Tanfoglio Force 22 L Limited 5.7: Steel-frame .22 LR sport pistol tested

Tanfoglio has long been an established name in the handgun market, both in the defensive sector and among competitive shooters. Many highly successful competitors rely on models made in Gardone Val Trompia. And Tanfoglio is far from the only gunmaker associated with the area: Beretta, Sabatti and many other firearms manufacturers call this part of northern Italy home. That was reason enough to take a closer look at one of Tanfoglio’s many new products introduced at IWA, Europe’s most important firearms, hunting and outdoor trade show.

Tanfoglio Force 22 L Limited 5.7 in detail

The new Tanfoglio Force 22 L Limited comes in the high-quality bright red pistol case typical of the company’s competition models. Unlike many comparable cases, it already features combination locks and is made from material that looks and feels suitably substantial. Inside are the pistol, two magazines, a cleaning brush and the mandatory instruction manual. Slightly hidden away, and easy to overlook at first, is the adapter plate for mounting an optic.

Naturally, the pistol itself gets the attention first. The Force 22 L Limited is an all-metal handgun, something that becomes obvious as soon as you lift it from the case. The finish is excellent, with no visible flaws or irregularities on either the slide or frame. The black and bronze color scheme is also very evenly executed and well coordinated. The only detail that could perhaps be more restrained is the white “Limited” lettering, which might look better in bronze to match the frame. But that is a minor criticism. The grip surfaces feature the aggressive, slip-resistant texturing typical of Tanfoglio pistols, providing a secure hold during firing. The beavertail is quite pronounced, but it fits the overall design well and contributes to the familiar Tanfoglio silhouette. It also helps the shooter reproduce the same hand position consistently and feels very comfortable in the hand.

The slide serrations are located only at the rear, below the rear sight, and are relatively small compared with those on many other pistols. Given that this is a .22 LR pistol and therefore requires only a comparatively light recoil spring, however, this is hardly a concern. The machined relief cuts in the slide appear to serve primarily as styling elements, with the additional benefit of reducing slide weight to some extent.The 5.7-inch barrel has a heavily textured thread protector at the muzzle. As we discovered later, the protector has to be removed before disassembling the pistol or cleaning the barrel. Loosening it for the first time proved surprisingly difficult, especially when trying to avoid damaging anything and leave the tools in the box. Eventually it came off by hand, revealing the reason for the resistance: the thread protector is secured by an O-ring to keep it from working loose during firing.

Controls and trigger system of the Tanfoglio Force 22 L Limited 5.7

The controls are fairly slim, but still easy to operate. They are fitted on the left side only, however, so left-handed shooters are out of luck. The thumb safety, slide stop and magazine release are not ambidextrous. The thumb safety engages positively when the hammer is cocked; with the hammer down, it cannot be engaged. The hammer itself is rather small, almost delicate, but does its job perfectly. Deep serrations across its upper surface provide sufficient purchase for manually cocking or lowering it.

The Force 22 L Limited uses a single-action-only trigger system. The pistol must therefore be loaded by cycling the slide or the hammer cocked manually if it has not already been cocked by the previous shot. As a pure SA pistol, the “Tanfo” cannot be cocked and fired simply by pulling the trigger as with a double-action system. Depending on the intended use, this may be worth keeping in mind.

The trigger itself is excellently adjusted from the factory. After 4 mm (0.16 in) of take-up to the wall, the shot breaks like glass after another 2 mm (0.08 in), with no grittiness or drag. Average trigger pull measured with a Lyman trigger gauge was 1,083 g (about 2 lb 6 oz). Trigger reset travel measures 6 mm (0.24 in).

There is one important detail, however: the trigger shoe is adjustable by means of two screws, so the figures above apply specifically to the factory settings.

