Wyoming Shooter
07-23-2018, 11:16 AM
After waiting about 6 months for BATFE approval, I recently took delivery of a Thunder Beast 22 Take Down. I mounted this can on a Ruger Mark IV 22/45 Lite with Vortex Venom 3 MOA RDS. After about 350 rounds downrange, here are some very early impressions:
Thunder Beast 22 Take Down: https://thunderbeastarms.com/products/22-take-down
Ruger Mark IV 22/45 Lite: https://ruger.com/products/markIV2245Lite/models.html
Vortex Venom RDS: http://www.vortexoptics.com/product/venom-red-dot-3-moa-dot
I've visited Thunder Beast in Cheyenne, WY a couple of times. The folks there are hospitable, helpful, knowledgeable, and very skilled. The place is jammed with all sorts of high-tech machines, titanium, and stainless steel. After a good experience with a TB CB9, it became clear that I "needed" a .22 LR can. I did some research, including this review from Recoil Magazine: http://www.recoilweb.com/recoil-rated-10-rimfire-cans-128171.html. In October, 2017 I made the 275-mile trek to Cheyenne and placed my order. Amanda from TB notified me in May, 2018 that BATFE had approved the purchase. I mounted my new can on a Ruger Mark IV 22/45 Lite with Vortex Venom 3 MOA RDS:
28305
A few things attracted me to the Ruger Mark IV 22/45 Lite. This pistol comes from the factory with a threaded muzzle. Disassembly is very easy. Push the "button" on the rear bottom of the "upper" and it's in pieces ready for cleaning and/or maintenance. The trigger is a 2-stage and averages about 3 lbs. 10 oz. Not bad at all. It's a lite gun, something that women seem to especially appreciate. The controls are very similar to a 1911, something that I especially appreciate.
28306
28307
28308
The Vortex Venom is a 3 MOA RDS. It attaches easily to the 22/45 Lite rail. The factory irons are not available when the RDS is in place.
28309
The TB Take Down is simple to disassemble. It comes with a plastic wrench to remove the end caps fore and aft. The 10 stainless steel baffles slide right out. They are numbered and have index grooves to make re-assembly pretty much idiot proof. I can testify to that. It cleans up readily in my Hornady ultrasonic cleaner.
28310
28311
How does it shoot? Well, that depends on the ammo. I did some informal accuracy testing with a small variety of ammo at 15 yards this weekend. I rested the pistol on a sand bag and fired 5-shot groups. My best groups were with CCI Standard Velocity: https://www.cci-ammunition.com/products/detail.aspx?use=5&loadNo=0032. This ammo shoots also runs 100% in my pistol. The accuracy and reliability makes me happy.
28313
28314
Other ammo did not perform as well - accuracy and reliability were both degraded. I will continue to experiment but, for MBC (minute of beer can) purposes, the CCI Standard Velocity works just fine. It's also very, very quiet.
28315
28316
28317
28318
It's early still but, I'm really liking the TB TD. :) From the Big Empty, ELN.
Thunder Beast 22 Take Down: https://thunderbeastarms.com/products/22-take-down
Ruger Mark IV 22/45 Lite: https://ruger.com/products/markIV2245Lite/models.html
Vortex Venom RDS: http://www.vortexoptics.com/product/venom-red-dot-3-moa-dot
I've visited Thunder Beast in Cheyenne, WY a couple of times. The folks there are hospitable, helpful, knowledgeable, and very skilled. The place is jammed with all sorts of high-tech machines, titanium, and stainless steel. After a good experience with a TB CB9, it became clear that I "needed" a .22 LR can. I did some research, including this review from Recoil Magazine: http://www.recoilweb.com/recoil-rated-10-rimfire-cans-128171.html. In October, 2017 I made the 275-mile trek to Cheyenne and placed my order. Amanda from TB notified me in May, 2018 that BATFE had approved the purchase. I mounted my new can on a Ruger Mark IV 22/45 Lite with Vortex Venom 3 MOA RDS:
28305
A few things attracted me to the Ruger Mark IV 22/45 Lite. This pistol comes from the factory with a threaded muzzle. Disassembly is very easy. Push the "button" on the rear bottom of the "upper" and it's in pieces ready for cleaning and/or maintenance. The trigger is a 2-stage and averages about 3 lbs. 10 oz. Not bad at all. It's a lite gun, something that women seem to especially appreciate. The controls are very similar to a 1911, something that I especially appreciate.
28306
28307
28308
The Vortex Venom is a 3 MOA RDS. It attaches easily to the 22/45 Lite rail. The factory irons are not available when the RDS is in place.
28309
The TB Take Down is simple to disassemble. It comes with a plastic wrench to remove the end caps fore and aft. The 10 stainless steel baffles slide right out. They are numbered and have index grooves to make re-assembly pretty much idiot proof. I can testify to that. It cleans up readily in my Hornady ultrasonic cleaner.
28310
28311
How does it shoot? Well, that depends on the ammo. I did some informal accuracy testing with a small variety of ammo at 15 yards this weekend. I rested the pistol on a sand bag and fired 5-shot groups. My best groups were with CCI Standard Velocity: https://www.cci-ammunition.com/products/detail.aspx?use=5&loadNo=0032. This ammo shoots also runs 100% in my pistol. The accuracy and reliability makes me happy.
28313
28314
Other ammo did not perform as well - accuracy and reliability were both degraded. I will continue to experiment but, for MBC (minute of beer can) purposes, the CCI Standard Velocity works just fine. It's also very, very quiet.
28315
28316
28317
28318
It's early still but, I'm really liking the TB TD. :) From the Big Empty, ELN.