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Condor Condor Review: A case report in how "utilitarian" can be a positive

Just great info you provide @Franklink
I wish I had the time you put in posting, let alone all the shooting and tuning.

I can shoot off the back porch, so a quick couole shots here and there don't take much time. Yesterday for example, shot for only about 30-40 min yesterday evening around dinner time.

The other factor is that I don't watch much tv, so that frees up much more time for shooting. I spend most of my time at my real job stuck inside staring at a computer. When Im not at work I take every opportunity to be outside, NOT staring at a screen.
 
I can shoot off the back porch, so a quick couole shots here and there don't take much time. Yesterday for example, shot for only about 30-40 min yesterday evening around dinner time.

The other factor is that I don't watch much tv, so that frees up much more time for shooting. I spend most of my time at my real job stuck inside staring at a computer. When Im not at work I take every opportunity to be outside, NOT staring at a screen.
I had the same setup and time a year ago, then my son was born 🤣
 
An unregulated gun can be just as accurate an unregulated one. My USFT is unregulated and is my most decorated field target gun. Multiple perfect matches with it. The key to unregulated is to figure out your fill pressures, and as long as shots taken are within that pressure window, ACCURACY is there.

I'll get some 50-55 yard groups too, I'm curious as well.
Agreed, and please do! More work/attention is needed from the shooter (I guess thats a compliment😅) to get em in that sweet spot. Your shooting set up is nice!....that I think is part of my issue for not shooting as much as I do. Living on a corner lot care must be taken to shoot safely. My shop has a 6ft overhang and underneath is my rim cleaning table that doubles as my (crappy) shooting table, and keeps me in the shade If needed! To do some shooting (even the springers) a solid 20 mins setup/takedown is needed. So if i have an hr or less it's a no go for me.
 
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Had about 20 minutes after dinner....

Decided on some 55ish yard groups. Neighbors horse was along the fence line by my permanent yardage markers so had to place the trap in the middle of the field and guestimate. Lasered it after I was done shooting and it was only 49 yards, I though I was closer to 55 but such is life.

This is the simple setup...yep, kid junk in the periphery.
PXL_20240806_015743545.webp

Scope view after I was done shooting.....
PXL_20240806_015911749.webp


Lasered yardage....
PXL_20240806_020008402.PORTRAIT~2.webp


And no magnification...you can see a wind flag (survey tape) being moved a bit by the left to right wind, really not much of a factor for 50 yards groups where th a BC this high).
PXL_20240806_020122553.PORTRAIT.webp

The bottom left is the same 10 shot, 30 yard group I shared a couple days ago. Top left was sighters before I started taking shots that "counted". Then I shot them in the order that they're numbered. Shots were hitting low so refilled and swapped paper and shot one more ten shot group (white paper).

PXL_20240806_021056505.webp

Can't blame much on the wind cuz it was negligible. Can blame the shooter though! Condor is a light gun, I'd guess it's a couple pounds lighter than any of my target setups. And it's got a bare bones 20x simple scope on there, also NOT contributing to its weight. So it's a light gun. The two better groups were when I was really focusing on not putting any pressure anywhere, so maybe there is something to the "frame flex" that we always hear about with the Air Force guns. The two groups where I was really concentrating were 0.65" and 0.47".

Overall, those 5, 10 shot groups at 49 yards average 0.855." Sure can't complain about that.

Oh yeah, this is .20/15.89s at an average of 930fps (same "tune" as the graphed out shot string a couple posts back).
 
Had about 20 minutes after dinner....

Decided on some 55ish yard groups. Neighbors horse was along the fence line by my permanent yardage markers so had to place the trap in the middle of the field and guestimate. Lasered it after I was done shooting and it was only 49 yards, I though I was closer to 55 but such is life.

This is the simple setup...yep, kid junk in the periphery.
View attachment 7534

Scope view after I was done shooting.....
View attachment 7535


Lasered yardage....
View attachment 7536


And no magnification...you can see a wind flag (survey tape) being moved a bit by the left to right wind, really not much of a factor for 50 yards groups where th a BC this high).
View attachment 7537

The bottom left is the same 10 shot, 30 yard group I shared a couple days ago. Top left was sighters before I started taking shots that "counted". Then I shot them in the order that they're numbered. Shots were hitting low so refilled and swapped paper and shot one more ten shot group (white paper).

