Condor .25 first group after a cleaning

[only1harry]

I recently got a Talon Tunes tuned .25 Condor and finally zeroed in a Simmons 44Mag 6.5-20X mil-dot scope about a week ago.  I did some target shooting and wasn't too happy with it.  It wasn't as accurate as my .22 Condor which is a tac driver every time.  This .25 would go from shooting in the same hole 2-3 pellets in a row to opening up to 0.5", sometimes more at 30yds.  

At first I thought I 'm canting the gun a little because I have a level on my .22 but then I decided to clean the barrel which I had been putting off.  It was pretty dirty.  After going through a couple of dozen patches they were finally coming out clean.  Back to the window I went (because it's cold out) today where I shoot off a small decorative pillow rested on the window sill while I 'm standing and bent over to the sill's height.  It's not the ideal bench rest by far, but I 'm not going out in the snow and/or freezing to set up my table, but this still works pretty good with my .22 Condor.  Well I only shot 1 group before my son's school bus arrived, and I was surprised to see no "flyers"!  The first Kodiak went in the bullseye, next 2 just below it in the same hole touching, and the last 2 again in the same hole just below the 2&3 shots.  
I 'm pretty sure the pressure in the tank (& velocity) had dropped because I had already shot 3 groups (15 Kodiaks) earlier from a fresh fill before cleaning the barrel which might explain the slight drop in POI or it simply could have been me.  The group was 0.3-0.31" and I was pretty happy about that.  Not quite where I want it to be yet, but with a nice solid rest and sitting position that should tighten up nicely to <0.25" and maybe even match my .22 Condor.  So I think I fixed the problem.. we 'll see when I fill it back up to 2950-3K psi.  Maybe it doesn't like that fill, but it sure shot very conistently through the chrony with 3-4fps avg. difference between each shot.

[gamo2hammerli]

Those are excellent shots Harry for 30 yard distance.  I'll be happy if I can get those groups all the time at 15 meters distance.

[only1harry]

Thanks Stanley.  Your 410 .22 should be pretty close with its LW barrel, no?  Believe me, the .25 is actually a lot of work, almost like a Sprinter because the sucker kicks!  It has a much heavier hammer and spring and it's 85+fpe with 42 grainers.  The .22 has very little recoil and is more accurate.  I can do that with the .22 Condor all day long and better.  I just have to make sure the barrels are clean.  They get dirty quickly like every 300 shots or so because of the high velocities.  Both these Condors shoot Kodiaks @ 1,060 (.25) to almost 1,100fps (.22).    

What's weird is, that the center hole on that target is exactly 1/4" in diameter including the outter lines, so you would think the .25cal pellet would cover the entire hole but it doesn't.  They look like .177 holes.  I guess because I 'm using regular printer paper, and the Kodiaks are pointy for the most part.  The paper closes up somewhat after the Kodiaks rip through it.  It's also outside so it's probably a little damp from the humidity and it stretches I would think.

[gamo2hammerli]

Harry maybe your Condor have a choked barrel?....just tossing that thought out.
And yes I`m pretty sure my .22 AA410 can be quite accurate if I do my part and I`m using a rest....she`s such a smooth shooter...and trigger is fantastic.  This summer if I can find an area with 50 meters or even 70 meters distance...I`ll give it a go.

[only1harry]

Yes the barrel is choked and the trigger is worked.  It's only 30yds..  I 'm sure the groups won't look as good when I start shooting it at 50yds in the Spring.  I could shoot 70yds on my property but that would mean placing my bench out on the lawn near the road at the corner of my property shooting back towards the house/backyard - where all the neighbors can take a good look at me.  I haven't got the guts to do that yet maybe this summer I 'll say what the hek..  The range near me has become "by membership only" shooting club, and the membership fees are pretty high ($400 1st year $300/yr after that!). You also have to be referred by another member, so I 'll have to make my own long range arrangements on my property.  Maybe I 'll set up a blind and shoot from inside it.  That will put me closer to those Groundhogs that are usually 60yds away from the house and didn't feel confident enough shooting them in the head before :-)

[1shotwander]

only1harry - 2/10/2009  4:58 PM

the membership fees are pretty high ($400 1st year $300/yr after that!).

wow harry thats crazy around here in PA my shooting range its quite small (a couple of 200 yard ranges, about a dozen handgun ranges, couple of clay shooting ranges, and a couple of 100 and 150 lanes, and my member ship is only like $50 to renew membership, and like 100 to sign up

[only1harry]

Yeah Cody it's sickening isn't it?  Last year they were $300 for initial membership but they raised their prices because they are the only shooting range around for 40+ miles. And it's also by referral-only and someone has to leave or not re-new their membership for them to accept new members, so there is a waiting list on top of that!  
They do include a couple of free events though (big deal) like a turkey shoot and a hunting trip with prizes I was told.  However they do have all kinds of ranges, 10m, 50ft, 25yd, 50, 100 & 200yds.  They also own several hundred wooded acres (it's like a small mountain they own) and they allow limited bow-hunting for deer by drawing, which is why I think there is waiting list to get in there.  But then I was thinking, do the deer hang around with all the shooting going on at the range a few hundred yards away?  Maybe not too many people shoot outdoors in the winter I guess..  They also have a 100yd indoor range so that's where every one is in the winter I guess.  It must be some place from the sound of it..  
Oh btw, I was wrong, it's $150/yr after the initial membership payment.  My neighbor who is a member has put my application in, and they estimate it might be a year or more before I get in there.  I think they do a background check too, because they were asking if you 've been arrested or convicted of a crime..  It's like going for a fricking job except you pay them.

[1shotwander]

wow, thats still crazy, that indoor is probably nice though, i personally have never been in an indoor, i just think that the supersonic crack must stay in that place for a good couple of seconds (i know how the sound bounces around when i shoot my guns from the bench rest, which have a roof over them) still that crazy though $400 for the first year, thats crazy never heard of such a thing, but, theres a first for everything,,, just a side note- i'm subprised that that cable/dish bill hasnt gone up much, considering that they will be the only ones that will be broadcasting