Grand Power Stribog TR22

Those of you who enjoyed my recent review on the excellent K22 long-barrelled pistol from Grand Power, and who were gracious enough to overlook my mistaken statement that LBPs can be owned by clubs (sadly, they cannot), may be interested to learn what the company’s Stribog TR22 carbine has to offer. If the gun looks more familiar than the name, that’s because the first model came into the UK as the ‘Taranis’. This effectively makes the Stribog a ‘Taranis Mk2’, which presupposes some improvements, as we shall see. But let’s stick with names for a moment.

Stribog is an ancient Slavic god of elemental forces, while Taranis is his Western European counterpart. Who knew? Probably no one, but Stribog sounds properly odd to Western ears and is all the more memorable as a result. As for the TR22 bit, that’s easy, since it fits into the Stribog line as a .22 ‘Training Rifle’.

‘Rifle’ is indeed what you’d put in for on your FAC, but it suggests a platform akin to an AR15, whereas the Stribog aligns better with Personal Defence Weapons (PDWs) such as the H&K MP5 and Kriss Vector, albeit represented here in a longer-barrelled (12” or 16”), semi-auto-only, rimfire-chambered, blow-back-actioned civilian variant.

Let’s get into it

The design shows a 2-part upper/lower build. The lower integrates the pistol grip, trigger guard and magazine well, is crisply injection-moulded from glass-fibre-reinforced polymer (GRP), and supports the fire-control mechanism (FCM), magazine release (MR) and bolt-hold-open/release (BHO/R).

Tight captive push-pins fore-and-aft secure the lower to an extruded aluminium upper that gives the gun its FN SCAR-like appearance, complete with a full-length optics rail on top, and a 7-slot Picatinny accessory rail underneath. Both sides of the upper also show multiple slots for the charging handle, weight reduction, and for M-LOK mounting points. Up front, an octagonal extension provides an additional grip area and M-LOK slots.

I can see how shooters who prefer a C-clamp-type hold might favour this extension, and I really liked how neatly my Wildcat Panther moderator tucked inside it. Nevertheless, it has to be removed to clear any debris from inside the front of the gun, and – to my eye, at least - it spoils the Mk1 Stribog’s SCAR-like aesthetic. It’s true that I’ve made use of the extension to mount a FAB Defense Gradus VFG, but the original extruded handguard was long enough to accommodate this, so I guess M-LOK slots have a value all of their own!

To the rear

The rear of the upper is closed off by the stock. Unlike H&K stocks, which wrap around the outside of the receiver, the Grand Power stock tucks neatly inside it. Again the material is GRP and the design is simple but effective, featuring a slightly curved and deeply ridged butt-plate giving comfort and grip in the shoulder. It shows a slotted, lightened underside, and a broader smooth top. As with H&Ks, the comb is below the top line of the receiver, so optics need to be mounted as low as possible if you like to make contact with your cheek, rather than your chin.

As designed, the stock is a side folder, opening via a catch on the L/H side and resting against the R/H side of the receiver when open. On the 16” version this is exactly what it does, and with an admirable lack of flop or wobble. However, seeing as the Stribog can be fired with the stock folded, and as folding it would give the 12” version an overall length (OAL) of just 20” (vs. a UK legal minimum of 24”), in the shorter variant the stock is pinned open. This means choosing between a functional folding stock and a shorter barrel. The former route also gives the option of replacing the factory stock (via an adapter available from Blue Fieldsports) with Magpul’s adjustable Zhukov-S model, which also takes ¼”, ½” and ¾” clip-on comb-risers. This is a £200+ upgrade, but probably worth it for the improved ergos and kerb-appeal. And if money’s no object, then Brownells offer a KDG ACR stock adapter for £214.70 and a complete ACR kit for £475.30.

On the examples I saw, the 12” version had a heavier barrel profile than the 16” one, though both sport a muzzle thread and protector. The former is cut to the American ½”x28 standard and not the ½”x20 UK one, so you will need an adapter or a dedicated moderator. On the plus side, ½”x28 is best for compatibility with other muzzle devices. The barrel itself is secured within the upper by a castle nut, requiring the use of a proprietary barrel wrench, if you ever wanted to replace it.

