Performance Report on the Taurus Thunderbolt...

[Major Matt Lewis]

As a recap, I got a Taurus Thunderbolt in .45 LC.  It has a 26 inch barrel.  I took it to the range today.  I shot typical CAS distances out to 25 yards.  Accuracy was good, just good....

Twice I had a funky jam.  With this rifle, you have to load it with the action open.  Then close it.  For some reason, the last round did not go fully into the magazine and even though it was completely in the loading gate, it had popped back out and was under the elevator.  So, I had to unscrew the magazine cap and dump my ammo twice.  Don't know how I would like taking that in misses in a real competition.  The metal edging on the loading gate is sharp so you may dig up some skin on your thumb when pushing rounds through.

This rifle will slam fire and has a fairly light trigger anyway. 

I reckon I need more practice with it before I issue a final judgement, but for now, I give it an "OK."

[Marshal Will Wingam]

A little break-in period may eliminate those quirks, too. Keep us advised.

[Wild Ben Raymond]

Major Matt, Take it from a experanced Lightning shooter: Step away from the Lightning & go back to your lever-gun Just kidding, when your are loading the Lightning you can use the loading gate to hold the cartrages untill the last one then you will have to really jam it in there, if your thumb is too big use your little pinky to push it in. If its a re-load on the clock it would be the second to last round loaded because the last round you would want to load right into the chamber while you got the action open. Good luck with your new toy! Wild Ben Raymond

[Wymore Wrangler]

I think a good test for the Taurus would be to give it to Wild Ben and see how it holds up at his speed with the Lighting...

[Lars]

Major Lewis,

Does your 45 Colt Thunderbolt have the oversized chamber typical of 45 Colts? To ask the question a couple of other ways, do you get blowback along the cartridge cases? What is the OD of fired 45 Colt cases -- that is, fired with full SAAMI chamber pressure loads?

Thanks,
Lars

[Wild Ben Raymond]

Howdy! Wymore, I doubt very much I could shoot his taurus as fast as mine unless the (BIG) target were 10 feet away. The reason for the small cal. 32 is so I can use the weight of the barrel to reduce barrel movement eather caused by recoil or cycling of the action. The decreased weight of a 45 would be a disadvantage for me. I remember test shooting someone's new 38 carbine Lightning & with it's round short barrel I could not keep it on target as easy as mine w/it's full lenght/weight octagon barrel. Wild Ben Raymond 

[Wymore Wrangler]

Wild Ben, I don't think anyone can shoot like you can with your original 32-20 Lighting, and I understand the dynamics of how you shoot, that said, I still don't think many others could match you operating the pump action as fast as you can with any caliber, and I stand by my statement that you ought to go as fast as you can, but not as fast as trying to keep up with that kid in Cheyenne

[Ed Clintwood]

I'm interested that the Taurus will slam fire, the original Colt would too of course.  My Uberti will not, and I've tried, but there is a disconnect in there that won't allow it.  For me, it's not a distraction, but I do find the Lightning to be a fun gun

[Wild Ben Raymond]

Ed Clintwood, By looking at the other threads on this wire & the sass wire, it appears that they do slam-fire. Not being a real expert like Eldon Penner, I think it has to do with how the magazine stop is cut. Having examined mine it appears when the hammer is as full cock, the pin that follows the cut of the mag-stop is hooked in the forward cut of it untill the slide rides over the notch (apon- closing) cut in the mag-stop right behind that finger that holds the cartrages in the mag.tube. Anyway I hope this helps.........WBR 

[Ed Clintwood]

Maybe 'cause my gun is new, but if I hold the trigger back, I can't get the action open.  When I release the trigger it cycles just fine.  If I pull the trigger when the action is open, the hammer will follow the bolt home.  So I just pull the trigger, let up, rack the action and go again.  Now if I can keep the thing clean, maybe it won't hang up as much.  Two stages goes just fine, the third stage today was not pretty.  It is .45 LC and yes I do get blow back on the side of the case using 7.8 gr Unique and a 225 bullet

[Lone Gunman]

Maybe 'cause my gun is new, but if I hold the trigger back, I can't get the action open.  

