I had to do it! Taurus Thunderbolt

[rbertalotto]

OK, I simply couldn't resist! My local gun shop has had a Taurus Thunderbolt in 45LC with a beautiful case colored receiver and terrible brown "painted" wood. It's been there for three years! But I always wanted a Colt Lightning but knew I might never be able to afford one, so a clone it is!

I took it to the range and the accuracy is amazing.......That's good!

But the action is stiff as a new wife!

I was loading some cast LEE 452-255RF bullets. These round nose / flat tip bullets don't feed to well. What are folks using in these rifles for bullets.

A couple of times I had a bullet make its way past the cartridge stop in the magazine and end up under the elevator, jamming up the whole works. This won't be good if the Indians are charging!

Is anyone using the Cowboy45 Special brass in their Thunderbolt? A few dummy rounds seem to function fine, but it's been raining and I've not been able to try them.

Any other hints you can add.....But please don't tell me to use it for a tomato stake! I like it!

Stock Picture (not mine)

[Griff]

Roy,

I'm sure you meant "shy" as a new wife! I was also sure you meant some Ford SVO...

[Panzercat]

I've been close to buying a stainless Thunderbolt a few times but the wide spread reports of feed issues always kept me from biting. Hopefully uou can get your issues worked out

[kimwcook]

I think they're a cool piece. Good on ya.

[Ysabel Kid]

I've had no problems with mine, and it seems to love RNFP's. Hope you get yours worked out!

[J Miller]

I don't know how the Lightning's feed system or cartridge stop works, but I do know that the LEE 452-255RF bullet when seated to crimp in the crimp grove makes a cartridge considerably shorter than the standard .45 Colt should be.
Try seating them out a bit to 1.590" and see if the jamming problems stops or changes.

Joe

[M. M. Wright]

Always wanted one myself but keep remembering that they had problems with the originals. Why do think Colt quit making them?
The cowboy shooters have put the most rounds through these things over the years and some have worked the kinks out. Try looking on sassnet.com and ask for help there. I think most problems are with cartridge over all length just as J Miller said but ask the sass guys, they'll know.

[piller]

Cool looking gun. Hope you get it working.

[Panzercat]

Always wanted one myself but keep remembering that they had problems with the originals. Why do think Colt quit making them?
The cowboy shooters have put the most rounds through these things over the years and some have worked the kinks out. Try looking on sassnet.com and ask for help there. I think most problems are with cartridge over all length just as J Miller said but ask the sass guys, they'll know.

Colt quit making them because the a weakness in the action caused the Lightning to break prematurely. By all accounts and reviews, Taurus engineered the Thunderbolt with a stronger action so it doesn't suffer the same problem. Only issue is they induced new ones in the process