Warning:Remington Lightning .22lr

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  • PsYcHo SqUiRrEl

    Plinker
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Jul 23, 2008
    99
    6
    Greenetucky
    I was out last week sighting in a new red dot on my S&W 22A and came across a potentially dangerous problem. After shooting approximately 200 rounds of Remington hi-velocity ammo (the gold colored ones, not the "golden bullets"), I switched to some Remington Lightning that I bought a couple of years ago. Following another 150 rounds, I noticed that my shots were WAY off. I tried a few rounds of standard velocity Winchester target loads with the same problem.

    I checked the red dot and it was tight. I then field stripped it and everything looked fine until I looked down the barrel. I could tell it was pretty dirty and had quite a bit of lead deposit, however, I did not know how much until I tried to brush it with a brass brush and some CLP. I could hardly get the brush down the barrel! I finally managed to remove the bigger pieces of lead, but I will need to use a good solvent to get the barrel as clean as it should be.

    I wondered if anyone else here has had this problem with Remington Lightning ammo? I used to shoot it all the time when I was younger, but it was in a single shot Mossberg rifle. My worry is that the build up of lead in the barrel could raise chamber pressure to dangerous levels and cause a KBOOM!

    I think I'll switch to the Federal bulk pack Wally World specials and will try them. Hopefully they won't lead the barrel as much. Any thoughts? Comments?
     

    Garb

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    2   0   0
    May 4, 2009
    1,732
    38
    Richmond
    I wouldn't think you would have too much trouble, although I've avoided buying the Federals mainly because they're so cheap in comparison to Remington. I might be trying them here soon though as almost every ammo I've tried has problems. Winchester:too many duds and didn't feed right. Remington:way way too many duds. Aguilla:way too dirty. I'm going to try some CCI stingers for more serious shooting but for plinking I may try out Federal. :dunno: As for the lightning rounds... I've never even heard of that problem, but then again I'm relatively new to shooting too haha.
     

    dice dealer

    Master
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Dec 8, 2008
    2,153
    38
    Harrison county
    :ar15:I have seen this problem in many of my .22 's

    I no longer use any none coated .22 ammo ...
    i have no problems out of bulk ammo but i will only use copper or brass coated ammo .
     

    Disposable Heart

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 99.6%
    246   1   1
    Apr 18, 2008
    5,805
    99
    Greenfield, IN
    Could have been a bad batch (given the amount being produced due to the panic, would not suprise me if there was QC issues). I have never had an issue with Remington Lightning, but it was from a bolt action.

    Is the pistol new? There could be burrs left in the barrel from production. I always run hot ammo through it (like CCI) to try to get those burrs out. That and I always lap the barrel before shooting it. If its not that, then who knows, bad ammo?
     
    Rating - 100%
    10   0   0
    May 19, 2008
    1,836
    38
    Indian-noplace
    I will never shoot remington Lightning 22 ammo again. The bullets are a little over sized it appears compared to say a CCI stinger 22.

    The stinger 22 will fit without much finger pressure into the chamber of my single shot bolt action 22 rifle, where as the lightning is almost to the point of trying to FORCE the round into the chamber.

    Junk ammo IMO.....
     

    Disposable Heart

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 99.6%
    246   1   1
    Apr 18, 2008
    5,805
    99
    Greenfield, IN
    I will never shoot remington Lightning 22 ammo again. The bullets are a little over sized it appears compared to say a CCI stinger 22.

    The stinger 22 will fit without much finger pressure into the chamber of my single shot bolt action 22 rifle, where as the lightning is almost to the point of trying to FORCE the round into the chamber.

    Junk ammo IMO.....

    That could be it! I need to drag out the calipers and measure both at their bearing surfaces. I did also notice the Lightnings needed a bit more pressure on the bolt to seat correctly, where the CCIs were an easy bolt move.
     

    mettle

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    14   0   0
    Nov 15, 2008
    4,224
    36
    central southern IN
    This has been my experience. Mine that is. I've never been too impressed with anything Remington produces in the ammo section. The .22LR's seem to have a great many more FTFires, it seems to be just as dirty as CCI Blazer standard and the price is always a little more than Blazer or Federal.

    I have some issues with feeding in my 22/45 (magazine bullet orientation problems) with Rem. ammo as well.

    I've just got to where I'll shoot it if I have to.

    Disposable, I've encountered serious leading with Remington's Golden Bullets as well. I'm not impressed. This has been my experience though.
     

    Disposable Heart

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 99.6%
    246   1   1
    Apr 18, 2008
    5,805
    99
    Greenfield, IN
    This has been my experience. Mine that is. I've never been too impressed with anything Remington produces in the ammo section. The .22LR's seem to have a great many more FTFires, it seems to be just as dirty as CCI Blazer standard and the price is always a little more than Blazer or Federal.

