A new shooter shoots a Condor

by Tom Gaylord

I was out at AirForce this afternoon and a new employee wanted to watch me test a customer's Condor. I test-fired it at 40 yards on a very windy day and shot one group a dime covered and the other was hidden by a nickel. Then the new employee sat down to shoot her very first airgun!

I coached her on the first shot at 40 yards and after that, I left her to her own devices. Ten shots later, she had a group that could be covered by a nickel!

Not only was this her first air rifle, she had never before looked through a scope sight. She was surprised by how much the crosshairs move, even with the rifle rested solidly on a bench. She was so proud of her group that she took it home to show her husband.

We were both shooting JSB Exacts on power setting 6. I set the gun that way because I wanted a quick check of the potential accuracy. When I worked at AirForce, I could sight in a gun and shoot a group inside of ten minutes. I had to be fast because time is money!

By the way, the particular Condor I was testing had been sent in by a customer who complained it shot all over the place. In the three years I tested AirForce air rifles as an employee, I only found one gun that didn't shoot as it is supposed to. We changed the barrel on that one and it was fixed! But on today's rifle, all I had to do was air it up and start shooting. I don't know why some owners think their guns don't shoot, but they always seem to when I get them.

Another new site!
I just opened my second blog, called "Remembering when." It's a reminiscing blog where I get to write stories about airguns and the good old days. Nothing relaxes me like writing these short stories, many of which are based on something thaqt actually happened to me or to someone I know.

That's what is happening in my life right now. I'll make a concerted attempt to keep this blog updated more frequently from now on.