View attachment 7538

Can't blame much on the wind cuz it was negligible. Can blame the shooter though! Condor is a light gun, I'd guess it's a couple pounds lighter than any of my target setups. And it's got a bare bones 20x simple scope on there, also NOT contributing to its weight. So it's a light gun. The two better groups were when I was really focusing on not putting any pressure anywhere, so maybe there is something to the "frame flex" that we always hear about with the Air Force guns. The two groups where I was really concentrating were 0.65" and 0.47".

Overall, those 5, 10 shot groups at 49 yards average 0.855." Sure can't complain about that.

Oh yeah, this is .20/15.89s at an average of 930fps (same "tune" as the graphed out shot string a couple posts back).
Well that group sure beats out my Ghost with Mrds @ 50🤭 ...Nice! Not sure if you posted it but how high is your scope to barrel with that setup, I do see the dovetail to pic adapter? I've read people complain about the need to jack their scopes up high to compensate on the Condor...And I hear you on the light scope, I'm putting a heavier scope on the S510, she's light and long and could use a tad more heft! Stumbled on Talon Tunes website today, wow can you ever kit out these guns! The AR15 grip adapter might be something to look into from them @Franklink!?
 
Well that group sure beats out my Ghost with Mrds @ 50🤭 ...Nice! Not sure if you posted it but how high is your scope to barrel with that setup, I do see the dovetail to pic adapter? I've read people complain about the need to jack their scopes up high to compensate on the Condor...And I hear you on the light scope, I'm putting a heavier scope on the S510, she's light and long and could use a tad more heft! Stumbled on Talon Tunes website today, wow can you ever kit out these guns! The AR15 grip adapter might be something to look into from them @Franklink!?

It's not an easy gun with which to shoot tight groups like that, but it is certainly capable of doing such. It's a sporter, not a target gun. Long, slender, and light. If I was asked to shoot tight groups on demand I'd be reaching for a Veteran or a Ghost before the Condor. The fact that the Condor CAN shoot like that is pretty dang cool though.

Of the five, 10 shot groups, the only one bigger than an inch was when I was below the refill pressure. The other four, shot from within the correct pressure window, were all under an inch.

I haven't measured the scope height but those are low rings, just spares I had in a bin. And yes it does have a dovetail to pic adaptor, per @fderry's recommendation, as a way to stiffen up the frame. I do believe I'll pony up for the AR grip frame adaptor, for additional frame rigidity but also for the ability to put a better grip on the gun.

Finally, yes, there is every conceivable add-on out there. I thought the Crosman pistols were the ultimate lego guns, but I'm finding an even larger cottage industy built up around after marker Airforce accessories. Over on a different forum a guy shared the link to this website, with even more AirForce accessories... https://www.trajectron.com/
 
Minor upgrade to the 1/2x20 moderator adaptor....
With the prior adaptor there wasnt enough barrel engagement to make me feel good about keeping the moderator aligned with the bore. The ID was also a bit bigger than I like to see.

The new one has more barrel engagement, better sized ID, and matches the rest of the gun better.
$25 shipped, from eBay.
New one....
PXL_20240807_014309605.webp


Old one....
PXL_20240807_014052134.webp
 
Found this little parts kit on Amazon for about $25 shipped.

PXL_20240809_013953796.webp

Was mostly wanting the anodized aluminum hammer spring tension adjustment (power wheel) as alum seems a bit of an upgrade over the plastic OEM. But it also came with some seemingly well machined other baubles. My initial impression is that it's a decent amount of machining for only $25. AND it came with all the orings and grub screws for the various components.

Haven't compared much or had time to try any of this yet. Weighed the brass hammer and it's just shy of 28grams. Much lighter than OEM and probably opens up the possibility of a sub20fpe tune and likely of even lower power output. And an extra hammer spring can be clipped for experimenting, while still having the OEM to fall back on.
 
Found this little parts kit on Amazon for about $25 shipped.

View attachment 7631

Was mostly wanting the anodized aluminum hammer spring tension adjustment (power wheel) as alum seems a bit of an upgrade over the plastic OEM. But it also came with some seemingly well machined other baubles. My initial impression is that it's a decent amount of machining for only $25. AND it came with all the orings and grub screws for the various components.

Haven't compared much or had time to try any of this yet. Weighed the brass hammer and it's just shy of 28grams. Much lighter than OEM and probably opens up the possibility of a sub20fpe tune and likely of even lower power output. And an extra hammer spring can be clipped for experimenting, while still having the OEM to fall back on.
I've searched Amazon & can't find that kit. What did you type in the search bar?
 
