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Thread: Thunder Beast 22 Take Down - First Impressions

  1. #1
    Site Supporter
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Location
    Lander, WY USA

    Thunder Beast 22 Take Down - First Impressions

    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/...-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-rate...ns-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:

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    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.

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    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.

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    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.

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    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/produ...=5&loadNo=0032. This ammo shoots also runs 100% in my pistol. The accuracy and reliability makes me happy.

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    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.

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    It's early still but, I'm really liking the TB TD. From the Big Empty, ELN.

  2. #2
    From the best state.

    Yeah, that Federal AutoMatch stuff has been shitty for me, too.
    #RESIST

  3. #3
    Site Supporter
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Location
    Lander, WY USA

    Additional Load Testing

    I tested several additional loads yesterday (08/19/2018). All are 5-shot groups @ 15 yards from a bag. Failures to eject are noted. CCI Standard Velocity remains the most accurate and reliable load in my pistol. It runs 100% and is relatively inexpensive too. From the Big Empty, ELN.

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  4. #4
    Member StraitR's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Location
    Basking in sunshine
    Great write up, thanks for sharing. Looks like a sweet 22 can.

    Just a word of caution... I would be careful with the Aguila Super Subsonic Sniper (SSS) 60gr ammo through a suppressor, particularly on a pistol. The twist rate of most 22lr pistols, and rifles for that matter, are not tight enough to stabilize the 60gr projectile and are prone to key-holing. If you look at your target closely, you can see the holes are a bit wonky, especially compared to the 40gr Aguila below it. I've shot some SSS through a M&P15-22 and CZ-455 Varmint, both before I had a rimfire can. The CZ wasn't too bad (20" barrel) at 25y, but the 16" barreled 15-22 key-holed like crazy. It would seem this ammo is best served in AR-15's with a 1:7 (or similar) twist and conversion kits.

    Although Aguila doesn't list a twist rate, they do recommend the SSS 60gr be shot from 20" or longer barrels. I'd hate to see you get a baffle strike in that TB.

    ETA: Link and pic

    The SSS is under "Special".

    https://www.aguilaammo.com/rimfire/


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    Last edited by StraitR; 08-28-2018 at 10:17 PM.

  5. #5
    Site Supporter
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Location
    Lander, WY USA
    Thanks for that note of caution. I'll reserve the 60 grain stuff for my non-suppressed 22s. Best, ELN.
    Last edited by Wyoming Shooter; 08-29-2018 at 12:40 PM.

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