Saw a review of the TM22 in American Rifleman, considered getting one for plinking, but ultimately didn't like the stock, handguard, and weight of almost 6 pounds.
https://www.americanrifleman.org/content/review-rock-island-armory-tm22/
Then a video on the Feather version came up on my feed. Preferred the stock, handguard and it's a pound lighter. Found it at gunzonedeals for a good price; older reviews on this seller weren't good, newer ones better, so ordered it up, $185 OTD. Shipped the next day, FedEx gave it a tour of DFW for a few days before it showed up at my FFL.
***couldn't do inline pics, attached at bottom***
I wanted to see how accurate it could be, so mounted a spare scope that was way too big for it, nearly hit the front post. About as accurate as my Remlin 795, 3/8" with bulk, 1/4" with Mini Mag 40 gr at 25 yards, 5 round groups off a bag.
But it wouldn't cycle cheap bulk ammo, only the Mini Mags or Aguila Super Extra. So I polished the bolt, smoothed all contact surfaces in the receiver, checked to see if anything was causing drag. e.g., one comment in a video showing same problem said he had the forward leg of a spring in front of trigger contacting the bottom of the bolt. Mine wasn't, but I bent leg down anyway just to be sure.
No joy at the next range trip, still a single shot with bulk ammo. Kind of defeats the purpose of an inexpensive plinker that won't run cheap bulk. I put the iron sights on there for that trip, even the smaller rear peep hole was too big, so I covered it with duct tape, then melted a small hole with a heated needle, trimmed and painted the tape black so it would blend in. Also trimmed the front post, it was fat and misshapen. Painted it's tip white too.
Next trip, no joy despite running it really wet this time and putting a bunch of rounds thru it to see if it was just needing break in.
Concluded recoil spring was just too stiff. It was stacked nearly solid when it was to the rear far enough for the tips of the extractors to be flush with the back of the magwell. So I tried to find a stock replacement spring to experiment with by cutting a little at a time till it cycled the bulk. Nope. Really didn't want to cut original spring, but figured I had no choice.
Until I thought about buying a generic spring that would work. Found one on ebay that was a little bigger diameter (6mm vs 5.7mm), but about same wire diameter (.8mm), and it was 305mm long, so I'd have plenty to experiment with. Took about 3 weeks to arrive.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/225680364312?var=524803828804
When it arrived, had fewer coils per inch, so cut 1st spring one coil longer than original, bent the cut end in, and smoothed it with a stone to prevent it damaging contact surface. Figured with fewer coils per inch, would end up same length and softer. Installed and hand cycled it, much lighter, maybe too light. Popped it out and it was now 3/8" shorter than original, doh!
So I cut another one about 4 coils longer than original, dressed it, installed, cycled, popped it out. Ended up same length as original, but it still had space between coils when retracted to same point as the original. Checked it with my trigger gauge on charging handle vs original, was about 1/4" more to the rear when it maxed my gauge out. Pic: top one is 2nd one I cut before cycling it, original, 1st one I cut after cycling it.
Off to the range. Ran great, cycled all the bulk without issue, even AutoMatch. Next tried the Aguila and MiniMag, no problem with the lighter spring. So I'm happy with the new spring. But long term, wonder if I should have given the 2nd spring another coil as I'm concerned about it getting too light after thousands of rounds. If it does, at least I know where to get another spring for cheap so I can make two more.
A couple of group pics, 25 yards, 1st one offhand, first rounds with new spring. 2nd one off a bag after adjusting iron sights, both with AutoMatch.
***couldn't do inline pics, so pic of rifle and springs attached to this post, group pics next post***
https://www.americanrifleman.org/content/review-rock-island-armory-tm22/
Then a video on the Feather version came up on my feed. Preferred the stock, handguard and it's a pound lighter. Found it at gunzonedeals for a good price; older reviews on this seller weren't good, newer ones better, so ordered it up, $185 OTD. Shipped the next day, FedEx gave it a tour of DFW for a few days before it showed up at my FFL.
***couldn't do inline pics, attached at bottom***
I wanted to see how accurate it could be, so mounted a spare scope that was way too big for it, nearly hit the front post. About as accurate as my Remlin 795, 3/8" with bulk, 1/4" with Mini Mag 40 gr at 25 yards, 5 round groups off a bag.
But it wouldn't cycle cheap bulk ammo, only the Mini Mags or Aguila Super Extra. So I polished the bolt, smoothed all contact surfaces in the receiver, checked to see if anything was causing drag. e.g., one comment in a video showing same problem said he had the forward leg of a spring in front of trigger contacting the bottom of the bolt. Mine wasn't, but I bent leg down anyway just to be sure.
No joy at the next range trip, still a single shot with bulk ammo. Kind of defeats the purpose of an inexpensive plinker that won't run cheap bulk. I put the iron sights on there for that trip, even the smaller rear peep hole was too big, so I covered it with duct tape, then melted a small hole with a heated needle, trimmed and painted the tape black so it would blend in. Also trimmed the front post, it was fat and misshapen. Painted it's tip white too.
Next trip, no joy despite running it really wet this time and putting a bunch of rounds thru it to see if it was just needing break in.
Concluded recoil spring was just too stiff. It was stacked nearly solid when it was to the rear far enough for the tips of the extractors to be flush with the back of the magwell. So I tried to find a stock replacement spring to experiment with by cutting a little at a time till it cycled the bulk. Nope. Really didn't want to cut original spring, but figured I had no choice.
Until I thought about buying a generic spring that would work. Found one on ebay that was a little bigger diameter (6mm vs 5.7mm), but about same wire diameter (.8mm), and it was 305mm long, so I'd have plenty to experiment with. Took about 3 weeks to arrive.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/225680364312?var=524803828804
When it arrived, had fewer coils per inch, so cut 1st spring one coil longer than original, bent the cut end in, and smoothed it with a stone to prevent it damaging contact surface. Figured with fewer coils per inch, would end up same length and softer. Installed and hand cycled it, much lighter, maybe too light. Popped it out and it was now 3/8" shorter than original, doh!
So I cut another one about 4 coils longer than original, dressed it, installed, cycled, popped it out. Ended up same length as original, but it still had space between coils when retracted to same point as the original. Checked it with my trigger gauge on charging handle vs original, was about 1/4" more to the rear when it maxed my gauge out. Pic: top one is 2nd one I cut before cycling it, original, 1st one I cut after cycling it.
Off to the range. Ran great, cycled all the bulk without issue, even AutoMatch. Next tried the Aguila and MiniMag, no problem with the lighter spring. So I'm happy with the new spring. But long term, wonder if I should have given the 2nd spring another coil as I'm concerned about it getting too light after thousands of rounds. If it does, at least I know where to get another spring for cheap so I can make two more.
A couple of group pics, 25 yards, 1st one offhand, first rounds with new spring. 2nd one off a bag after adjusting iron sights, both with AutoMatch.
***couldn't do inline pics, so pic of rifle and springs attached to this post, group pics next post***
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