The “Advantage” charging handle and Picatinny rail base is another innovative product for the Ruger 10/22. This accessory from TandemKross quickly became a “must have” for some of my rifles. Not only is a solid mount for your scope or red dot, but it also allows for left-hand charging. And unlike the factory charging handle, this one is non-reciprocating. Oh, it’s also easy to install, and requires no permanent modifications to your firearm.
Construction
Machined from 6061 aluminum, it’s got a nice black finish. Both rails and the spring are steel, for smooth operation. A Zytel base protects the finish of your receiver. There’s a little plastic sleeve on the right side, so it’s not metal on metal where it touches the factory charging handle. Overall length is about 4.5 inches, and there are nine slots. Unlike the standard Ruger rail, the leading and trailing edges are beveled, rather than squared off. I think this gives it a nice profile. Running the length is a central groove more for weight reduction than anything else. It’s probably too high to see iron sights. And let’s face it, if you mounted this, you aren’t running irons.
Installation
As always, make sure your firearm is unloaded, and your work area is free of ammunition. If those little screws are still in the top of your receiver, go ahead and remove them, and clean the holes of any oil or other residue. A bit of blue Loctite should be used on the supplied screws. I prefer to thread each screw in a bit, then tighten sequentially, a bit at a time. Any time you’re working with optics, you should be using a torque wrench. (Check the Wheeler link to the right, as they make a great one that’s very reasonably priced) These should be tightened to about 15 in/lb.
Once it’s installed, run the factory charging handle a few times, to make sure it’s working. Then try the Advantage’s left-side handle. Verify again that the factory one works. It’s difficult to screw this up, but critical to make sure everything works as expected before you let the Loctite set overnight. The final step is to mount your optic. In this case, we’re using a Vortex Crossfire II.
In use
With a high magnification scope like this, not having to change position to charge my rifle or clear a jam is a real advantage. On a competition rifle, reloads or clearing jams are done without changing your grip. For lower velocity ammo common with suppressor use, there can sometimes be some cycling issues. Again, this is a great solution to that too.
Two details really stand out when using it. First, it’s relatively unobtrusive. The left side handle is easy to grab, but doesn’t stick out too far. Second, it’s non-reciprocating, so it doesn’t move with the factory charging handle. You can still work the factory (or an aftermarket) right side handle as usual. The Advantage only moves the right side handle when you pull it back. The rest of the time, it’s out of the way, waiting until you need it.
Overall impressions
This is another one of those products where I thought “Hmm, I might want to try that”. So I got one for review to use with one of our project rifles. And I immediately bought a second one, knowing it was going on my next personal project rifle as well. I’ve mounted two, and been satisfied with them both. The only minor issue is that little piece of plastic seems to fall off. But even then, it still works, and my my factory charging handle is unaffected. For anyone building a lightweight rifle, it’s not much heavier than a standard rail. And well worth the trade-off, when it comes to performance. Check it out at TandemKross.com.
The TandemKross Advantage charging handle pictured was purchased with my own money, although one was provided previously for testing and evaluation. As with all our reviews, I‘ve made every effort to provide an honest opinion, including overall quality, function, and durability. If it‘s not something I would buy myself, or recommend to friends, I don‘t share it with our readers. Note that purchasing their products through our affiliate links helps to support this site.
Comments? Questions? Have any of our readers tried out the Advantage charging handle? Feel free to share below.