I have been shooting my S&W Victory 22 pistol for a few months now having bought it on the used market. The gun shoots better than I can hold and I am very pleased with its performance. I have been using new Aguila, CCI Blazer, Federal, Remington Golden and Remington Thunderbolt with no problems. Much to my delight the gun groups best with the Remington Thunderbolt brick that I have that is about 5 years old. I recently found a great deal on bulk Thunderbolt and bought 2500 rounds. I plan to shoot this gun a lot. First trip to the range today and everything is going fine for the first 60-70 rounds, getting my standard 3 inch groups at 10 yards , when all at once I can not hit the target with 5 out of ten shots and the ones that hit are key holing. Checking the bore reviles bad leading so I stop shooting go home, disassemble the gun and try to run a brush through the barrel but it only goes half way and stops. I ended up driving and old cleaning rod through the barrel with a hammer removing a plug of lead about an inch long resembling a 22 case open at both ends. Scrubbed for a hour with brush and patches to finally get a clean bore. now I should state the bore was clean to begin the day of shooting, I always clean the gun when I am done. Has anyone else had problems with recently bought Thunderbolt? I have 2400 rounds left and don't want to have this problem ever time I shoot it. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Wow, nothing similar to that at all with Thunderbolt. Perhaps there is a rifling tool marking or burr inside the barrel that is accumulating and shaving lead?

If that was the problem it should have accumulated Aguila, CCI Blazer, Federal, Remington Golden and old batch of Thunderbolt lead bullet shavings but it did not show any with them?

True, looking back at it. My advice would be to go repeat the trial, shoot off another brick and see if the problem re-occurs. It may have been a one-time-thing.