Rock Island TCM Range Report

[bannockburn]

Years ago Jeff Cooper worked on a project experimenting with a Super 9 cartridge using a Commander sized gun. What they finally ended up doing was using cut-down .223 brass to contain the pressure that was being created from pushing for such higher velocities. One of the problems they encountered was trying to develop an extractor that would work with the .223 brass.

 

[CmdrSlander]

Folks forget that Armscor sells a great deal of firearms to the latin american market. In that part of the world military calibers like the 5.7x28mm are often banned for civilian use. Hence the .22 TCM does in fact have a market with virtually no competition in the civilian arena, just not in the US perhaps.

 

[Fanky]

I don't own a chronograph myself, but I'm sure if I poke around enough at the range and let a few of the guys give it a whirl, I can procure the use of one to do some testing.

 

[Fanky]

Well, I got out to the range again with the TCM again the other day. It ran flawlessly with TCM, but when I switched over to the 9mm barrel and spring, it fell on its face. I was getting jams galore and failure to feeds with White Box 9mm. It hung up bad enough a few times to peel jacketing off of the rounds. I don't quite know what the issue is, but I'll try a few more different brands and my own loads before jumping to conclusions. Just for the record, on the rounds that did cycle, the TCM extractor functioned perfectly with 9mm.

 

[wally]

It ran flawlessly with TCM, but when I switched over to the 9mm barrel and spring, it fell on its face. I was getting jams galore and failure to feeds with White Box 9mm

First I'd try it with the 9mm barrel, recoil spring, and extractor. I doubt they'd ship it if it wasn't really needed. The 1911 is a "controlled feed" design so the case needs to slip under the extractor to feed.

If that fails give RIA a call, their customer support is pretty good.

 

[NG VI]

If the .223 rim is a little smaller and deeper recessed from the outer border of the case, I can see how the extractor could have a hard time with larger rimmed, shallower recessed 9mm brass.

 

[B!ngo]

I was going to buy a 5.7 setup (FiveSeven handgun and PS90) but decided that the ammo pricing, effectiveness of the round and diversity of gun offerings was just not sufficiently compelling to warrant FNH's pricing.
This OTOH is very interesting. Lower priced ammo, reasonably priced handgun, conversion capability to the round on which I ended up standardizing (9x19 for handgun and basic carbine).
I'm sure it will be a while before it is permitted on the CA handgun list. Perhaps by then there will be yet lower priced ammo, the kinks will be worked out of the gun, and there will be carbines and 9mm conversion kits for other handguns.
B

 

[Fanky]

I've been thinking it was the extractor causing my headaches, but it would run flawlessly with a partially filled magazine, but choked on anything over ten rounds in the mag. I'm not an expert on the 1911's operation, but could the extra spring pressure from a more fully loaded magazine be the culprit as well?

 

[NG VI]

Might could have the wrong recoil spring in it?

 

[mr.trooper]

I'm a 5.7 owner ...

I STILL think the TCM is cool. I'm gad to see that it isn't vaporware - this is the first time I've seen any reports of a real gun in a consumers hand.

No, the ammunition isn't any cheaper than FN 5.7 cartridges... but the gun itself is less expensive, and you can swap barrels to 9mm - which is good, because TCM ammo is not available at the majority of outdoor and sporting goods stores like the 5.7 is.

On the other hand, the TCM is designed to use shorter bullets with a rounded ogive ... that DOES limit you as to what bullets you can use in reloading spent casings. The 5.7 will shoot 55gr military FMJs (and many others) just fine.

Its 6 of one, and 1/2 dozen of the other. TCM is a viable options because it can shoot 9mm, and because the initial buy in price is lower ... but at this point the 5.7 still has all of the market share.

THANKS to Fanky for posting his review!

 

[nearmiss]

All the sources I can find say it is a necked down 9mm of some sort. But... when I look at the cartridges forget the case length, the extraction grooves lead me to believe it is based off the .223 rem.

Necked down .223. Here's the story of the development of the cartridge and gun.
http://atomitronx.com/products.html

 

[ColoradoFreedom]

To the guys that have the 22 TCM.. can you explain swapping out the extractor? I have the gun and am attempting to swap over to 9mm. Barrel and spring are easy, but the extractor seems to get hung up. Most 1911 videos I see have the extractor coming right out. On the DVD that comes with the 22TCM, they don't cover the extractor swap.

 

[bigfatdave]

my extractor needed some help for the last bit

I'm going to assume you got the FP cover plate off, found the FP/spring, and are trying to get the .22tcm extractor OUT, correct me if I'm wrong

At that point, I had to hook on to the rear of the extractor and pull gently while pushing the claw towards the hole in the breechface gently. (I think I used a dental pick for the pull and one of the 1-3" pieces of bamboo chopstick for the push)
I think it is a symptom of not being a .45 - the breechface is a lot more crowded on a 9mm, so the extractor cutout isn't as wide, maybe?

Installing the 9x19 extractor needed a little fiddling as well.

Oh, a tip for anyone worried about confusing the extractors - I used a piece of copper to scribe "9" and "22" on the rear of the extractors ... it could be done with a soft piece of brass as well (like a .22LR casing)

===

I shoot the 9x19 barrel a LOT more than the .22tcm barrel, for obvious cost reasons ... the .22tcm kit is neatly wrapped up and deposited in the plastic box from some CCI mini-mags, it was the perfect size&shape to slip in the safe