TANDEMKROSS and Gunsite Academy are two names I never expected to see together. Gunsite is known worldwide as a serious gunfighting school, not a plinking range. That said, to mark the official launch of the new TKX22 Light Rifle in partnership with Davidson’s, the TANDEMKROSS team, including principal designer Tyler Marcos, brought a small group of us to Gunsite for an unusually relaxed range day with several first-production samples of their very first 100% in-house 10/22-inspired rifle. Here’s my first look at what we experienced with the TKX22 Light Rifle at the legendary Gunsite Academy.
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As we covered in their initial announcement of the TKX22 Light Rifle, this new rifle is intended to be a premium offering in the semi-auto rimfire market. A lot of the understandable negative reaction during the initial announcement seemed to revolve around its high asking price for a .22LR firearm ($1,450), combined with the perception that every single 22LR firearm out there is only worth $250 on a weekend sale at Palmetto State Armory. I do think that there is a lot of hard work and high-quality parts that are going into the Light Rifle, to make it a very sweet combination of things that many rimfire shooters like myself want or desire in a rifle for things like Steel Challenge. But for most average plinkers out there, the price tag alone is going to scare off a lot of people, even with the impressive list of all TANDEMKROSS, US-Made parts that go into it.
Specifications/Features TXK22 Light Rifle
Product Link: https://tandemkross.com/tkx22-light-rifle/
- Caliber: .22 LR (sporting chamber).
- Action: Semi-automatic, 10/22-compatible.
- Barrel: 16.5″ Spitfire lightweight tensioned stainless steel core with anodized aluminum M-LOK shroud; 1:16″ twist rate; 1/2″x28 muzzle threads.
- Overall length: 34.75″.
- Weight: 3 lbs 6 oz (54 oz) unloaded.
- Length of pull: 13.75″.
- Sight radius: 14″.
- Front sight: Eagle Eye fiber optic, 0.155″ width.
- Rear sight: Eagle Eye fiber optic, 0.175″ notch width; fully adjustable for windage and elevation.
- Trigger: Manticore LITE adjustable 2.5–5.5 lb pull weight.
- Receiver: TKX22 billet aluminum, hardcoat anodized; integral extended 0 MOA Picatinny rail; rear cleaning port.
- Stock: Magpul MOE X22 (ultra-light).
- Capacity: Ships with one Assembled DoubleKross Magazine (20-round total via dual 10-round compartments).
- Other: Textured magazine release; Guardian Bolt Release (slingshot-friendly); cross-bolt safety; M-LOK compatibility on barrel shroud and stock.
- Materials: Stainless steel barrel, anodized aluminum receiver and shroud, polymer stock.
- Ultra-lightweight design for all-day carry, backpacking, or competition.
- M-LOK accessory mounting directly on barrel shroud (no handguard needed).
- Full compatibility with standard Ruger 10/22 parts, stocks, chassis, triggers, and magazines.
- Threaded muzzle ready for suppressor or muzzle device.
- Fiber optic sights standard (M-LOK mounted, clears Picatinny rail).
- Adjustable trigger with short reset.
- Rear receiver cleaning port for easy maintenance.
- Modular “make it yours” platform (multiple color options and optic configurations shown at Gunsite).
- Intended uses: Action-style rimfire competition, suppressor host, training rifle, small game hunting, backpacking.
- MSRP: $1,449.99
Gunsite Academy – What Did The Colonel think of .22LR?
Lt. Col. Jeff Cooper is the author, columnist, professor, and World War II and Korean War combat veteran who founded Gunsite Academy, which claims to be the oldest Gunfighting school in the United States. Gunsite is often a sort of Disneyland-type destination for adults who love firearms and want to get some of the best training available from one of the nation’s most prestigious schools. Gunsite would obviously go on to inspire Clint Smith to found Thunder Ranch, which has gained a similar amount of fame in the training space.
While we were at Gunsite, we had CEO Ron Campbell run a couple of TK DoubleKross magazines through the light rifle, and after that, I was able to get him to answer an important question for me – What would Jeff Cooper think of this rifle?
