Estimated reading time: 14 minutes
The Taurus TX22 Braced takes an already impressive .22 LR pistol and adds a folding brace, optics-ready slide and suppressor-friendly setup. It ran cheap ammo surprisingly well and delivered plenty of fun, but the missing manual safety and a stubborn brace button left me with a few complaints.
Table of contents
- Taurus TX22 Braced Review: Can a Folding Brace Make .22 LR More Fun?
- Taurus TX22 Braced Video Review: See It Run at the Range
- Taurus TX22 Braced Specs: Capacity, Weight, Barrel and Price
- Strike Industries FSA Lite: Clever Folding Brace, Stubborn Button
- Taurus TX22 Braced Features: 22 Rounds, Optics and Ambidextrous Charging
- No Manual Safety on the TX22 Braced? Here’s My Biggest Complaint
- Taurus TX22 Braced Suppressed: Compact, Quiet and Reliable
- Taurus TTX22 Suppressor Review: Titanium, Quiet and One Catch
- Taurus TX22 Braced Range Test: Cheap Ammo, Real Reliability Results
- Before You Buy the Taurus TX22 Braced: The Little Things Add Up
- Taurus TX22 Braced Pros and Cons: Where It Shines and Where It Stumbles
- Taurus TX22 Braced Verdict: Serious Fun, With a Few Frustrations
- Taurus TX22 Braced FAQ: Price, Magazines, Optics and Suppressors
- How Much Does the Taurus TX22 Braced Cost?
- Which Folding Brace Comes on the Taurus TX22 Braced?
- What Magazine Capacity Does the Taurus TX22 Braced Have?
- Is the Taurus TX22 Braced Optics-Ready for a Red Dot?
- Does the Taurus TX22 Braced Have a Threaded Barrel for a Suppressor?
- Can You Shoot the Taurus TX22 Braced With the Brace Folded?
- More Rimfire Reviews: Related Reads from GunsAmerica Digest
Taurus TX22 Braced Review: Can a Folding Brace Make .22 LR More Fun?
The new Taurus TX22 Braced is the TX22 with the optics-ready TORO slide, a reshaped grip and a rear extension that ends in a Picatinny rail. It ships with a Strike Industries FSA Lite folding brace installed. Taurus also offers it brace-ready without the brace, and state-compliant models are available.
I’ll be upfront. My opinion of Taurus has not been high over the years. The original TX22 changed that. I think it competes with the best .22 pistols on the market and beats many of them, and it made me willing to give Taurus a second chance. So I came into this one with real expectations.
Taurus TX22 Braced Video Review: See It Run at the Range
Taurus TX22 Braced Specs: Capacity, Weight, Barrel and Price
| Spec | TaurusTX 22 With Brace |
|---|---|
| Caliber | .22 LR |
| Action | Single action, striker fired, straight blowback |
| Barrel | 4.6″ alloy steel, threaded |
| Slide | Aluminum, hard anodized black, optics cut for RMSc |
| Frame | Polymer with Picatinny accessory rail |
| Brace | Strike Industries FSA Lite, folding |
| Magazines | One 22-round, one 16-round |
| Overall length | 19.5″ |
| Height / Width | 5.44″ / 2.03″ |
| Weight | 24.9 oz unloaded |
| Item number | 1-3TX22P141-MB |
| MSRP | $507.99 |
Strike Industries FSA Lite: Clever Folding Brace, Stubborn Button
Taurus remolded the lower of the TX22 for this model and added a rear extension with a Picatinny rail. It is not the best-looking extension, but it works. The brace that ships on it is the FSA Lite, a newer and much thinner design than the Strike Industries braces I have used before.
The brace is small, stiff and light. There is not much material to put against your shoulder, but a .22 has almost no recoil, so it does the job. Folded, it sits tight against the gun. You can still work the slide and shoot it like a normal handgun, and right-handed shooters can use a thumbs-forward grip without deploying the brace. Left-handed shooters will find that harder.
I have two complaints. First, the collapse button is hard to press. I have strong hands and it left an imprint in my thumb, so I think the spring is heavier than it needs to be. Second, the brace was very stiff to lock into position out of the box. It loosened up with use and now locks in easily, and the lockup is tight. If yours fights you at first, give it time.
A Torx screw lets you move the brace up or down on the rail. I believe there are three positions, which helps you line up your eye with the iron sights or a red dot.