I don't know ... I'd think it's still new and needs finessing to ware in and should get better .. being a .20 it's not like you got a wide pellet option to play with .. but still just comes down to

View attachment 7558
It sounds like all the 5mm/.20 pellets are pretty good, though. Unlike .177 and .22, where sometimes pellets give "groups" at 25 yards that look like you're patterning goose loads from a shotgun.
 
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It sounds like all the 5mm/.20 pellets are pretty good, though. Unlike .177 and .22, where sometimes pellets give "groups" at 25 yards that look like you're patterning goose loads from a shotgun.

That is one of the benefits of the .20.

Last week a buddy texted me with a .20 inquiry. He is also a .20 fan and needs to replenish his pellet supply. He knows I go through a lot of pellets and asked if I've had any trouble with recently purchased ammo. I told him I've bought from AOA, Utah Air, Trenier, and Pyramyd and have yet to come across a cruddy batch of .20s.

For .20 pellets I stick with the JSB .20/13.73 and the 15.89. and for slugs the NSA .20/18.9. And every tin/box so far has shot just like the previous orders/batches that I've run through my guns. Wish the same could be said of all JSB offerings.
 
Played with the little parts kit a bit last night.
Here's the OEM plastic wheel next to the anodized aluminum one.

PXL_20240815_055855463.webp

OEM hammer does indeed weigh just shy of 48grams.
OEM hammer weight weighs 18grams.
New hammer weighs 28grams. And I think I've decided that it's not brass, but aluminum with a brass colored anodizing, same for the breech slide in the kit.

New hammer has a step (almost like a spring guide) that sits inside the hammer spring, OEM Hammer does not.

OEM breech slide has two oring grooves, one at each end of the channel. New breech slide has grooves for 4 orings, two in the front and in the back.

Hammer spring in the new kit is slightly smaller wire diameter than OEM and also about 1/4" longer than OEM.

Between the lighter hammer spring and the lighter hammer, the aftermarket parts kit seems better suited to low power tunes.

I put it back together with a couple combinations of new and old parts and couldn't get it to cock. The individual lengths of the hammer/breech slide/etc vary from the OEm to these aftermarket parts. So either the overall length of the power wheel/hammer/hammer spring/breech slide isn't right or I did something else wrong. By then it was after midnight and I called it and left it in pieces on my workbench.
 
Played with the little parts kit a bit last night.
Here's the OEM plastic wheel next to the anodized aluminum one.

View attachment 7726

OEM hammer does indeed weigh just shy of 48grams.
OEM hammer weight weighs 18grams.
New hammer weighs 28grams. And I think I've decided that it's not brass, but aluminum with a brass colored anodizing, same for the breech slide in the kit.

New hammer has a step (almost like a spring guide) that sits inside the hammer spring, OEM Hammer does not.

OEM breech slide has two oring grooves, one at each end of the channel. New breech slide has grooves for 4 orings, two in the front and in the back.

Hammer spring in the new kit is slightly smaller wire diameter than OEM and also about 1/4" longer than OEM.

Between the lighter hammer spring and the lighter hammer, the aftermarket parts kit seems better suited to low power tunes.

I put it back together with a couple combinations of new and old parts and couldn't get it to cock. The individual lengths of the hammer/breech slide/etc vary from the OEm to these aftermarket parts. So either the overall length of the power wheel/hammer/hammer spring/breech slide isn't right or I did something else wrong. By then it was after midnight and I called it and left it in pieces on my workbench.
Ooof I wasn't quite that late last night working on my Ghost! 🥴 Was that what you were ultimately going for with this Kit then? ...to get the gun (de)tuned for the .20 or more just a mixed bag of see what you get?
 
Ooof I wasn't quite that late last night working on my Ghost! 🥴 Was that what you were ultimately going for with this Kit then? ...to get the gun (de)tuned for the .20 or more just a mixed bag of see what you get?

The details in the eBay listing were sparse. I had no idea what the hammer would weigh. I mostly wanted that metal power wheel instead of the OEM plastic one.
 
Got it back together and functional, WITH the new metal hammer spring tension wheel.

I'll revisit the aluminum breech slide and light hammer at some future point. But headed to an airgun weekend/ silhouette/field target match tomorrow morning. Got a new guy coming and he wants to check out a variety of guns before he makes a decision about what to buy. Figure it'd be interesting to let him compare and contrast a budget option in the mix so wanted the Condor functional again. It's not field target legal so he won't be competing with it, but this way he can at least take it for a spin during plinking/hang out time.
 

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