{"id":72334,"date":"2017-04-10T10:20:37","date_gmt":"2017-04-10T14:20:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gunsamerica.com\/blog\/?p=72334"},"modified":"2017-04-10T10:20:37","modified_gmt":"2023-08-20T20:55:52","slug":"fire-breathing-multi-cal-1911-rock-island-armorys-22-tcm9mm-combo-full-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/fire-breathing-multi-cal-1911-rock-island-armorys-22-tcm9mm-combo-full-review\/","title":{"rendered":"Fire-Breathing, Multi-Cal 1911: Rock Island Armory\u2019s .22 TCM\/9mm Combo \u2013 Full Review."},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Fire-Breathing,<\/a>

The fire-breathing Rock Island Armory TCM TAC ULTRA FS HC COMBO is one of seven available 22TCM\/9mm variants manufactured by Armscor in the Philippines.<\/p><\/div>\n

Rock Island Armory handguns are manufactured by Armscor International in the Philippines and sold in the United States under the Rock Island Armory brand name. Armscor International also produces 1911 style handguns for other well-known US brands.\u00a0 My initial experience with an Armscor International-produced 1911 was the STI Spartan 9mm I purchased as my entry-level IDPA competition handgun several years ago.\u00a0 Though my interest in IDPA competition waned, the Spartan 9mm quickly became a favorite and has accompanied me to the range a great many times over the years.<\/p>\n

\"Fire-Breathing,<\/a>

The pistol is designed with competition shooting in mind and can be easily switched between .22 TCM and 9mm.<\/p><\/div>\n

The Rock Island Armory TCM TAC Ultra FS HC Combo<\/a> piqued my interest because I\u2019m now considering competing in 3-Gun, USPSA, and Steel Challenge matches that local clubs have been holding on a regularly scheduled basis. Some of these competitions allow the use of \u201chigh-capacity\u201d magazines and owning a single handgun that could be competitive in all the event types is preferable to purchasing multiple handguns. At least until I figure out which types of competition appeal to me.<\/p>\n

\"Fire-Breathing,<\/a>

The magazine well mates cleanly with the grip frame interior. Vertical grooves on the front strap, custom G10 grips, and the deeply checkered flat mainspring housing provide ample gripping surface and texture. Note the large, flared mag well.<\/p><\/div>\n

The TCM TAC Ultra FS HC Combo (model number 51947) is one of five high-capacity .22 TCM\/9mm combo models in the Rock Island TCM Combo lineup. This specific model includes additional competition-friendly features not found on the other four variants. I was most interested in using the handgun with the 9mm barrel installed for competition, but certainly appreciated the additional .22 TCM barrel that would allow me to quickly convert from 9mm to .22 TCM.<\/p>\n

\"Fire-Breathing,<\/a>

The combo kit comes with everything you need to fire both rounds.<\/p><\/div>\n

The .22 TCM<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The .22 TCM was designed by Fred Craig and started life as the .22 Micro-Mag.\u00a0The cartridge was fully developed and commercialized by Craig and Martin Tuason from Armscor. When the cartridge came to market, the name had been changed to .22 TCM, which is shorthand for .22 T<\/u>uason C<\/u>raig M<\/u>icro-Mag. Armscor is currently the sole producer of .22 TCM loaded ammunition. They also sell .22 TCM brass and bullets for those that wish to try their hand at reloading .22 TCM using available Lee, Hornady, or Redding die sets.<\/p>\n

\"Fire-Breathing,<\/a>

The .22 TCM (center) joins a group of modern bottleneck cartridges that can be fired in handguns. On-hand comparison samples were limited to .32 NAA (left) and .357 Sig (right). There are several others.<\/p><\/div>\n

The .22 TCM is an interesting cartridge.\u00a0The brass case used to create the cartridge was originally derived from the .223 Remington rifle brass.\u00a0The brass case is shortened, and given a bottle neck to accept the 40 grain .22 caliber bullet.\u00a0The .22 TCM finished length is about the same as a .45 Auto, but it has the approximate diameter of the 9mm Luger. Running at pressures up to 40,000 psi, the .22 TCM leaves a 5-inch handgun barrel at velocities greater than 2,000 feet per second. The low bullet mass and high-velocity round generates kinetic energy very similar to 124 grain 9mm +P ammunition fired from the same barrel length. (For the purists, 381 ft\/lbs for 9mm +P vs. 373 ft\/lbs for the .22 TCM in my testing done for this review.)<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Fire-Breathing,<\/a>

Author\u2019s previous terminal .22 TCM testing in gel media demonstrated impressive terminal performance.<\/p><\/div>\n

A few years ago, I had the opportunity to conduct some structured terminal testing of the .22 TCM when fired through various clothing barriers into Clear Ballistics gel. The testing was done with an early model Rock Island Armory single-stack .22 TCM\/9mm conversion with a 5-inch barrel. All tested bullets expanded to about 1.5 times their starting diameter (.34 inches) and penetrated between 13 and 16 inches of ballistics gel. For some people, this terminal performance is satisfactory for defensive purposes. That\u2019s a decision each one of us needs to make based on our own personal requirements so I will convey the facts and reserve my opinion of the rounds suitability for defensive ammunition needs.<\/p>\n

The cost for a box of 50 .22 TCM 40 grain JHP cartridges is about the same as a box of 50 premium 9mm JHP cartridges from the bigger US ammunition companies that still sell their ammunition in boxes of 50. You can also find deals online from time to time. Expect to pay between $20 to $26 per box of 50 depending on where you shop.<\/p>\n

SPECS<\/strong><\/h2>\n