TX22 Braced Legal Considerations: What Owners Should Know
The brace can be swapped for a stock, and ATF has issued a recent letter on the subject. As an attorney, I have strong opinions on how carefully that letter should be read. My (not legal advice) recommendation is to buy the gun in its pistol configuration and keep everything you need to return it to pistol configuration in case enforcement changes. Know your own state and local laws before you change anything.
Taurus TX22 Braced Features: 22 Rounds, Optics and Ambidextrous Charging
The gun ships with two magazines: a 22-rounder with an extended base pad and a flush-fit 16-rounder. They are not hard to load, but you will feel like you are always reloading. A good loader would help, and I still haven’t found the best one for TX22 magazines but the comments in the YouTube video suggest the McFadden.
The slide has good serrations, lightening cuts on both sides and a window cut in the top. The cuts are there to keep the slide cycling reliably. The slide is cut for RMSc-pattern optics with a cover plate installed. I removed the plate and mounted a Viridian green dot.
In hindsight, I could have left the irons alone. The sights are a white dot front and a serrated black rear, which is the setup I like. After 300 to 400 rounds, the optic window was coated in carbon and getting hard to see through. That is the reality of a red dot on a .22.
One thing that is different on this model is the charging handle. It sticks out on both sides and is fully ambidextrous. Because the TX22 is a straight blowback design, you can grab it from either side and get two fingers on it. It is easy to charge.
The trigger is the same one the TX22 is known for, and it is good for a polymer .22. There is a true Picatinny rail under the frame for a light, and the barrel is threaded for a suppressor.
No Manual Safety on the TX22 Braced? Here’s My Biggest Complaint
Unlike other TX22 models I have handled, my test gun has no manual safety. I am disappointed by that. This is the kind of gun someone could fold up, load with a 22-round magazine, suppress and carry in a backpack or bag. The trigger guard is large, and it would not take much for keys or a pocketknife to get inside it and apply pressure to the trigger.
Taurus has put safeties on the TX22 before, and I would have preferred one here. Taurus’s online spec sheet lists a manual safety for this model, so confirm what the gun in front of you has before you buy it.
Also, early on it’s going to be difficult to find a holster that protects the trigger. A safety would have been nice.
Taurus TX22 Braced Suppressed: Compact, Quiet and Reliable
I ran the TX22 Braced suppressed with Taurus’s new TTX22, which is covered in more detail below. It ran the gun without any issues.
You don’t need a Taurus can. The barrel takes any .22-rated suppressor with 1/2×28 threads. With the brace folded and no suppressor, the gun is very short. With a can on it, it is a compact, quiet package.
Taurus TTX22 Suppressor Review: Titanium, Quiet and One Catch
The TTX22 is part of the TTX Series, Taurus’s first line of suppressors, announced in September 2026. The lineup includes the TTX22 for rimfire, the TTX9C for fixed-barrel 9mm carbines and the TTX30 for centerfire rifles. Taurus designed the TTX22 with its own TX22 in mind.
The can is built from sintered titanium through additive manufacturing, or 3D printing, using a monocore design under a high-temperature Cerakote C-Series finish. It is rated for full-auto fire, and Taurus claims up to 30 dB of sound reduction. It weighs under 4 ounces, so it adds very little to the front of the gun.
Taurus TTX22 Suppressor Specs: Titanium Build and $299.99 MSRP
| Spec | Taurus TTX22 |
|---|---|
| Rated cartridges | .22 LR, .22 WMR, .17 HMR, 5.7x28mm |
| Material | Additively manufactured titanium, monocore |
| Finish | Cerakote C-Series |
| Mount | 1/2×28 direct thread |
| Length / Diameter | 5.5″ / 1″ |
| Weight | 3.71 oz |
| MSRP | $299.99 |
The tradeoff is that the TTX22 is not user serviceable. Because it cannot be taken apart, plug both ends, fill it with cleaning solution and let it soak, or run it through an ultrasonic cleaner, then rinse and let it dry. Rimfire ammo is dirty, so plan on doing that regularly.
Taurus TX22 Braced Range Test: Cheap Ammo, Real Reliability Results
The green dot was very close to zero right out of the gate. From there, I ran two kinds of cheap ammunition: Federal bulk pack and Remington Thunderbolt. This is not a precision match gun. It is a fun gun meant to be shot on a budget, and a good one to teach kids on, so cheap ammo is the right test.
