There is a certain type of “Dad Wisdom” that defies the laws of physics and statistical probability. It’s the kind of lore whispered over campfire coffee or while cleaning rifles in a garage that smells faintly of Hoppe’s No. 9 and questionable life choices. For me, that wisdom was the gospel of the .22 Long Rifle. Growing up, I vividly remember my father leaning in and telling me that the .22LR has taken more deer than any other caliber known to man.
Now, look, I’m not here to debate the legality or the ethical ballistics of poaching Bambi with a squirrel gun. Whether he was statistically correct or just engaging in the time-honored tradition of “Dad Hyperbole,” I cannot say. But I can tell you this: when your hero tells you how great something is, you listen and take it to heart. To a young boy, that tiny rimfire cartridge wasn’t just for tin cans; it was a legendary giant-slayer.
I grew up viewing the .22LR as the ultimate utility player—a great little round for target practice, taking small game, and, as I eventually learned in my adult years, being one of the absolute coolest rounds to shoot suppressed. It’s the “Swiss Army Knife” of the ballistics world. So, naturally, when the crew over at Derya Arms reached out about their all-new TM22 Flash, my inner child (who still thinks he can take a buck with a well-placed rimfire shot) was eager to try it out.
A 22LR is Often Going to be Used as a Workhorse
When I’m in the market for a .22LR rifle, my criteria shift significantly compared to when I’m hunting for a long-range precision bolt gun or a high-end defensive carbine. That’s because a .22LR isn’t a safe queen that comes out once a year for a specialized ceremony. In most households, a .22LR is often used as a workhorse and handled by numerous people with varying degrees of experience.
In my house, the “workhorse” designation is literal. It might be grabbed by my wife or kids to fend off a particularly bold predator eyeing our chickens. It could be snatched up by the kids for an afternoon of plinking away at steel targets in the backyard. Or, it might be the thing I grab when I just want a lightweight companion while walking through the woods to clear my head.
And then, of course, there is the “obvious” use that every gun owner thinks about but rarely admits at dinner parties: the apocalypse. If the world goes sideways and we’re all bartering canned beans for fuel, you want a lightweight, quiet, do-it-all rifle that can carry 500 rounds of ammo in a cargo pocket without requiring a chiropractor. When evaluating a rimfire rifle for these roles, there are “nice-to-have” features and “must-have” features. The TM22 Flash seemed to be checking boxes I didn’t even know I had yet.
Add to Cart, Pay for Faster Shipping, and Thank Me Later
When it comes to a solid, modern .22LR, I have a specific “shopping list” of requirements. I want an adjustable stock, an M-LOK handguard, a threaded barrel (because we live in a civilized society), a comfortable pistol grip, a top rail for optics, a trigger that doesn’t feel like dragging a sack of gravel across a parking lot (under 5 lbs), and magazines that don’t cost as much as a steak dinner. Most importantly, it has to reliably cycle whatever “bucket of bullets” junk I found in the back of my truck.
The Derya Arms TM22 Flash didn’t just meet these criteria; it took them out for a nice seafood dinner and never called them back. It went beyond the basics by including a flat-faced trigger right out of the box.
Let’s talk about flat triggers for a second. If you are still using a curved trigger because “that’s how Grandpappy did it,” you are missing out on the ergonomic equivalent of switching from a wooden stool to a reclining leather chair. If you have not used a flat trigger, go online right now, find one that meets your needs, add to cart, pay for faster shipping, and thank me later. The geometry allows for more consistent finger placement and a perceived lighter pull. Having one factory-installed on a .22LR is a level of “fancy” I wasn’t expecting, but I certainly wasn’t going to send it back.
A Premium Feel to Their Already Excellent Rifle
One of the first things that struck me about the TM22 Flash was the furniture. Specifically, the adjustable stock. On most rimfire rifles, the stock is an afterthought—usually a piece of hollow plastic that feels like it was recycled from a cheap cooler. If you want something better, you usually have to go to the aftermarket and spend another $100.
The TM22 Flash adjustable stock is something you normally would only find as an aftermarket option or on very high-end rifles. The fact that Derya is shipping this as standard equipment speaks volumes about the quality of the firearms they are putting out to the public. This isn’t just a “sliding” stock, either. It allows you to adjust the overall length of pull and the height of the cheek rest.
If you’ve ever tried to mount a high-profile optic on a rimfire rifle, you know the struggle of the “chin weld,” where your face is hovering precariously in the air while you try to find the reticle. By allowing for cheek-height adjustment, the stock on the TM22 Flash really adds a premium feel to their already excellent rifle. It makes the gun feel like it was custom-fitted to the shooter, whether that shooter is a 200-pound man or a 10-year-old kid.
