) and it will slam fire. It really gets your attention when this happens. I also have a custom built AWA Medium Frame Lightning in 45 Colt caliber. It also will slam fire.

This happens when the trigger is held back and the action is cycled. You can fire rounds just as fast a you can cycle the slide. Not necessarily a good thing but it does look impressive when done in a contolled situation.

With these rifles I have had to learn to consciously keep my finger off the trigger when cycling the action. This may be what you have experienced. Try slowing down a little and watch the trigger finger.

HHW

E.R.Beaumont · September 14, 2006, 01:47:56 AM

Howdy Pards and Pardettes.

Mine has worked just fine for me. It likes Winchester Cowboy, and Black Hills ammo. I did get 7 out of 10 .45 S&W to go once, when I first got it. I think that it could be made to work with them if you fiddled with it enough. As I say, mine has worked fine for me so far.

I would be just tickeled blue if it was available in .44Wcf. The only thing is that I like the T'Bolt well enough that I don't shoot my Marlins, and I like my Marlins. My number starts with YJ just like my Jeep. I loaned this rifle to a friend for Wetter Range, and it did not work well for him. I think it was an ammo thing, so I am not willing to blame the shooting iron just yet.

That is all I think I know.
Regards, Beaumont

Guage Rod · September 14, 2006, 08:46:14 AM

Went to a gun show last weekend and saw about 1/2 dozen T-bolts there. Nice looking bluing but where on earth did they get that purple wood

There must be some kind of hardwood grown in brazil that is that color naturaly. The price is definately right and they did a nice job with the checkering

I am waiting for the 357 cal to come out before I get serrious about purchasing one since my other LG's all shoot either 357 or 44 mag/spcl. This is supposed to be the next cal relaeased. This may also give me time to prepair my lovely bride for the jolt of another gun in the house

Vaya Con Dios

Mustang Gregg · September 20, 2006, 05:37:53 AM

After payin' close attention to the Thunderbolts showin' up at our matches, I can't recommend one without gettin' it worked on first. But WHO is a good Thunderbolt mechanic?

outrider · September 20, 2006, 11:20:41 AM

High Water:

The T-Bolt I returned to Taurus, would slam fire when the bolt was closed...no finger near the trigger. While chambering a round it would just go off on it's own...not a good scenario for sure.

Hell-Er High Water · September 20, 2006, 11:37:03 AM

outrider,

You are absolutly correct. It sounds like an internal malfunction or broken part. Hopefully Taurus will send you a report when they replace/repair it. Other owners I'm sure would like to know what the problem was and what to look for if in fact Taurus owns up to there being a problem.

Keep us posted if you hear anything.

HHW

outrider · November 29, 2006, 11:10:24 AM

HHW:

Been awhile since my last post. Getting information out of the customer service people at Taurus is quite impossible. Anyway...I don't know what the problem was with that rifle...they just sent me a new one, as they have done with others. So far I have had no problems with the replacement rifle.

Let's put it this way...After 5 months of getting the run around, and being down right lied too about the status of my rifle...I have one really bad taste in my mouth, and will never buy another Taurus product.