Taurus Thunderbolt .45 Pump Rifle

givette

To owners: How do you like 'em? (First hand experience, please). Thanks, Joe

PS..I'm also looking for a tang screw for the above rifle (the long tang screw). Only difference being I need a screw approx. 5 threads longer than the one that came with the rifle. Gonna fit a Taurus peep sight, and I need the longer screw. If you don't have one, please tell me what thread/screw diameter/length I need? Again, thanks, Joe

music_madness

short answer, i like it, BUT the first thing i noticed was the UGLy finish on the wood. next it spattered me with blowback when i shot it[B)]. so having found that it shoots to point of aim i took it to a cowboy match. i shoot black powder at these things and i immediately found that it didn't blowback at all with black powder, pyrodirt, or the american pioneer junk. Wonderful [:D]! i pumped 50+ rounds through that sucker and it locked up TIGHT with 3 shots to go in the match;[V] bummer, but that was with absolutly NO cleaning. i brought it home, cleaned and slicked up the action a bit, stripped off that horrid finish to reveal some BEAUTIFUL wood, oiled that up, installed a brass buttplate, and took it to the next match where it performed flawlessly. it also WoWed the crowd with its new found good looks. it still spatters me when i shoot smokeless (it is a Taurus), but i have worse in my arsenal of junk and relics. so all in all after a bit of work i do like my "THUNDERJUNQUE". not too bad for the money.[;)]
PEACE
tom

"...we're from Pickens; we don't know no better."

givette

Thanks, MM. I haven't fired mine yet. Mine is the "Z" prefix serial number, and I hear it has gone through several design modifications to eliminate flaws. Will be shooting standard power smokeless 45Colts. Not reduced cowboy loads. Wish me luck. Joe

spasmcreek

taurus thunderbolt - beretta gold rush - AWA lightning (& pistol model)- & couple of other brands.....are they all the same base mfg & finished out different & or what is quality difference??????? take screw to gunshop & see if they happen to have one longer ....i have cloned or made many new screws & if you find one close is easy to shape head with a dremel by chucking it up in drill & turning head to shape

givette

spasmcreek: givette here. Thanks for the heads-up. Joe

PA Shootist

When I first read about this rifle, I had to have one, ordered it from my dealer, and received it early last summer. My Taurus .45 pump rifle also spattered me, with gas blowing out at the front of the bolt when fired, with factory loads, or with reloads. The cases were covered with black soot, and weren't obturating to seal the case to the chamber. And the fired cases came out egg-shaped, out-of-round. I called Taurus customer service, and they requested I send it back to Taurus for inspection. Taurus reported back to my dealer that my rifle's chamber was out of spec, and unsafe; they replaced the whole rifle. The new one I received does not leak gas out the top. I wonder if there was some number of poorly cut chambers got out? Perhaps you might check with Taurus customer service.

givette

PA Shootist: Yes, I heard about it. My Taurus is a "Z" prefix gun. It had several improvement mods done to it by the time it reached the "Z" prefix. I'll check the chamber, however. Thanks, Joe

EDIT: PA..were you shooting BP, or BPE, or full pressure factory smokeless loads when you got the blow-by? Tks again, Joe

PA Shootist

I tried 3 different loads when I first got the rifle. The first was a Remington smokeless powder factory load; lots of blow-by, exiting from the front of the bolt at the top, into my face, cases smoked badly. (Fortunately I was wearing shooting glasses!) A careful look-see showed bolt locking correctly, no visible mechanical abnormalities. Further experiments were required, so I proceeded cautiously. Next was a reload of cowboy ammo I shoot in my Single Action Army, with a 250 gr. cast bullet and Trail Boss powder, a lighter recoiling load, a little slower than factory-load velocity; still lots of blowby, maybe even a little bit worse than factory smokelss, and cases smoked badly. Then a heavier load of Unique, after careful inspection and consideration, in the theory that the cases were not obturating to an oversized chamber. Much less blowby, still a little; cases still smoked, but not as badly, but the cases were now expanded to a noticeably large and out-of-round shape as the higher pressure blew them out to fit the chamber better. I had not yet at that point tried any blackpowder loads. I then contacted the factory, and as said before, when they received it and inspected it, they told my dealer (when he called to inquire after what seemed a fairly long time) that it was going to be replaced, and it was. The replacement rifle works fine! Its serial no. is A061xx.

givette

Tks PA. Good info. Joe

robc10x

Following the thread, I have to ask what ever happened to the .357 version of the Thunderbolt? I've been trying over the last few days to find info on them, but haven't read anyone owning one. They show discontinued on the Taurus site, and none pop up for sale anywhere. Were they actually produced?

I have a bunch of the IMI Timberwolfs, and love the "pistol-in-a-rifle" rifles. Plus I'm a pump action fan.

Thanks.

R D Henry

It's my understanding that Taurus planned to market the .357, but with all the trouble they had with the .45's, the whole project got scrapped.

One of the guys in my club shoots a Beretta (smokeless) and has never had a problem with it. My shooting partner has the Taurus, and is lucky to get 20rds through it without locking up. He shoots 777 so that probably has a lot to do with it.

I ran 10 of my loads through the T-bolt, and it rocked. Gave it back to my pard, and it locked up after 6. Both were identical 777 loads, with a 200gr pill. The only thing I can think of, was I use a real heavy crimp, which is what you need with those rifles.

They are also very sensitive to overall case length. If you're reloading with real old brass that's been slightly stretched over a period of time, you may have a problem. BP or the subs isn't really a good idea either...tends to bind things up real quick.

I thought they were kinda cool when they first came out, and was going to get the stainless version. But after reading about all the trouble folks were having with them, I'll stick to my trusty 73!

If you're thinking about using it for CAS matches, I'd reconsider and keep it around just for a backup, not your main match rifle.

Just my opinions and observations...your mileage may vary! [:D]

robc10x

Thanks for the info. I can't understand why the major manufacturers don't produce a slide action in .44 especially - there seems to be a LOT of demand for one. Not just for CASS, but for hunting and tons more. It's such a versitile round.

feldwebel

When I saw the first gun rag article about the Thunderbolt I also needed one desperately. Of course when I tried to order one there were none to be had. I got on a waiting list and after 5 months finally received mine, which much to my dismay was a malfunctioning P.O.C! It fed every round upright into the action, unless you really babied it. I contacted Taurus and returned it to them for repair. Several weeks later they replaced it with a Z prefix gun and it works FLAWLESSLY. No blow back either. I have fired several hundred rounds of assorted loads thru the new piece and couldn't be happier with it.