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Old February 20, 2013, 07:01 PM   #1
dayman
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Rem "Golden Bullet" .22

After not finding any ammo for a couple months I was pretty excited to find a bunch of bulk .22 at a local General Store. They were selling 525 packs of Remington GB's at $19, which isn't exactly a steal, but was - for around here anyway - a pretty decent price for a general store in the best of times.

So - since I don't know when I'm going to find ammo again, and despite it's reputation - I bought the 7 boxes that they had. 3675 rounds is kind of a lot to buy as a trial run, but most of the local places are gouging the crap out of their prices - if and when they actually have anything. I was also worried that if I didn't buy it all someone else would - which *I know* is how this whole shortage got started in the first place.

Anyway, long story short, it seems to be running through my 22/45 just fine. I've shot maybe a couple hundred without any failures, and if I don't go too crazy I should be set on practice ammo at least through spring. It did shoot a little lower (~2"@25yds) than the Federal Match I was using before, but the group size seems to be pretty comparable (~4"@25yds unsuported is the best I can manage with either of them).

One of the big complaints I hear is that it's dirty, but the silver lining to that cloud is that maybe after cleaning the 22/45 another few dozen times I'll be able to to it easily.

So, I just thought I'd put that out there. For this guy at least, the Golden Bullet seems to work as well as anything else.
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Old February 20, 2013, 07:09 PM   #2
Brian48
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I've never heard that many complaints about the Golden bullets. It's Remington Thunderbolts that you should completely avoid (even with the shortages). By far, this load has consistently proven to be the worst .22lr ammo out there in the last few decades that I've been shooting.
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Old February 20, 2013, 07:31 PM   #3
9mm
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$20 for 525? thats a deal right now when other bulk packs sell $50-$90 a brick. I know rem 22 bulk packs have high failure rate, but still!!!!! $20 -.-!
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Old February 20, 2013, 07:41 PM   #4
dayman
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yeah, they were pretty dusty, so I'm guessing they didn;t get the memo about the shortage.
They usually only stock ammo in November (hunting season in these parts), so it was probably just leftovers. Either way, I'm pretty happy.
Even with a 50% failure rate I'd come out ahead of what the local shops are charging. Walmart's kept their prices fixed, but my job never allows me to be there in time to get anything.
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Old February 20, 2013, 07:54 PM   #5
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In my comparisons federal and winchester bulk will have a lot more duds than the remington bulk. That being said CCI will make all them look like junk. But you get what you pay for, 19 bucks is pretty good, have no .22Lr available right now in my area so count yourself lucky.
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Old February 20, 2013, 07:59 PM   #6
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lgs has 50round packs for $8.99
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Old February 20, 2013, 08:02 PM   #7
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Like Hi-Point, and Heritage Rough Rider, RGB''s are a target of ridicule by some self proclaimed experts. Also like the afore mentioned firearms, it's mostly unsubstantuated!
Wish I could find some 525 RGB's for 20 bucks!
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Old February 20, 2013, 08:16 PM   #8
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I would've bought them all too. You got a good deal in today's market.
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Old February 20, 2013, 09:25 PM   #9
tmorone
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I've always been kinda partial to the federal bulk pack stuff but really only because of cost. Whenever that was sold out I'd buy some of the 'golden bullet' stuff and have had very very few problems.

When I was shooting .22lr as a kid I remember having what seemed to be a lot of rounds that wouldn't go bang but never really seems to happen anymore. (with either of those brands)
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Old February 20, 2013, 10:18 PM   #10
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Went plinking with the step daughter the other day. She shot up a 525 round box of golden bullets through her 702. One FTE. No FTF. These rounds seem to the best bulk ammo for this inexpensive gun. As far as how well they do on target, I shot five rounds from her rifle, one long hole @ about 40 feet, her results were not quite as good. I've used em in my Henry H101. Not bad for cheap stuff. I prefer them over the federal bulk, they tie with Winchester bulk. Shooting bullseyes or small game hunting, CCI is the one I find to be the best.
I'd say you did alright. Wish I could find any bulk packs of .22 right now.
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Old February 21, 2013, 03:51 AM   #11
bamaranger
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for me

The Golden Bullet has worked well for me and is my typical GP bulk bullet buy.

I can shoot here at the place, and do so pretty frequently with a heavy barrel Savage MKII TR at 100 yds, as well as a Mossberg 44US and a std Ruger .22 pistol. Some of the 5 shot groups that the Savage has made with GB's and fixed 10x are pretty incredible, always hovering around 1MOA. If the rifle stops grouping,its ususally 'cause the bore needs cleaned.

That said, there are some pooper rounds now and again, and occassion flyers in the 100 yd groups. But the Fail to Fire experience I hear about so often does not happen with my guns.

There is absolutely none in my area and locales more distant at present.
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Old February 21, 2013, 02:01 PM   #12
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Those and Blazer are the two that I have the most of. I keep hearing complaints about the quality but I have shot some awful good 50 yard groups with them in most, not all of my guns. About a year and a half ago they made a big effort to improve the quality but the bad reputation still follows it around. You did good getting what you did for the price you did.

For Brian 48, My last foray with Thunderbolts at an informal off hand iron sights match with my 46 year old bolt action.