Aw, that's probably just rough spots from the factory machining.  If you force it hard enough you should be able to overcome those. *     


*Note: any reliance on my advice will likely void any warranties as well as any life and/or health insurance policies currently in effect.

[Major Matt Lewis]

I'm interested that the Taurus will slam fire, the original Colt would too of course.  My Uberti will not, and I've tried, but there is a disconnect in there that won't allow it.  For me, it's not a distraction, but I do find the Lightning to be a fun gun

They do slam fire.

[Irish Dave]

Just back from the GLFMC January shoot where one of our members had a new Thunderbolt. Appeared very nice in fit and finish. Surprisingly light even with the longer barrel. It was very accurate with a few different bullet weights (255, 250, 200).

It was very stiff in the action, but started loosening up by the time everyone finished shooting it.
Only negative was a distinct propensity to hang-up (about 50 percent or more) on the loading stroke. Elevator appears to be inconsistent in the amount of rise it provides -- sometimes right on, sometimes too high. I think once that issue is resolved, it'll be a dandy. Might even have to get one myself. Pard said an Indy dealer had it for $355 plus tax.

[Wild Ben Raymond]

Howdy! The failure of the cartrage carrier/lifter to rise up enough is mostly caused by failure of the user/shooter to pull the slide all the way back untill it stops against the frame. If you slowly open the action, you will notice the carrier/lifter only raises up in about the last 1/8 or 1/4 of an inch of the slide. Once the slide is all the way back the cartrage is held between the carrier & the extracter bars. This is where the cartrage should be lined up to go into the chamber. Once you start to push forward, for moment the cartrage is only held by the spring tension of the carrier untill the bolt-face grabs it & slams it home into the chamber. If you are pulling the slide all the way back each & every time and it is still having problems it could be over-all cartrage length as the Lightning Rifle is sensitive to this. Eldon Penner, the gunsmith whom re-built my rifles sent me a gage to check the Over-all cartrage length. You may just need to experament with different bullets to find the best one for your gun. Of course there could be other problems but I won't get into that now. Good Luck! .............Wild Ben Raymond   

[Marshal Halloway]

Forum members who have purchased a Taurus Thunderbolt, can now write a review of this rifle at our new member section: Cas City Product Reviews

http://www.cascity.com/reviews/showproduct.php?product=2

[Irish Dave]

Thanks for the response, Ben.

The problem was not that the elevator didn't rise enough, but rather that it sometimes raised too much and the nose of the bullet would catch (on the forward stroke) on the top edge of the breech opening.

Could be OAL, but we tried it with several different bullets, loads, weights and re-loaders, but this imtermittent problem seemed the same with all of them.
Any other thoughts?

[Wild Ben Raymond]

Howdy! Again, A few more things to check, one would be the extractor screws, are they tight? The carrier screw/pins(hold the carrier in place)are they tight? I always like to use thread-lock on these because if they come loose, the problem you discribe is what happens in my rifle. If you've got the rifle apart to do this, you might as well polish the surface or the carrier to elliminate any burrs caused by machining. If you are still having problems, I suggest sending it back. But if I can think of anymore ideas of what to do, I will post them. Good Luck!.......WBR

[h c ramrod]

ONE THING I FOUND ON FEEDING PROBLEMS, SWITCH TO A TRUNCATED BULLET AND THEY SLIDE INTO THE CHAMBER MUCH EASIER.

[ggeilman]

Bought a Thunderbolt for the wife for her birthday. Took the Thunderbolt to the range Sunday. She shot 50 rounds at the 50 to just get used to the rifle. They were PMC coyboys so accuracy at that range was a bit problematic. Shot another box at the 25 and the 15 to get it sighted in. Shot some nice groups. Had fun slam firing it also  Total of 105 rounds with only one hiccup. One shell failed to eject on a slam fire and the gun jammed with another round. Was an easy fix, but unloaded the rifle to check for a squib just to be safe. No blowback issues to speak of at all. The 5 reloads were 10.5gr of HS-6. Yup, she slam fires real nice and fast