(Something that I saw over at Eaton Rapids Joe prompted this blog post.)
Photo above is the lead that I pounded out of the barrel of the Colt .22 (Cadet) pistol following a range session back in June of 2010. Symptoms? The final target of that session looked like it was a pattern board for long range buckshot loads. When I got home I had to pound the lead out using an aluminum rod and a hammer. The pistol was clean before that session and I only fired a 120-rounds (not a high round count session for a .22). It all was very puzzling but I decided to just take a photo for the record, finish cleaning the pistol and move on.
The groupings on the first target of the session were wonderful but on the second target my accuracy went all to hell; it was embarrassing; it was pathetic. All of my basic shooting skills had vanished. On the drive home I racked my brain on what I was doing wrong. I even pondered that I might be at the age when I needed to give up shooting.
When I got home and went to clean the pistol the wire bore brush STOPPED DEAD halfway through the barrel and THAT sparked the memory of the problem that I had ten years prior. I yanked the brush from the barrel, found the proper size aluminum rod and pounded the lead (shown on the table in the above photo) out of the barrel. I then finished the cleaning with a wire brush, Hoppe's #9, CLP, Ed's Red, and over a couple of dozen bore patches. The cleanings that followed each range session since then (after hundreds of rounds of other makes of ammo, both standard and high velocity) failed to show any signs of leading.
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Now, I want to be very clear on this, just because I ran across a couple of bricks of Remington Thunderbolt .22 long rifle ammo (separate lots, purchased a couple of years apart) that caused me problems doesn't mean that everyone else will have the same bad experiences that I had. However, please be aware that I was not alone; I searched the web for "Remington Thunderbolt barrel leading" and found many similar stories (I should have researched the issue 10-years earlier).
I'm guessing that many hunters, shooters, and / or preppers have a brick or more of Remington Thunderbolt .22 long rifle ammo stashed somewhere in their respective ammo locker. Hell, back in the day that ammo was dirt cheap and available everywhere. It may be a trouble free load for some but it may be a big problem for others.
Again, I never had this kind of trouble with any other brand of ammo, high velocity or standard. The Thunderbolt is a very hot load but the bullets do not have the usual copper wash coating of other hot .22 offerings; THAT may be part of the problem (the bullets are clear-coated with something; no oxidation has ever been evident).
Using Thunderbolts sparingly (no more than 50-rounds; slow fire only) between thorough cleanings MAY be okay (I'm only guessing). I have most of one brick left but I will only use them if the ammo store shelves are bare AND I have used up all other brands of .22 long rifle that's in my locker AND circumstances are dire (exempli gratia, if I'm starving and the only meals available are head-shot squirrels roasted on willow sticks over a pit of glowing charcoal).
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😎
"My advice to you is to get yourself a gun and learn how to use it.”
(Hell, after decades of shooting I'm still learning. It's fun. Usually.)
Support YOUR local shooting range! You may live to be glad that you did.
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