Misses are on me not the ammo.
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Old February 21, 2013, 02:12 PM   #13
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Oddly enough, I've had good luck with the Remington Thunderbolts. My only complaint is a dirty gun afterwards.
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Old February 21, 2013, 02:17 PM   #14
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Quote:
Oddly enough, I've had good luck with the Remington Thunderbolts. My only complaint is a dirty gun afterwards.
Haven't seen any ammo shot out of any gun that leaves a clean gun, what's the difference if you clean a lot of crud or a little crud as long as the gun goes bang and you hit the target. I'm going to clean the gun no matter what.
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Old February 21, 2013, 02:23 PM   #15
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Before I moved, I bought a few cases of this ammo. When I bought them, a case of 6250 rounds was $95 OTD at the local gun show. After about 12 years, I am starting to get seriously low..........sure wish I had bought even more back then

The ammo has worked just fine all these years
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Old February 21, 2013, 03:10 PM   #16
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Quote:
Oddly enough, I've had good luck with the Remington Thunderbolts. My only complaint is a dirty gun afterwards.
I agree. The thunderbolts and sub sonic will both print a bit larger than 1 inch groups at 100m (reflective of my own limits as much as the limits of the rifle or ammunition), though I will get an occasional dud with the thunderbolts.

It isn't just dirty in the gun either; just loading it gets the hands fairly dirty.

Quote:
Haven't seen any ammo shot out of any gun that leaves a clean gun, what's the difference if you clean a lot of crud or a little crud as long as the gun goes bang and you hit the target. I'm going to clean the gun no matter what.
In a long session with a pistol, the difference between shooting thunderbolt and Dynapoint (with which I have also had very good experience) is pronounced. With the former, after several hundred rounds the inside of the pistol looks as if you sprayed dirty engine oil in it, then through a handful of sand at it. With the latter, you get some accumulation of wax and a fine, gray residue, but you can't get through 500 rounds without the sandy accumulation that can adversely affect function.

Last edited by zukiphile; February 21, 2013 at 03:34 PM.
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Old February 21, 2013, 03:19 PM   #17
Wallyl
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Rem Golden Bullets

I bought seven 525 packs last Fall when Fleet Farm had them on sale for $17.95---they had a S***load of them. I tested them out with a stock 10-22 and a Marlin 60..both with large scopes at 100~125 yards. Places a 2" plate on a wire with a sand hill as a back stop (so that I could see the impacts). Using a sturdy rest, I seldom missed. I did have some flyers which you can expect witrh bulk ammo, Also shot Winchester & Federal Bulk...they weren't as accurate....both would give me FTE (Failure To Eject) problems, with the Federal being the worst. At 50 yards they all were quite accurate.
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Old February 21, 2013, 04:36 PM   #18
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The Golden Bullets work better than anything I have used in my Phoenix HP-22. They never fail me in any way. thye Federal Bulk packs occasionally have a FTF. I get Golden Bullets every time they are available.
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Old February 21, 2013, 08:41 PM   #19
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The FTF rate for bulk golden bullet packs ran up to 7% for some lots based on my reading. I personally have had good luck overall but with a couple FTF's per 500 rounds. The "new and improved" is more dependable but it comes in 225 round bulk packs.

The inconvenience caused relates more to what firearm I am shooting them with. I dislike having to clear semipauto rifles and handguns but have no big problem with manual action rifles and revolvers.
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Old February 21, 2013, 10:43 PM   #20
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Gave up on Rem Golden

Shooters:
I used to use Rem Golden a lot and just thought having about a 5% failure rate was normal for 22lr ammo. Then I shot some Blazers. Gave up on the Golden. The 5% failure is no exaggeration. And it didn't matter which gun I used. The S&W 22a, the Ruger 10/22 and the H&R six gun all had the same failure rate. Is all Rem ammo made in the same factory? Could there be regional differences?
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Old February 22, 2013, 12:38 AM   #21
Sport45
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I too quit shooting Golden Bullets several years ago because of the frequent failures to fire. About half of them would fire on the second try if turned to strike the rim about halfway around.

Very accurate in my guns, I just couldn't abide by the failure rate.
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Old February 22, 2013, 02:20 AM   #22
hogdogs
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My experience with the GB's is higher failure rate and dirtier than Win or Fed bulk packs... But in a pinch, I will buy any of the 3...

Brent
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Old February 22, 2013, 05:23 PM   #23
Old Grump
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In a long session with a pistol, the difference between shooting thunderbolt and Dynapoint (with which I have also had very good experience) is pronounced. With the former, after several hundred rounds the inside of the pistol looks as if you sprayed dirty engine oil in it, then through a handful of sand at it. With the latter, you get some accumulation of wax and a fine, gray residue, but you can't get through 500 rounds without the sandy accumulation that can adversely affect function.
No argument there but I get to shoot often and my days of 100 or more rounds of 22 in a single gun at a single session are behind me. Even in competition the most I usually fired in a days match was 90 rounds of 22 LR and I was using match ammo for that.

For hunting maybe half a dozen shots on a good day of small game hunting and then it was to the cleaning bench first the game then the gun. For serious practice 5 targets of 10 shots each is a days shooting with one gun so with brass plated bullets (my first choice) its a little barrel work and clean the action, lead or heavily waxed lead ammo and it is a thorough cleaning of both barrel and action. If you are a brick a session shooter it can be a problem or if you are one of those who only cleans a gun when he can't chamber a round anymore it is a consideration but I think for most of us it really doesn't matter what you shoot as long as you do some sort of cleaning after you shoot. Does it go bang, do you hit the target?

I could be wrong, often am but that's dos centavos from a dinosaur.
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Old February 22, 2013, 09:05 PM   #24
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there is guy that is selling 15 bricks on armslist for 135 a brick his ad says these are rare today so 135 is really a good price...i tried to buy all of them but wife wouldnt let me..jk.
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Old February 22, 2013, 09:12 PM   #25
Kayser
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It's Golden Bullets for me any day. Reliable, economical and they have enough juice to properly cycle a 22 conversion on a 1911.

On the other hand, I am not a fan of Federal 22s of any stripe. Shockingly unreliable.
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