The mysterious, intriguing, polymer bull-pup semi-automatic carbine chambered in five rimfire calibers (.22-Long Rifle, .22-WMR, .17-H&R, .17-Match and .17-HMR) fed through 5-rds or 10-rds detachable magazines seen for two consecutive years at the EAA Corp. booth at the 2010 and 2011 editions of the SHOT Show has finally a name. It is dubbed the “Appeal”, and is made by Fratelli Tanfoglio S.n.c. in Gardone Val Trompia, Italy. Inspired by the most modern concepts in firearms design, it is marketed at a very low price so to compete with some of the best-known names in the world of rimfire carbines and to become the “next best thing” for small game hunting, leisure plinking, marksmanship training, target competitions and even home defense, given the increasing popularity of the .22-Winchester Magnum Rimfire ammunition for this purpose in the United States since the launch of the PMR-30 pistol and RMR-30 carbine by the Florida-based Kel-Tec CNC Industries company.
Estremely accurate and very handy, the Tanfoglio “Appeal” is a direct-blowback-operated semi-automatic carbine featuring a raised carrying handle-style cantilever integrating iron sights and a MIL-STD-1913 “Picatinny” rail for optics. It also features full ambidextrous capabilities, as the safety switch is located on both sides, the magazine release button is located inside the thumbhole, right behind the grip, and both cocking handle and ejection side can be reversed by simply removing the cocking handle from one side, placing it in its seat on the opposite and closing the ejection window the shooter is not meant to use with the factory-provided rectangular polymer plug. Other features include a shorter, secondary Picatinny rail in front of the carbine handguard and integral sling swivels. A muzzle compensator that uses the frontal Picatinny Rail as mounting point is also available as an aftermarket accessory, and the stock features removable/replaceable rubber spacers. The Tanfoglio “Appeal” carbine is already available on the European markets at an average price of €500; availability on the U.S. market should also be imminent, at an average price of about $400.00 − albeit the distribution in north America will be limited to .22 chamberings.