The TNW Aero Survival rifle thread

I have one of these in 45 ACP. After the buffer spring upgrade, it runs quite reliably.

My next step is to start playing around with 45 super. Apparently the 460 Rowland is just a barrel swap on these things, so the action is designed to handle the increased pressure of the cartridge...

Has anyone else played around with 45 super in these?
 
Found a way to get the barrel nut to stay tight, just put an o ring washer in there. I believe it is 5/8” ID. Don’t get the 1/16” thick, it is too thin. If u need to size it; use an o ring that is snug around the barrel, that is the correct size. Shot 50 rounds and did not loosen at all.

Threads do not tighten as deep against the reciever but doesn’t matter, the o ring provides elastic resistance.
C065711D-8BD5-4C75-916B-F2EAC1DAEC4F.jpg
 

Attachments

  • C065711D-8BD5-4C75-916B-F2EAC1DAEC4F.jpg
    C065711D-8BD5-4C75-916B-F2EAC1DAEC4F.jpg
    44 KB · Views: 310
Looks like a 9mm barrel..? No doubt it works fine but my 10mm would work itself out despite a fairly beefy metal set screw so I doubt an o-ring would have been any help.
 
Resolved the issue on mine by building in a little sprung plunger and milling a flat-bottomed hole into the back lip of the barrel nut. I lift a little knob up top when I want to turn the barrel nut, lifting about 2.5mm of steel rod out of the hole and letting it turn. Otherwise the barrel nut does not move. A bit fussy to figure out, but it worked out nicely. I'm sure there's a more elegant solution... I just didn't come up with that.
 
B said:
Looks like a 9mm barrel..? No doubt it works fine but my 10mm would work itself out despite a fairly beefy metal set screw so I doubt an o-ring would have been any help.
Click to expand...

I don’t think caliber matters, worth a try. Goto an automotive shop and bring the barrel with you, get an o ring that will slip snug on the barrel and that is the right size.

The o ring when tightened down gives elastic push against the threads, similar to a wave washer. Costs like 40 cents,
Worth a shot for the 10mm.
 
I just did a work up with 185gr berry's HP hybrids for the .45acp....

9.2 grs of power pistol is sending them down range at an average of 1458 Fps! with a max spread of 4 FpS on a 5 round group. (min powder load was still1330fps)

they held together right up to max load of 9.5 grs... and they all smacked cleanly on the target at 100m, no keyholing or "micro shotgun spread".

that means a 100m zero has just over 5 inch vertical spread from 0-100m with the co zero occurring at about 20 meters and the max rise being 2.55 inch's above the POI (my sight height is 2.75 inches) (so aiming on dead center will put me in the 10 box from 0-120m

loaded up about 300 last night... gonna give them a good run make sure they are 100% reliable at that velocity.
 
OP - thanks for the great review with good detail and balanced presentation / observations.

As others may have mentioned, there has been an increase in the variety of PCCs out there. When I got the TNW, my only other PCC was a Keltec Sub2K. Since then I have bought a few others, all of which I use and shoot more for various reasons. The ASR is decent but as the OP stated, a few idiosyncrasies make it just decent. There are some things I like about it design wise, but some that I don't. As as others mentioned, it is up to each person to determine whether the upgrade paths (and the costs associated) are worth it.

It is a good point about sticking with a particular type of ammo, etc. I have found with my ASR, it does not seem to like the heavier 147gr rounds.

The one thing I am not crazy about is the complete lack of response and support by TNW as a company, to email and phone inquiries, unlike Ruger and Freedom Ordnance, both of which are quite good.

That said, my daughter quite enjoys shooting it, though as a teenager she is now more interested in hanging out with friends rather than going target shooting with Dad at the range.
 
LordEvilPepper said:
I just did a work up with 185gr berry's HP hybrids for the .45acp....

9.2 grs of power pistol is sending them down range at an average of 1458 Fps! with a max spread of 4 FpS on a 5 round group. (min powder load was still1330fps)

they held together right up to max load of 9.5 grs... and they all smacked cleanly on the target at 100m, no keyholing or "micro shotgun spread".

that means a 100m zero has just over 5 inch vertical spread from 0-100m with the co zero occurring at about 20 meters and the max rise being 2.55 inch's above the POI (my sight height is 2.75 inches) (so aiming on dead center will put me in the 10 box from 0-120m

loaded up about 300 last night... gonna give them a good run make sure they are 100% reliable at that velocity.
Click to expand...

Wow!
Super interesting. Very promising. Are you using 45+p brass or 45 super brass or just plain 45 acp?

I have the gun in 45 also, I need to find some brass for it and I'd like. Experiment with the same

Let us know how those 300 rounds shoot!
 
so I had it out shooting yesterday


I had to screw the stock in an extra turn to stiffen up the spring lol. But i ran about 100 of my reloads through it.
they were pretty reliable I had one stove pipe which shook out without removing the magazine.