It ran close to flawlessly, but not perfectly. The Federal ran without a single stoppage. The Remington gave me two or three malfunctions in a couple hundred rounds, each cleared by cycling the slide. The Remington also sounded different and blew more gas and an occasional bit of powder back at my face from the ejection port. Rimfire ammo is often picky from gun to gun, so test a few brands and stick with what yours likes. I had no light strikes that I noticed, so the striker is hitting hard.
I also tried a slower load rated at about 1,100 feet per second from a rifle, expecting it to run subsonic from the 4.6-inch barrel. Suppressed, it was noticeably quieter, and it cycled the action and locked the slide back on empty. A true subsonic load would likely be quieter still.
Before You Buy the Taurus TX22 Braced: The Little Things Add Up
It runs out of ammo fast. During testing I needed one or two more rounds to finish a spinner target and both magazines were empty. Plan on buying extra magazines.
Loading .22 magazines is tedious, and two magazines is not many for a range day. The brace’s collapse button is stiff, the lockup is tight until it breaks in, and my test gun had no manual safety. A red dot will also get dirty quickly on a .22, so keep the irons in mind.
Taurus TX22 Braced Pros and Cons: Where It Shines and Where It Stumbles
- Pros: Reliable performance with Federal bulk pack ammunition, excellent TX22 ergonomics, a good trigger for a polymer .22, low recoil, an optics-ready slide, threaded barrel, compact folding brace and strong suppressed performance with the Taurus TTX22.
- Cons: No manual safety on the tested pistol, a stiff folding brace button, awkward brace operation before break-in, rapid carbon buildup on the optic window, tedious magazine loading and occasional Remington Thunderbolt malfunctions.
Taurus TX22 Braced Verdict: Serious Fun, With a Few Frustrations
The TX22 Braced is a fun gun, and that is the point of it. It is small, light and holds a lot of ammo, it suppresses well, and the brace adds support that gets you close to rifle-like accuracy. I think it would make a good survival or truck gun, and it is a good way to introduce new shooters to the sport.
The TX22 has been a solid pistol for years. The grip is still ergonomic and well textured, and the trigger is still good. My gripes are the missing safety and the stiff brace button. Neither kept me from enjoying it, and not every gun has to be about serious training.
Taurus TX22 Braced FAQ: Price, Magazines, Optics and Suppressors
How Much Does the Taurus TX22 Braced Cost?
The TX22 with the Strike Industries FSA Lite brace has an MSRP of $507.99.
Which Folding Brace Comes on the Taurus TX22 Braced?
It ships with the Strike Industries FSA Lite folding brace. Taurus also sells a brace-ready version without a brace installed.
What Magazine Capacity Does the Taurus TX22 Braced Have?
One 22-round magazine with an extended base pad and one flush-fit 16-round magazine.
Is the Taurus TX22 Braced Optics-Ready for a Red Dot?
Yes. The TORO slide is cut for RMSc-pattern optics.
Does the Taurus TX22 Braced Have a Threaded Barrel for a Suppressor?
Yes. The 4.6-inch barrel is threaded 1/2×28 and works with any .22-rated suppressor with those threads.
Can You Shoot the Taurus TX22 Braced With the Brace Folded?
Yes. You can shoot and operate the slide with the brace folded, though a thumbs-forward grip works best for right-handed shooters.
For full specs and current pricing, see the TaurusTX 22 With Brace on the Taurus USA website.
More Rimfire Reviews: Related Reads from GunsAmerica Digest
- Original Taurus TX22 Review: The Pistol That Changed Expectations
- Taurus TX22 Competition Review: A Game Gun and More
- Modern Rimfire Shootout: SIG P322 vs KelTec P17 vs Taurus TX22
As the Editor-in-Chief of GunsAmerica, Hunt365, Decoding Darkness, and Suppressor Academy, True Pearce brings a rare blend of legal expertise, competitive shooting credentials, and deep hunting knowledge to the forefront of the firearms world. A former professional sponsored 3-Gun and Multigun competitor with multiple championships and titles, True’s shooting career began in long-range and tactical sniper matches—and he still burns powder in precision competitions, now branching into Hunter NRL.
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