Review: Thumper TG6 Non Pyro Distraction Device

[Colin_S]

I play a lot of CQB (especially in the winter) and have been looking for a distraction device for quite some time now. After reading this thread and briefly discussing it with Gryphon (thanks bud! ) I decided to go ahead and ordered a starter kit from Non Lethal Training Munitions. With a retail price of $115 US ($120 US for the starter kit), it's certainly not cheap but if it works, it will be a great tool for entry teams.

Shipping took ~5 business days and that's not bad considering it's coming from Florida. The Thumper TG6 was extremely well packaged and there's no way the device would get damaged during shipping. Anyway after ripping the packaging apart, I was greeted by the grenade itself, three blasting caps, three 8gr CO2 cartridges and a couple of allen keys.

The grenade is well constructed and feels very solid in the hand. I believe it's made out of aluminum and has a plastic base and plastic firing cap on top.

The Thumper TG6 cylinder is ~15 x 4cm in size and fits into standard mag pouches quite easily. In the second picture the firing pin on the grenade has been removed and the spoon extended (activated and ready to fire within ~2 sec).

To disassemble the Thumper TG6, you twist the the two metal halves apart and that will reveal the chamber for the CO2 cartridges. A thick O ring gives the grenade an airtight seal between the two halves which is important obviously.

After inserting the CO2 cartridge screw the two halves back together and you're ready to go. If you're reusing the grenade and after the CO2 has been installed, you insert a new blasting cap and twist it ~45 degrees. That locks the cap in place and you're ready to rock and roll.

Using the grenade is a no brainer simply pull the pin, throw it in the direction you want and wait till you hear the loud BANG. It takes about 2 seconds for the device to go off and it certainly gives everyone quite a startle.

The device works in this way when the spoon is released, a valve pierces the CO2 cartridge which then over fills the plastic blasting cap with gas. When the cap bursts it's suppose to produce 120dB of noise. Unfortunately I don't have the tools to measure that but I can vouch that it's damn loud.

As you can see the cap has been blown into two pieces and is one of the two consumable parts, the other is the 8 gram CO2 cartridge.

I was fortunate enough to use it last night at TTAC3 and it certainly gave everyone a surprise. It worked very well after setting the Thumper TG6 off, my team entered a complex room structure and was able to clear out all four defenders without any casualties.

The Thumper TG6 costs ~$5 per use after the initial investment of course. 8 gram CO2 cartridges are harder to find than the regular 12 gram models (used in CO2 guns) but it's getting the blasting caps that's impossible, you have to go to the manufacturer for that. NLTM sells both consumable parts together so you're pretty much going to get those parts from them exclusively.

The Thumper TG6 is an expensive toy but then again what in airsoft isn't? If you play a lot of CQB, this thing will add a new dimension to your game and is definitely recommended. It's expensive to run so I won't use it every time I play CQB however I will use it now and then to give the guys I play with a shock every once in a while.

amano999 took a video of the Thumper TG6 in use, when he posts it online I'll update this thread with a link so you can check it out. If you have any questions by all means post or PM me, I'll do my best to answer. If you want a picture of something specific again let me know.

[Dracheous]

Hmmm, I got my hands on a different grenade that is similar in mechanics to this one.

((EDIT: Ask anyone at the last OP: Gun Doc Day, I must have set that thing off 15-20 times! So much fun, yes, me and explosives are a bad mix!))

This one seems a lil more costly on use than the other as it just used propane like a GBB mag. But I'd forsee this one making a much louder pop.

The only thing I could see that would make this thing more fun to use itself, is a tether between the two halves so you don't spend time trying to find the other half! But seeing it has two plastic end caps it would probably not be difficult to secure a tether to each end.

[Brian McIlmoyle]

Originally Posted by Dracheous

Hmmm, I got my hands on a different grenade that is similar in mechanics to this one.

((EDIT: Ask anyone at the last OP: Gun Doc Day, I must have set that thing off 15-20 times! So much fun, yes, me and explosives are a bad mix!))

This one seems a lil more costly on use than the other as it just used propane like a GBB mag. But I'd forsee this one making a much louder pop.

The only thing I could see that would make this thing more fun to use itself, is a tether between the two halves so you don't spend time trying to find the other half! But seeing it has two plastic end caps it would probably not be difficult to secure a tether to each end.

The halves do not separate.. the only thing that happens is the plastic end cap on one end explodes due to gas overpressure.. the rest of the device remains intact. The cap is hollow.. and can be charged will BBs or powder.. or both the enhance the effect.

From seeing this thing.. I would say that the search for a viable distraction device is over.

[MadMax]

Is the device small enough that you can huck it with a 40mm moscart launcher?

[Colin_S]

Originally Posted by MadMax

Is the device small enough that you can huck it with a 40mm moscart launcher?

No unfortunately it's too big for that. Heh I was going to drop by the store later in teh week to pick up a few internals, I'll be sure to bring it by so you can check it out.

[Dracheous]

Originally Posted by Brian McIlmoyle

From seeing this thing.. I would say that the search for a viable distraction device is over.

I don't know if I'd go so far to say that there Brian. You still have to pay $8 EVERY time you set that thing off! Thats a far mount of mulla for a lil bang in the game.


http://www.wgcshop.com/pcart/shopper...G_srch_grenade

Personally, I want to pick up some of these. A guy brought them out to the gun doc day and I had a blast with it! The thing stays entirely together, and the rubber stopper on the bottom that blows out with the bb's is tethered so that you don't loose them. Cost per fill? 28 BB's and about a half cent of gas from the Propane tank. Also, starting at $50 USD, this thing is very much on par with what's above. Not to knock the above device, but I do see a big draw back to $8 a pop! EVen if the one I suggest only lasts say 30 fills and pops ((I put 20 through the other guys, which means I'll probably end up having to buy it off him... just to finish it off! :twisted: :twisted: )) thats $240 just setting it off 30 times because of how much those 8 gram canisters cost. If it were the 12 gram, where you could get 25 for $13, then I'd be more agreeing to this device as the build on it looks much stronger than the M26A1G.

EDIT: Made a small error, its $5 a pop, but that still means $150 to set it off 30 times!