Armscore 22TCM Bolt Action Rifle Range Report

[lbaize3]

Hatch, I have been having back problems that come with being too old, too fat, and getting tired of enduring the pain. Like most things the pain cycles. Now if I can only get the cycle to arrange a low pain day when the range is not too hot, too cold, or too wet for my target setter (my loving wife).... I'll bet lots of shooters can relate to my terrible tale of woe... In any case I promise to continue my exploration of various loads for the TCM rifle. I realize that most accomplished reloaders can use my data for cast boolits and various j word projectiles.

[HATCH]

I can relate. I am at the orthopedic Dr getting a shot in my shoulders right now

[hornetfan]

Would Joejo or lbaize3 please describe the action? Extractor, safety, etc? Is this a Mauser type action with fully controlled round feed like the CZ 527? Performance seems similar to .22 Hornet or K-Hornet but lower performance than Johnson's .22 wildcat of the .30 Carbine cartirdge. Unfortunately the 5.7 Spitfire never really got much attention. Hopefully with the .22 TCM and FN 5.7 that will change. The TCM has the advantage of being easily reloaded. For those that reload (everyone here I assume you might check out 5.7 Spitfire load data for comparison.

I love that there is a bolt rifle with a decent capacity magazine for this cartridge! (BTW lbaize3, I live in northeast Texas)

[lbaize3]

Glad to have you aboard, hornetfan! The 22 TCM rifle is a basic bolt action, non controlled feed. Safety is a lever on the right side of the action, behind the bolt. Forward to fire and to the rear to make safe. Bolt has a single rear locking lug opposite of the bolt. Somewhat reminds me of the Ruger 22 hornet rifle.

The 22 TCM and the 22 Hornet have about the same capacity I do use the Hornet reloading data to give me starting points for the 22 TCM. The TCM has a very short neck, making most 22 jacketed bullets too long for it. I have been loading a Speer 22 Hornet 40 grain bullet. 13 grains of 1680 seems about right with no pressure signs. 10 grains of AA#9 was too hot using the Armscor 40 grain 22 bullet. I have had better luck with 9 grains of AA#9. I will be clocking these loads and reporting on the accuracy of them and other loads using H110 at a future date. It is entirely too cold and wet for this old man and his loving target setter to go to the range right now. (See above response to Hatch...).

I have no idea of how this responds to the spitfire. I do know that it meets and exceeds the 22 Hornet in some areas and the Hornet out does the 22 TCM in other areas.

Again, welcome aboard!

[joejo]

just to add to what lbaize3 already said, here are some pics for you to contemplate. the gun is kind of a push/control feed in my opinion. I think the round is suppose to enter the bolt face once it clears the mag and the mini extractor is suppose to hold it secure.
the bolt is a weak link imo. the small pin/sear catch is all that keeps a "hard to extract case" from ripping the bolt apart. the trigger has a sear engagement screw that needs to be adjusted with the bolt de-cocked, and the spring is easy enough to get to so you can remove some coils, or swap it out to lighten the trigger pull.


the bolt handle also is a second locking lug judging by the wear marks on mine.



disregard the black die I used to clearance the bolt face



pretty beefy action though



the ejector



new mag length reloads using the midway dogtown 34 grn bullets and a 35 grn vmax with the polymer tip removed

[joejo]

my 22tcm is currently under re-construction. I just couldn't get this rifle to shoot consistent so I bore-scoped the rifle more closely after a good scrubbing and found way too many tooling marks and pieces if rifleing missing as well as long gouges in the lands. so it currently has that tomato stake tore off and a factory Remington stainless model seven 22-250 barrel waiting to be chopped off and re-chambered. we will see how it does hopefully this weekend.

[lbaize3]

Keep us posted, joejo. I have used JB bore paste to polish my bore and it looks pretty good from what I see. Probably need a bore scope to check and make sure mine is not messed up like yours. Can you tell how you worked on the bolt face. I am fairly sure I need to do the same thing to mine...

[joejo]

for the bolt face I just removed the extractor and chucked the bolt up and removed about 5-7 thou from the bolt nose recess. that little crown looking section on the bolt head. I basically just opened up that are to keep a fired case from binding up against the edge of this "lip". the case head would fit pretty tight in the bolt face before, now there is some clearance. this wouldn't have to be done if the chamber wasn't so sloppy and out of alignment. once fired brass would stretch nearly 15 thou shoulder to base on the first firing.

[joejo]

I should have the reamer Saturday so the gun will be shooting again sunday. hopefully! I am going to make the chamber match my reloading die as far as shoulder setback so the cases don't stretch so much.

[joejo]

quick quiz. can anyone id the rifle in the background in the pics a few posts back?

[joejo]

here it is with the new barrel.
its definitely a lot lighter now. and shorter.. good truck gun now.

[lbaize3]

Man! I do like that!

[joejo]

decided I was tired of the "hard to extract" issues with slightly high pressure rounds, factory included, so I modified the bolt and made it a very positive working cam.





I drilled a .125 hole in the inner bolt body and threaded for m4 x whatever. slotted the outer bolt shroud and installed a hardened grub screw. now the cam on the action actually forces the bolt back rather then compressing the firing pin spring.

[lbaize3]

That sounds too easy. I am going to do it, too! Just need to get off the couch.....

[joejo]

That sounds too easy. I am going to do it, too! Just need to get off the couch.....

I hear you. I am going stir crazy this winter. snow and cold is getting to me. I just keep picking away at gun projects to maintain sanity. its too cold to bother shooting for good groups the shivering throws flyers.

[stykbow]

Hey all! I just bought a 22 TCM rifle, I have owned the pistol for a while and reload for it. I got to shoot the rifle last weekend and it is awesome! good groups overall with factory ammo, there was some hot loads and some soft loads as there ammo isn't very consistent and thats why I started reloading it. I haven't tried My reloads in it yet! didn't have time as I was sighting a few other rifles that I have but I can see great potential with this rifle.

[lbaize3]

Welcome to the fun and games. Stay posted, I intend to give a continuing report on loading adventures to help develop a baseline for other reloaders. Joejo is keeping us up to date on modifications and at some point I expect someone will find a lead boolit that excels in the TCM.

[joejo]

I made some more mods to the frankengun. I filed out about 70 thou from the magazine guide and notched the magazine itself. this now allows me to have a 3 shot gun with coal of 1.4 inches. this doesn't seem that important, but on a case that would only allow 1.3 inches, .100 more is huge. I can actually get the bullets to the lands and on those sleek style .22 bullets they aren't shoved into the case like before.

it still doesn't shoot great though. I have another batch ready to try. I haven't tried any other powders but 296 and lilgun. maybe I need to go another direction.


STYKBOW how did your group with factory ammo and at what range?

[HATCH]

Sending two factory rifles to get cut to 16.25 and threaded 1/2x28

[lbaize3]

Please keep us posted, Hatch. I saw a 22 TCM contender rifle barrel at Ed's Contenders.

3/16/2015 I just ordered the 24 inch 22 TCM contender barrel from Ed Kirpatrick at Ed's Contenders. He is really a joy to talk with. Now maybe I can try some cast boolits in 22 TCM.