    I have some issues with feeding in my 22/45 (magazine bullet orientation problems) with Rem. ammo as well.

    I've just got to where I'll shoot it if I have to.

    Disposable, I've encountered serious leading with Remington's Golden Bullets as well. I'm not impressed. This has been my experience though.

    I have never had any issues (except Thunderbolt) from Remington, but that was all from a bolt action with a VERY deep hitting firing pin. The exact reverse has been so with any semi auto I tried throwing Remington through. Missfires, FTF, etc... all from ANY of Remington's offerings (including Thunderbolt).

    I would not wish Thunderbolt upon even my enemies, horrible ammo. The Golden Bullet felt more consistant than Federal Bulk Pack, but key word being "felt". Means nothing without a chrono! :) I can run Thunderbolt in my Marlin bolt gun, but dear god: Its dirty, HORRIBLY inconsistant (takes a 50 yard group from .5" to about a foot group!), actually feeds bad (FROM A BOLT GUN!) and leads pretty bad.

    I am thinking Lightning maybe just slightly better than Thunderbolt, but only by a touch. The QC at Remington is terrible right now: my last pack of Golden Bullet was terrible, enough to the point where I contacted them about it. I have never had an issue before recently.
     

    dsol

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    15   0   0
    May 28, 2009
    1,554
    48
    Jeffersonville
    I have a nice stockpile of wallyworld Federal bulk packs and so far, never experienced a problem with any of it. For the money (at the time, under $8 a box) it could not be beat. I only wish I had stocked up another 10 or 15 boxes at that price. I am down to my last 12 boxes, so I need to replenish, I just hate paying $15 a box now after what it used to cost. But that is true for anything I shoot. I keep wishing for a wayback machine so I can stock a basement full of the $125 (delivered nonetheless) cases of Porteugese .308 that is over .50 cents a round now. Or the $69 1440 round cases of the Norinco 7.62x39 that I used to shoot like 22lr.

    Excuse me while I go sob quietly in a corner for a few minutes...
     

    BE Mike

    Grandmaster
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    18   0   0
    Jul 23, 2008
    7,536
    113
    New Albany
    I quit shooting Remington rimfire ammo years ago, but it was due to failures to fire (ftf). I had problems with ftf's with their high end match ammo. The company has expressed no desire to address this problem over the years. I've never had the leading problem, however.

    To be fair, I've never had any problems with Remington centerfire ammo.

    You might have a rough barrel. If the copper from previous .22 ammo was imbedded, the lead from the "Lightning" would have stuck to it. After you think you have all the lead out of the barrel, I would use some JB Bore Paste on a patch and run it back and forth in the barrel. Use the JB sparingly. Follow with a patch soaked with Kroil and let it sit overnight. The Kroil will get under any crud and help it lift off the surface. Now use a dry patch. Repeat as necessary.
     
    Rating - 100%
    18   0   0
    Dec 7, 2008
    2,118
    38
    Greenfield
    I wouldn't think you would have too much trouble, although I've avoided buying the Federals mainly because they're so cheap in comparison to Remington. I might be trying them here soon though as almost every ammo I've tried has problems. Winchester:too many duds and didn't feed right. Remington:way way too many duds. Aguilla:way too dirty. I'm going to try some CCI stingers for more serious shooting but for plinking I may try out Federal. :dunno: As for the lightning rounds... I've never even heard of that problem, but then again I'm relatively new to shooting too haha.

    I have been very fond of the Federal Bulk pack. They have performed excellent, with only a minor few FTF's, but no other issues what so ever. With Remington I had hundreds of feeding and ejection issues....so I got rid of all of my Remington rimfire and have switched solely to Federal for plinking. Also, as IGW mentioned, after thousands of rounds through several of my 22's, no leading issues for me either.

    I dove deeper into this because I wanted to know what the issue was. After taking a closer look at the rounds that had issues and disecting some rounds of each brand, the Remington copper "washed" rounds have a much softer lead nose and truly appear to be just washed with copper coloring. The Federal seem to have a much more dense lead composition and have an actual copper "plating", albeit very thin.

    This would lead me to believe that regardless of price, the Remington's soft composition and lack of plating would cause more lead left in the barrel and more issues with feeding, etc.

    My :twocents:...
     

    squisher

    Plinker
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Apr 2, 2009
    75
    6
    47201
    I generally have poor luck with "bulk pack" .22 ammo in general, especially in my tube-fed .22. My little .22 revolver will shoot it no problem, but man the cheap stuff is DIRTY.

    The best .22 non-match grade I've found is the Winchester SUPER-X line (hard to find now :crying: ). At least that's what my gun likes...fairly clean too (as far as .22 goes anyway). I usually got the 40 grain "power point" (used to be $10/brick).

    $15/box?
     
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