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Post by HMC710 on Jul 4, 2019 12:48:58 GMT -5
Hey All,
Running the 22 TCM in the AR 15 is a nice round, but limited and frustrating...
The TCM brass is very soft and I've had to trim it every reload cycle to keep the necks close to a consistent length. The AR beat up on the rounds and I like to crimp my necks to help keep the bullets in place. The first issue you notice is if you Trim to 1.022", you can't crimp in the factory 40 gr cannalure and be under 1.28". That means you "over trim" or run longer loads. The issue with that is the factory mag is 1.28" and that's it.
The other issue is bullet selection. Running the shortest flat base 30 gr bullet, puts you over 1.28". That's why we've been spending so much time on the SP mag set ups. Our development used Tokarev mags and our adapter. That got us to 1.38" OAL. Only the shortest flat base spitzer will fit that OAL, again limiting your selection. Again, "over seating" isn't the best practice in the AR. Our next mag is the M1 which is good for 1.69" oal. The longer you load the TCM, the better it feeds out of the dedicated mags. The issue here is you need to get over 60gr bullets to hit that length, leaving all the 35 - 55 gr bullets with no where to go.
We are working on it and just tested two mags that fed 100% in initial testing (again....) We'll see if that holds up and expand that mod to the longer mags.
My go to reload is factory 40 gr bullets over 10 gr of H110 as that is a factory duplication and all I have time to do while doing mag development.
If you have a pet load, feel free to post!
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Post by HMC710 on Jul 4, 2019 17:48:37 GMT -5
Two test loads today on the TCM  This is a 1.28" load with Speer 33gr Hornet bullets. You can get it down to 1.28, but if you bump the nose at all, it pushes right in. Careful case trimming and loading and they will fit a stock TCM mag. Another vote for trimming the case length another .010" at least.... This is the only bullet I've found I can push down to 1.28 other than the factory 40gr FP, 9R, and an old cast Lyman 37gr flat point. Next load is a Nosler 40gr Varmageddon Flat Base Hollow Point. Again case prep and loading is key....  These rounds were pushed down to 1.38"+. It would be nice if the HP was cut off .010"! The rounds are loaded in one of our 1.38 Beta mags with the latest mod, and just barely fit. I've got some Barnes 36 gr FBHP too, but I can't get them past 1.39" Here's some rounds from an earlier post  We'll do some more testing on Saturday at the range and see how it goes. Also loaded and tested some 9R loads in a straight up Glock lower AR (with Glock cut BCG and the BB ejector removed). |
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Post by HMC710 on Jul 4, 2019 17:51:51 GMT -5
Hit the pic limit on last post....  Here's the 9R loaded down to 1.17" to fit std glock mag. Test went well so we'll bring that along this weekend. |
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Post by HMC710 on Jan 26, 2020 20:05:07 GMT -5
Customer called in saying he loads with Lil Gun with great results. According to QL it will gain you about 100 fps
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Post by HMC710 on Jul 11, 2020 16:59:11 GMT -5
Ran into some issue recently with new Armscor nickel plated ammo. Cases are fat to the point of not chambering. Ones that did chamber and fire get swaged at the base when sized. Called Armscor for their chamber print, but they won't give it out. Told me to send the ammo back and if it fit their chambers it ok.....  Anyone else having this issue? H |
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Post by squirrelslayer on Jul 12, 2020 15:38:43 GMT -5
Is that factory ammo? I've read that armscor brass is pretty soft. Those look like almost like glock smiles. Unsupported chamber from the looks from it or high pressure.
DI or BB upper?
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Post by HMC710 on Jul 12, 2020 21:52:59 GMT -5
THis is factory Armscor nickel plated. I'be been reloading brass for years to keep costs down and had a customer say that rounds wouldn't load. Got the barrel back and bought 4 boxes of ammo and sure enough, over half the rounds would not chamber. Some are .007" oversize compared with Saami print. Asked Armscor for their chamber dims, but they won't give it out.
THis is a DI upper fully supported chamber. The swage was when I tried to size the nickel brass. Dia was so big I swaged it down to the base... Yes brass is crazy soft. Reloading is a pain as you have to trim after sizing.
Maybe thats how they are running these in the Glocks and 1911, Oversize bodies and swaging them into the chambers....
The TCM DOES NOT work in blow back in the AR, BOOM!!!!!! the only way I got it to work was with either puff rounds or using 556 brass and super heavy buffer & spring
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Post by squirrelslayer on Jul 13, 2020 20:01:41 GMT -5
wow that is nutty. maybe make a "bulge buster" setup a .380 acp lee carbide factory crimp die then make a 22 cal pin to put in the press ram and drive cases through base first to prevent the swaging?
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Post by HMC710 on Jul 14, 2020 6:28:22 GMT -5
Yes, the reloading issue can be solved, but the problem is the ammo is fat from the factory and has trouble chambering. Without an Armscor print, we can only guess what their dimensions should be....
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Post by squirrelslayer on Jul 14, 2020 19:37:41 GMT -5
Yes, the reloading issue can be solved, but the problem is the ammo is fat from the factory and has trouble chambering. Without an Armscor print, we can only guess what their dimensions should be.... Maybe see if someone would lend a factory barrel and cerrosafe it to know for sure? |
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Post by HMC710 on Jul 14, 2020 22:23:16 GMT -5
Bueller? Bueller? That would be great, or just send some dims....
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Post by HMC710 on Nov 24, 2023 15:43:23 GMT -5
TCM Update: Hey All, Happy Thanksgiving!!!! We have been working hard on our new TCM magazines and have testers out there with well over 1000 rounds through them. They are feeding factory TCM ammo just fine and currently hold 18 rounds. We are working with different materials and mfg methods to get these out as quickly as possible.  Early prototype TCM mags Now on to reloading!!! We took one of our new mags and stretched out the pocket to over 1.6". This allows us to use up to 55 gr bullets. I had some old reloads and loaded up some fresh ones using 35-55gr bullets and tested out our new mags and dusted off the old TCM carbine we built way back that still has the original (non Battle) chamber.   TCM "Long" mags with real bullets Did some testing with factory loads and the B chamber vs the real bullets and M (original) chamber. Some of the factory loads will not chamber in the original M chamber. |
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Post by HMC710 on Nov 24, 2023 15:57:11 GMT -5
Here are some quick targets with the various loads.  16" brl  16" brl 8" brl new Factory ammo  |
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Post by HMC710 on Nov 24, 2023 16:00:38 GMT -5
Here's the two uppers I used, my original 16" carbine, one of the first TCM's I made years ago.   8" pistol with B chamber and pistol scope. I wouldn't put much stock in the Factory target as this was the most shooting I've done in years..... YEARS..... But, now that road work has slowed way down we are going to get back at it! |
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Post by HMC710 on Dec 25, 2023 12:49:34 GMT -5
Reloaded a few rounds last week and hope to test them out today. Got some super short 33 gr flat base to 50gr vmax to try out. Looking to add a mid length magazine to the group when we get some general OAL specs on the reloads.  |
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