Experience in Life Probably Remember the Dark Days of Quad Rails
The handguard situation on the TM22 Flash is equally impressive. It features a full-length M-LOK rail. Now, for those of us who are old—I mean, experienced in life—you probably remember the dark days of quad rails. Back in the early 2000s, we thought it was a great idea to cover every square inch of a rifle in Picatinny “cheese grater” rails. They were heavy and bulky, and required rubber covers to protect your hands, especially in cold weather.
The M-LOK rail lets you mount what you want, where you want, and keep it there, all while keeping the rifle slim and comfortable to hold. To complement this, the TM22 features a full-length Picatinny rail on the top. This is the “prime real estate” for optics, pressure pads, and lasers.
To really push the “do-it-all” nature of this rifle, I decided to have a little fun with my testing. I mounted a Holosun DRS-TH—a digital thermal reflex sight—on the top rail. Was it overkill? Maybe. Was it an absolute blast? Absolutely. I used it to hunt down varmints that thought our chickens would make a great late-night snack. The lightweight form factor of the TM22 Flash, paired with the robust features of the Holosun, made for a devastating combination for backyard security. The fact that the DRS-TH also functions as a standard red dot meant this setup could transition from midday plinking to midnight chicken-guarding without missing a beat.
Those Who Have Taste and Want to be Remembered
Now, let’s get serious for a moment about etiquette. In my humble opinion, every modern rifle should come with a threaded barrel so that you can put a suppressor on it. For those who have taste and want to be remembered as a considerate neighbor (and a cool person), suppression is the only way to fly.
The .22LR is one of those calibers that is transformed when suppressed. It goes from a “pop” to a “click.” The TM22 Flash suppressed rifle offers minimal recoil, stays extremely quiet, and functions flawlessly. During my testing, I paired the rifle with a “Who’s Who” of rimfire cans: the IWI IWS22, the Faxon Firearms Twenty-Toucan (points for the name alone), and the SilencerCo Sparrow.
As many of you likely know, rimfire semi-autos can be “picky eaters.” Some guns only like high-velocity ammo; others choke the moment you put a suppressor on and increase the backpressure. The TM22 Flash performed flawlessly with all three suppressors and ammunition ranging from “complete junk I found in a coffee can” to the gold standard match-grade stuff. Even subsonic ammunition, which often lacks the oomph to cycle semi-auto actions, worked without a single hiccup. It simply ate everything I fed it.
Manipulate the Rifle Without Taking Your Firing Hand Off
The final touches on the TM22 Flash really round out the package. Let’s revisit that trigger. It breaks right around four pounds, which is the “sweet spot” for a rifle like this. It’s light enough for precision, but not so light that it’s scary for a novice. The break is crisp and consistent, which is more than I can say for the “mushy” triggers found on most run-of-the-mill .22LR rifles.
Then there is the left-side charging handle. This is a bit of a “love it or hate it” feature for some, but I’m a fan. It ensures that you can manipulate the rifle without taking your firing hand off the grip—assuming, of course, that you are not “wrong-handed” (lefty). It’s an ergonomic win that makes clearing malfunctions or initial loading much faster.
Reliability is the soul of a workhorse, and the TM22 has it in spades. Beyond the suppressed testing, I ran the gun “naked” with everything from bottom-shelf bulk ammo to high-end competition rounds. It didn’t matter. The rifle cycled it all. Derya also made the smart move of offering magazines in 10-, 15-, and 25-round configurations, all widely available. It ships with two 10-rounders, but I’d highly recommend picking up the 25-rounders from their website if you value your time more than your thumb’s health.
Things That Only Existed in My Dreams
Looking back, my time with the TM22 Flash felt like a bridge between generations. While I loved shooting my old bolt-action and wood-stocked semi-autos with my father, the allure of an AR-15-style .22LR with a suppressor and thermal optics was something that existed only in my dreams as a kid.
The TM22 Flash is exactly what I wanted when I was younger—a tactical, reliable, and incredibly fun “blaster” that feels like a “real” rifle rather than a toy. Getting to experience that now with my own kids, watching them ring steel and learn firearm safety with a tool that actually fits them and works every time, has been fantastic.
If you are looking for a rifle to have pure, unadulterated fun with, a rifle to teach the next generation, or a “do-it-all” rimfire that punches way above its weight class, look no further than the TM22 Flash. My dad might have been exaggerating about the deer, but I’m not exaggerating about this: you need this rifle in your life.
