Tandemkross Kraken Anyone???

[Skylerbone]

Curious if anyone has ordered one complete with upgrades and your thoughts on it. I placed my order last week after holding out a few months so I’ve got a couple weeks for y’all to build the hype up.

 

[GBExpat]

So, considering the Forum, I would be correct to assume that a "Tandemkross Kraken" is a semi-auto pistol?

 

[Skylerbone]

So, considering the Forum, I would be correct to assume that a "Tandemkross Kraken" is a semi-auto pistol?

Apologies, yes, an aluminum frame lower meant to combine with a Ruger Mark IV upper. The below is for the full pistol, mine was ordered as a complete lower only.

 

[GBExpat]

Cool! Thanks for the explanation.

A very specialized item.

I did a lookup for "Race Gun" (for those who are also in the dark on the subject) ...

"A racegun or race gun is a firearm that has been modified for accuracy, speed, and reliability. Often a semi-automatic pistol, raceguns are used primarily in practical shooting competitions and are modified to function best within a certain set of rules, such as weight, size, and capacity requirements."

Learning new things every day. Thanks!

... and now, back to the originally scheduled programming ...

 

[Ru4real]

It will be interesting to hear how it shoots once you put it together. They make good stuff, IMO.

I’ve got a S&W Victory with Tandemkross 8oz trigger, spring, hammer, slide handle, magazine bottoms, quick draw holster and grip panels. Has a Volquartsen carbon barrel. Set up as a race gun.

Here it is bringing home some meat last fall on a mountain hike. Head shot at about 20 paces.


View attachment 1072535

 

[Armored farmer]

When I first read tandemkross kraken I thought of some new boutique whiskey, or possibly some type of jockstrap for women's NCAA swim teams.
Everyone should have a hyper-accurate 22 pistol.

 

[Rule3]

TandemKross Making Good Guns More Expensive!

 

[GBExpat]

... or possibly some type of jockstrap for women's NCAA swim teams.

LOL! I almost had to clean coffee off of my laptop keyboard.

 

[CapnMac]

Apologies, yes, an aluminum frame lower meant to combine with a Ruger Mark IV upper. The below is for the full pistol, mine was ordered as a complete lower only.
View attachment 1072531

Looks more "ray gun" than "race gun" (although those lines are very blurry no matter what).

That looks pretty cool, though.

 

[Skylerbone]

Looks more "ray gun" than "race gun" (although those lines are very blurry no matter what).

That looks pretty cool, though.

My upper will be rather pedestrian by comparison, having acquired a take-off from VQ and guts from Wirthwein. I am considering several other barrels at the moment but this finally gets me up and shooting.

In a panic attack last night I woke to recall that piecemeal upper + lower does not equal magazines so I grabbed the last two TacSol Slam Mags Top Gun had in stock so as to avoid hand feeding.

 

[Skylerbone]

Well it’s in transit, I’ll have pics to share hopefully on Tuesday, 4-26

 

[Demi-human]

Vq and TK go together like PB and J!
Maybe they’re the bread in the rimfire sandwich?

I would like one of the less-pedestrian models for certain.

I look forward to seeing your finished pistol and reading the review.

 

[Howland937]

Haven't handled the TK at all, but I've fondled a couple of the Black Mambas. If it's anything similar, it should be a lot of fun. I'd seen the takeoffs on clearance through VQ for something like $29.99 awhile back and really considered following your same route, but didn't. Maybe you'll convince me I should.

 

[Nature Boy]

I want one just so I can say, “Release the Kraken” every time I pull it out of the range bag

 

[gobsauce]

I want one just so I can say, “Release the Kraken” every time I pull it out of the range bag

I like the sound of that, specifically because krakens are meant to be massive creatures, and here you are whipping out a completely miniscule .22LR pistol.

 

[Skylerbone]

Haven't handled the TK at all, but I've fondled a couple of the Black Mambas. If it's anything similar, it should be a lot of fun. I'd seen the takeoffs on clearance through VQ for something like $29.99 awhile back and really considered following your same route, but didn't. Maybe you'll convince me I should.

If I had full on VQ money I would own a few for sure! TK has sold me just enough parts to convince me they are on to something, even if it’s only that they can tinker harder than I can, but I’ve yet to regret a purchase from them. I’ll definitely provide range reports, though I’m not generally a crack shot with pistols.

 

[Skylerbone]

I want one just so I can say, “Release the Kraken” every time I pull it out of the range bag

It did ship with a free pistol bag but I can freely admit here among brethren that I’ve been daydreaming about an overly silly means of housing it. Not a Ziploc full of saltwater or anything too extreme but perhaps a thin bit of suede with drawn nautical map.

 

[Howland937]

If I had full on VQ money

I was just looking at the snip of the ad for the whole TK gun, and it's pretty much right there with the VQ price-wise.

 

[Frankl03]

I looked at these before but then you had to have a Mk IV donor lower for the internal parts. Glad to see they put out one with there own parts.

 

[Skylerbone]

I looked at these before but then you had to have a Mk IV donor lower for the internal parts. Glad to see they put out one with there own parts.

Indeed they did, along with now carrying factory Mark IVs, and factory lower assemblies complete.

Im anxiously awaiting tomorrow, remembered a few days ago that I needed an optics mount, and gave TK the nod again. How it beat the lower here I’ll never know but it did so I’ll be ready after work to click things together.

 

[Frankl03]

Looks like a great set up!

 

[AzShooter1]

Looks like you have a great pistol in the making. Love to hear the review once you get it all together and broken in. The Kraken looks interesting except you lose the ability to take it apart with just one button. You have to screw the top end on each time and I wonder if you need to torque it to get the same accuracy.
I've had a Black Mamba for 4 years and love it. I'm a tinkerer so I understand you wanting the newest toy on the block. Everything I've read about it for accuracy is good.
The 5.5 inch target barrel and Vortex red dot meld together real well.
Good Luck and Good Shooting.

 

[Skylerbone]

I proudly present...

 

[Skylerbone]

 

[Skylerbone]

Tandemkross did a fantastic job with this frame and build. The Ruger is really no more substantial than with the OEM frame but thanks to the slightly varied dimensions of the Kraken, patterned backstrap, and Hive grips, the package as a whole takes on a different character. Controls are graciously enlarged, fit is superb, and I cannot wait to shoot it.

For as long as I have been aware of unique handgun options I seldom took advantage of opportunities to get what I wanted even where price was inconsequential. TK has priced their build at a rather competitive point in the market, mine comes in at a total (not including optic or mount) at $720, about what a factory Mark IV Lite would cost you without all of the internal improvements and racy aluminum frame.

If you find yourself in a position of need and like the idea of choosing to have it your way, with the upper of your choice, I can say a Kraken build from Tandemkross should be high on your list. Separate range report to follow soon along with other opinions as I get this into the hands of a few range buddies.