Sights and magazine of the steel-frame Tanfoglio .22 LR pistol

The long barrel and correspondingly long slide provide a 176 mm (6.93 in) sight radius between the rear sight and front sight. The front blade is 3 mm (0.12 in) wide, while the rear notch measures 2.9 mm (0.11 in). Combined with the long sight radius, this produces a pleasantly narrow band of light on either side of the front sight. Bright inserts would have been useful when shooting against dark targets; as supplied, however, the pistol has an all-black sight picture. A major plus is the LPA rear sight, which offers precise adjustment and the quality associated with that manufacturer. For shooters who prefer an optic, or who compete in different disciplines, Tanfoglio also includes an adapter plate. This allows a red dot sight to be mounted directly on the slide. There is one limitation: both the LPA rear sight and the optic adapter plate are retained in the slide by the same dovetail cut. The setup is therefore not intended for quick or frequent switching between iron sights and a red dot, and whether the point of impact would return exactly after repeated changes is another question. As on many other Tanfoglio models, there is also the option of a frame-mounted optic. Four threaded holes are machined into each side of the frame, allowing a suitable mount to be secured with M4 screws. We used this setup during testing because the appropriate mount was available.

The two supplied magazines are made of polymer. Slots on both sides allow the shooter to check the ammunition remaining, and a numbered scale indicates how many rounds are loaded. There is no need to count them individually. Each magazine holds ten rounds, which may be somewhat limiting depending on the shooting discipline.

Considering the substantial all-metal construction of the pistol itself, the polymer magazines initially seem a little out of place. In practice, however, they are well made, sturdy and drop free when the magazine release is pressed.

There are two details worth mentioning. First, the magazine basepads sit almost flush with the grip. If a magazine fails to drop free, perhaps because of fouling, there is relatively little exposed surface to grab and pull it out. Second, the bottom of the magazine has a fairly large recess. This creates a less obvious issue: if the shooter forgets to remove the magazine before setting the pistol down and later checks the magwell with a finger, the recess can make it difficult to feel whether a magazine is still inserted. A closed base would be a simple way to eliminate this possibility.

On the range: live firing the Tanfoglio Force 22 L Limited 5.7

Enough looking and handling; it was time to head to the range and find out whether the little Italian pistol could live up to its very positive first impression when fired. We started with a few familiarization shots, which is useful with any new or freshly cleaned firearm. It did not take long for a smile to appear. The initial impression held up: the Tanfoglio Force 22 L Limited ran without malfunctions. It feels very good in the hand and remains easy to control throughout firing. The grip is well proportioned and should suit shooters with both small and large hands.

Accuracy testing was conducted at 25 meters (27.3 yd), shooting from a standing supported position with a reflex sight mounted on the side-mounted optic bridge. The best five-shot group measured 23 mm (0.91 in) and was produced by Aguila Super Extra ammunition loaded with a copper-plated 40-grain bullet.

Overall, the results were satisfactory, and after the range session it was time to head home for the usual disassembly and cleaning. As is typical for Tanfoglio pistols, fieldstripping begins by pushing the slide stop out to the left. The slide has to be drawn slightly rearward first; small witness marks at the rear of the slide and frame indicate the correct position for removing the slide stop.

The slide can then be pulled forward off the frame. At this point, the precision of the machining becomes apparent. The slide rides in the frame along its full length, with virtually no perceptible movement or play. The same applies between the barrel and slide. For further disassembly, only the threaded muzzle protector has to be removed before the barrel can be withdrawn rearward from the slide. That is essentially all there is to it.

Tanfoglio Force 22 L Limited: Technical Data

Conclusion: how the Tanfoglio Force 22 L Limited performs in practice

The high-quality first impression, beginning with the case and continuing through the pistol itself and its behavior on the range, was confirmed in almost every respect. There are one or two small details we would like to see changed, but none is significant enough to alter the overall assessment.

More important than those minor criticisms is equipment such as the included adapter plate for mounting a red dot sight. This is not standard with every pistol, and with some models the correct plate has to be tracked down separately on the aftermarket.

Disclaimer… We tested the Tanfoglio Force 22 L Limited 5.7 in Europe, where the price is just above $1100, and the gun should become available soon thru Tanfoglio’s official US importer, IFG. Taken as a whole, the package offers a convincing price-to-performance ratio. Shooters looking for a steel-frame .22 LR pistol with the feel and proportions of a centerfire competition handgun will find the Tanfoglio Force 22 L Limited a very solid option.

Text: Jessica and Frank Stock
Edited by: Hamza Malalla