Stripping the Stribog for cleaning is simple. Just pop the pins in the lower, slide the stock down and clear of the upper, and then drop the working parts out of the rear. These comprise a flexible polymer buffer, captive return spring, and guide rod, plus a substantial steel bolt with integral guide rails. A blade-type ejector is bolted into the L/H side of the upper, whose open-ended build makes it easy to run a rod through the barrel or to bore-sight an optic.

On the subject of sights, the Stribog has a neat set of flip-up polymer ‘irons’ set into either end of its optics rail. Even when closed, these show a simple square notch-and-post picture, and once open you get a rear aperture and a fully-hooded front blade with a white dot at the centre. The aperture sights aren’t adjustable but shot true at 50m and are well-matched to the stock. For a red dot, the best option is an RMR-style unit. Mine being otherwise employed, I went for a Zeiss Z-Point. To extend the range/precision, I opted for a Minox ZP8 LPVO in low Tier One rings. The result was heavy, steady and still nicely balanced.

Getting hands-on

Overall, I love how solidly-built the Stribog is, and the fact it shows essentially the same build regardless of calibre. In short, it’s not a replica, it’s the real deal, albeit in .22LR.

Given that a 9mm Stribog might have some big-boy work to do, Grand Power has clearly thought seriously about its ergonomics, as plenty of texturing is applied to the sides, front and rear of the pistol-grip, and around the magazine well, which is also flared for speedy, fumble-free access. I found the grip a little narrow, until I shot the Stribog while wearing gloves, when it felt perfect!

Fully-ambidextrous controls further enhance the Stribog’s practical performance. The spool-shaped charging handle - which is always under spring tension but doesn’t reciprocate on firing - can be easily released by depressing a sprung retaining pin with a punch. It can then be reinstalled in the opposite side as desired. The 2-position rotary safety is stumpy-but-chunky and has been improved to flick forward and down to FIRE and up and back to SAFE (AR15-style). The long MR falls nicely under your strong hand trigger finger or weak-hand thumb. The sheet-metal BHO/R is something of an ugly duckling, however, and has to be reached for when you want it. This seemed like poor design at first, but actually makes it hard to confuse it with the MR under pressure and doesn’t slow you down at all.

An ambidextrous sling solution would be nice, though. A loop and ring for a single-point sling are moulded into the L/H side of the stock head, but there’s nothing on the R/H side, and the round hole in the butt is the wrong size for a push-fit swivel. That leaves you needing an M-LOK adapter up front and a tie-in at the rear. Entirely doable, but not ideal.

Magazines are also moulded from GRP, with slotted sides and pull-down followers, plus a capacity of 25 rounds. A slight curve ensures smooth feeding. Magazines are easier to insert with an open bolt but will go in under a closed one if slapped. Two come with each gun, with additional magazines available on request (POA).

The trigger is also an improvement over the Taranis, showing a straight skeletonised blade, with a short take-up, quick reset, and a clean break, now lightened by some 2 lbs to (a still significant) 5lb 7oz. The point to remember here is that the Stribog isn’t designed for long-range precision, but for fast, close-in work, and at that it excels.

After zeroing, therefore, I set up a ‘jungle run’ in the woods, with an assortment of gongs, spinners and paper tucked into hollows and behind trees. Against the clock and seeking the next target, the Stribog’s trigger feels fast, responsive, and not heavy. Plus, chin welds make more sense than cheek welds. Most importantly, reliability was excellent, being impressive with subsonics, and virtually flawless with standard-velocity ammo.

Verdict

In conclusion, the Stribog isn’t as competition-customisable as an AR15 clone, and the long magazine and combat-weight trigger aren’t ideal for bench work or hunting, but for club shooters looking for something seriously well-made, totally authentic, and loads of fun, it’s about perfect.