SHOT Show 2013: Armscor, a perfect 10 (VIDEO)

Armscor had one of the best booths at this year’s SHOT Show Media Day at the Range. It was freezing cold and windy, but for that booth, which was heavily supplied with propane patio heaters. We spent a long time chatting with president and CEO Martin Tuason and the rest of the Armscor staff, and it wasn’t just to warm up.

They’ve developed a large number of slick new rifles and handguns, and they’ll have no problems moving any of them. Particularly their new 10mms.

They’ve dubbed the traditional-style 10mm the  Tactical II FS, and the railed version as the 2011 VZ Grip Tactical, neither name giving away their full-house load. Both use single-stack 8-round magazines, have red-orange fiber optic front and adjustable target rear sights and VZ G10 grips with a thumb cutout. 

Really, the only difference is that the 2011 model has a full-length railed dust cover. It’s tactically sexy.

Both were great shooters, and Armscor has priced them in-line with their other higher-end 1911s, which means they’re fantastic bargains.

Armscor is also working pretty intently on their .22 TCM firearms, including a new bolt-action rifle which is sure to be popular with target shooters and small game hunters alike. Simply called the TCM 22 Rifle, this plain wood-stocked rifle has a lot going for it.

The cartridge, .22 TCM, uses a 9mm case that’s necked down to accept .223 Remington bullet (.224). It makes over 2,000 FPS from their handguns and also makes a nice fireball. Given the additional barrel length, the TCM Rifle spits out the 40-grain bullets at an impressive 2,800 feet per second, making just under 700 foot-pounds of force.

Another really cool thing about the rifle is that while it comes with a flush-fitting 5-round magazine, it accepts the same 17-round magazines used with their .22 TCM pistols. If you have a gopher problem (or a boredom problem) this may be the perfect solution.

Their other rifle was just dreamy, too, the MIG 22. Chambered for the less exotic and far more ubiquitous .22 Long Rifle, this semi-automatic blowback-operated rifle comes in two versions, the Standard and the Target. Both are entry-level match .22s that handle a lot like featherweight ARs.

The MIG 22s feed from 15-round stick mags, too, which is a bit more than most .22s offer. As a plinker, trainer or competition rifle, the MIG 22 shows loads of promise.

Armscor is widely expanding their .22 TCM handgun offerings, too, with three more models complimenting their 22 TCM Standard and Target. Unlike the first pair, these other pistols will not come with 9mm conversion barrels but will have lower pricetags. Armscor told us that the cartridge was doing fine on its own and they didn’t really see the need to include a conversion barrel, although we hope they make them available separately.

They are the TCM 22 VZ Fullsize, with its full-length Picatinny rail, flared magwell and fiber optic front and adjustable target rear sight, TCM 22 VZ Midsize, which has a shorter 4.25-inch barrel, the same sights, grips and magwell and half-length railed dustcover and the TCM 22 Midsize Standard, which has no rail and no magwell extension.

Pressed to ask which of these guns we liked the best, we probably couldn’t answer. Armscor’s doing great things with these guns, and we really want them all.

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