While Ron told me that Col. Cooper wasn’t a huge rimfire shooter, he did also tell me that there are still a couple of targets near an old property of the Colonel’s, and they are absolutely riddled with 22LR bullet holes that he shot from his front porch at the time. So while the TKX22 might not be right up Jeff Cooper’s alley, I think I can infer from his lifelong career as a teacher and a marksman that he would at least appreciate what the TKX22 has to offer an aspiring marksman.
The TKX22 Light Rifle at Gunsite
A handful of other lucky guys and I had a chance to spend the better part of an entire day more or less just plinking with these guns. Gunsite provided the venue, Trijicon the Optics, Davidsons, the lunch, and, of course, TANDEMKROSS supplied the guns and the ammo, most of which was CCI Standard Velocity and Mini-Mags, but also a smattering of Winchester and Aguila ammunition as well. While some of the rifles started getting gummed up right around lunch time, after a quick cleaning session, they were back up and running for another fun session of sending thousands upon thousands of rounds through these rifles.
Malfunctions did happen, they seemed to only start happening after the guns had been shot a healthy amount, and the first ones to go down were almost always the ones paired with suppressors. The TKX22, if used as a competition rifle, will likely never see a suppressor and would probably be paired with one of TK’s Pro Comps, which they had mounted on another configuration of the Light Rifle.
Out of the half dozen configurations they had available for us to test out, my favorite ended up being the one paired with a low-mounted MRO and a suppressor. While the TKX22, at least according to the designer Tyler, is more or less intended to be an entry-level competition rifle, I think I found that I would probably like it best as a lightweight pest control gun or something to take in the backwoods with you.
While I don’t use iron sights often these days, the fiber optic iron M-LOK sights that are meant to be used with the Spitfire and Comet M-LOK 10/22 barrels are pretty great and allowed for a sufficient amount of precision at range, with a healthy dose of visibility thanks to the fiber optic inserts in the sights. The rear sight is fully adjustable for windage and elevation, and the sights sit just high enough not to be blocked by the integrated Picatinny rail section in the receiver.
Overall, the TKX22 Light rifle is turning out to be a reliable, accurate, and very maneuverable platform from what I’ve seen so far. The gun is accurate enough within a reasonable distance, runs well with commonly available ammunition, and best of all for competitors, offers you a platform that is either ready to go for production class, or ready to accept any of your favorite aftermarket parts – even if they aren’t TK brand.
Final Thoughts
TK’s first try at their own completely in-house 10/22-style rifle has turned out to be somewhat divorced from their more affordable, entry-level suite of parts they offer. However, when you add up the trigger, barrel, bolt, custom receiver, Magpul stock, and the fancy pencil profile M-LOK TK barrel, you wind up with a package that is surprisingly maneuverable and controllable, which is what al ot of people are looking for in a competitive .22LR rifle.
I suspect when I get in a copy for some more of my own testing at the home range, the Spitfire barrel is likely not going to be as accurate as something like my Angstadt Vanquish-22 Integrally suppressed barrel, or my ultra-heavy profile Bergara B14R barrel. That’s a fair compromise for a rifle that is light enough to be shot by even youngsters trying shooting for the first time. It’s a solid all-around 22LR semi-auto that I think could be adapted for any number of uses with just a few minor accessories here and there, especially when you factor in that the TKX22 comes with a user-adjustable trigger.
The $1,450 asking price is still high, very high for a rimfire rifle; there is no way around it. However, if you’re heavily invested in rimfire competition sports and are looking for something fresh, reliable, adaptable, and American-made, the TANDEMKROSS TKX22 Light Rifle is at least worth taking a look at if you get a chance to shoot one. If you’re interested in checking one out, you’ll be able to order one through Davidson’s, which helped sponsor our little jaunt out to Gunsite Academy, so we could check these rifles out first-hand. A big thanks to all who made this happen, and of course, I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments on this one. Thanks as always for stopping by to read The Rimfire Report, and we’ll see you all again next week!
