BREAKING NEWS: .22 TCM Glock Conversion kits Coming Soon! (I'm 90% sure)

I remember Martin Tuason (President of Armscor) saying something on his Facebook account a few weeks ago about releasing a product that would be considered by some to be "heretical". He's a cool guy, always giving really exciting teasers on their upcoming projects. 

They've also got their ears close to the ground and must have heard the clamor on the internet.

It makes a lot of sense. Follow my train of thought: 

Armscor is the largest 1911 manufacturer in the world... 

...aggressively promoting the .22 TCM cartridge... 

... how do you make your bullet more popular? 

...Glocks are the most popular 9mm platform...

A .22 TCM Conversion kit for Glocks! It makes perfect sense!

My hunch looks like its on the money because there was talk earlier today about a conversion kit for the Glock 17 to chamber the ammo being released really soon.

What does this mean? We could see the .22 TCM become more widely used since the only way at present was to purchase the TCM pistol and bolt-action rifle. 

Now the other half of the pistol community worldwide would have the chance to give this a shot. I mean "half of the world's police force" can't go wrong (if you believe the marketing).

This is quite a bold move since the company is putting the bullet in the hands of folks using a a brand known as its nemesis and the subject of fanboy wars across the internet.


We're all familiar with the whole 1911 VS Glock and .45 VS 9mm debate. My head is spinning, and old Gaston G. should be shaking his as well.

In the end, this strategy will go a long way in ensuring the longevity of the caliber.

Moving Forward
Now that its poised to reach even greater popularity, I'm really looking forward to is more real-world studies on this caliber. I've been clamoring for that since it was launched more than two years ago. Ballistic performance, penetration tests vs armor, drywall, car doors, frozen turkeys, zombie heads, FBI gel, hair gel... Lets have it!

Only then would we know how it stands as a defensive round compared to the 9mm, .45, .40, .380, .25, .22 and more.

Can someone call up Pocket Guns & Gear, Box o' Truth, Brassfetcher, Hickok45 or the Poboyspecial to do the science? Thanks!


UPDATE: Bruce F. of Pocket Guns & Gear has made some really cool tests on the cartridge. :-)

Stay vigilant!

Small Bullet, Big Hit: The new Armscor .22 TCM

About two months ago at the Bolo Tuason Cup I was able to try out the new .22 TCM bullet developed by ARMSCOR.  The little thing is based on a necked down .223, travels at 2,100 fps and its JHP head weighs only 40 grains. That is a tremendous amount of velocity and performance from such a small cartridge. It is quite exciting to see where this will go in the world of personal defense.

The photo below is a nifty size comparison between the two most common pistol calibers.

The birth of a new caliber and handgun:

The guys from Armscor were demonstrating the bullet with a prototype Rock Island Armory .22 TCM Pistol.  Its basically a double-stack magazine 1911 chambered for the new caliber.  This was definitely one of the early models judging from the low serial number.

While lining up for my turn, I was intimidated by the large muzzle blast coming from the gun. It was also really loud! I don't shy away from big stuff, but hearing it from a handgun gun was a new experience. I even flinched in anticipation before breaking my 1st shot. To my surprise, it had hardly any recoil despite the thunder from each trigger pull.

I love this fire-breathing pistol! There was hardly any kick, and placing 5 rapid-fire shots in the center of a target 10 meters away was really easy. This was a popular attraction at the Level Three IPSC Match and a lot of rounds went downrange.

This is one of the prototypes. Check out the old "Rock Island Armory" logo, and the rough "Armscor" rubber grips.

I found another video showing what it could do to a watermelon. Those things are heavy. Sure they're soft, but blowing it up like that is proof of physics.

I wish we could see lot of ballistic testing for this caliber, particularly in its terminal performance as a defensive round as well as how it will fare over a long distance. Does it tumble when entering a target? Does it expand? How will it deal with layers of denim and bone? Will it smash through a car windshield? We need answers. Another key to success would be the availability of the ammunition. I'm sure the company is working on producing sustainable quantities for this breakthrough caliber as it looks like it was designed to make a significant mark on the industry.

What if they built a rifle or submachine gun chambered in this round? What about a polymer concealed-carry pistol? Can we have a drum magazine? The possibilities are endless!

VS Zombies?  Think of a gun that shoots light as a .22, could hit harder than a .45, and could carry twice the amount of ammo. Accurate head shots are definitely not a problem. I sure hope to see more developments for the .22 TCM!

UPDATE: I've got more info about this bullet's penetrating power over here.

Stay vigilant!