Just standard .45 acp brass... even at max load (9.5) there are no pressure signs, didn't split or bulge cases. Primers are still round at the edges, no excessive burring around the firing pin strike.

standard 230gr factory ammo, only seems to get a 60-100 FPS boast from the longer barrel...but that power pistol powder is a match made in haven for the longer barrel. its tempting to try some 230 grain projectiles using it, I wouldn't be surprised to see 1200FPS.

this was a typical group about 6 inches at 100m. I am using a 1x optic and it was hard to put the dot on center of a black target in the rain. im not getting a lot of horizontal spread (under 3 inches typical), and it spread on an angle on a right leaning angle . which totally means it me and I'm Triger snatching (it is a stiff Triger in this thing) and not the ammo/gun). If i pushed down to 50m I bet i could get a group around 3-3.5 moa which seams more in line with the rifle... I just wanted to test at 100m to ensure I wasn't getting wild flyers or disintegrating rounds.
8b1JyOy.jpg



some of the spent brass

HEQgZet.jpg
 
Last edited:
.45 ACP brass is much stronger than it gets credit for. Since the TNW is available in .460 Rowland I don't see any safety issues with hot rodding some loads. Very interesting!
 
B said:
.45 ACP brass is much stronger than it gets credit for. Since the TNW is available in .460 Rowland I don't see any safety issues with hot rodding some loads. Very interesting!
Click to expand...


I'm generally a conservative loader... i rarely bring loads close to max.
yeah the chamber on this gun is twice the steel as my 1911 im not to worried about a chamber kaboom.. i think the limiting factor is the guns main spring.

I was very surprised at how much omph power pistol is producing in this gun. even minimum powder loads are 200FPS above what it says should be the max velocity lol. I was actually disappointed to find that the velocity node was so high up on the load scale (between 9 and 9.3 gave pretty much identical velocities which means its were i want to load in for all weather/temp consistency)) ,

I had planned on only trying for 1150 fps to achieve a 75m zero with acceptable vertical spread for a "aim on" 0-100 zeroing. but now I get a 100m zero good for 0-120m so i geuss thats a plus.

I just need to make a cover for the left side ejection cut out... im sick of looking like this guy every time i take this gun to the range..

portrait-miner-coal-man-helmet-260nw-1765047113.jpg
 
Last edited:
nowarningshot said:
Guy at high cal was claiming 2200ft/sec in a 10mm. Seems legit, pushing into 44 mag lever gun territory, but with much smaller projectile.
Click to expand...

i could see that... right pistol powder in this gun is going to produce spectacular results. im pushing about 850ft lbof energy right now

and that number right there is why i want a 10mm kit for mine... thats 1600 ft lb, thats deer hunting numbers
 
LordEvilPepper said:
...Just standard .45 acp brass... even at max load (x.x) there are no pressure signs, didn't split or bulge cases. Primers are still round at the edges, no excessive burring around the firing pin strike....
Click to expand...


I've read in many places that pistol brass won't show typical pressure signs until you are way over the max. I'd use quickload to try to determine approximate chamber pressure, and to see if your measured MV agrees.

Interesting results, for sure, thanks for posting. Personally, I wouldn't publicly post charge weights unless they were taken right out of a manual!
 
nowarningshot said:
Guy at high cal was claiming 2200ft/sec in a 10mm. Seems legit, pushing into 44 mag lever gun territory, but with much smaller projectile.
Click to expand...

I got that almost exactly with 800X and 135grn JHPs. That load is not safe though, the data was pulled years ago and I have had issues with it myself as well.
 
alpining said:
I've read in many places that pistol brass won't show typical pressure signs until you are way over the max. I'd use quickload to try to determine approximate chamber pressure, and to see if your measured MV agrees.

Interesting results, for sure, thanks for posting. Personally, I wouldn't publicly post charge weights unless they were taken right out of a manual!
Click to expand...


it is right out of a manual lol.... im using lees manual 7.5to 9.5grs of power pistol for 185gr
 
I was gonna run the load through GRT but that bullet isn't in the list. Comparable bullets are all under 21000psi at 1.260" with a standard primer. I am guessing the "HP" may make it a bit longer than I put in but you are still not into nuke territory.
 
alpining said:
Excellent, even better :)

Which manual? I don't see that load in mine, maybe my reading comprehension is suspect...
Click to expand...

2021 printing (i needed load data for 450 bushmaster)

its under 185 fmj hallow points or ftx Hallow point (power pistol is rated overkill for plated bullets)
these hybrid are suposed to be much tougher then normal plated bullets (rated for 1200 fps) so i figured i would try .. its getting good results non are coming apart. trick is a lite taper crimp

ill post manual numbers when i get out of camp .
i think the key to the .45 acp as a viable PCC is high velocity. if 100m is a strugle its usability is marginal both on the range and hunting.

as a side note, the gun is dropping the brass 4-5 feet away in about a 3 foot circle... which is the same for throwing 230 factory... which means its not so over gassed its catapulting brass a million miles.
 
Last edited:
LordEvilPepper said:
2021 printing ... i think the key to the .45 acp as a viable PCC is high velocity. if 100m is a strugle its usability is marginal both on the range and hunting.... the gun is dropping the brass 4-5 feet away in about a 3 foot circle......
Click to expand...

Thanks for the source - I have an old copy, that's got to be the difference.

Ejection: Nice, very nice. Just based on that you probably have quite a bit of range to increase your powder charge if you want. Maybe 1500fps is enough anyway...

I'm planning a similar workup using Blue Dot, I'll try to post results when I get around to it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom