My 257 Condor Build
I am going to start a thread here on my .257 condor build. I bought a older model from AF with a spin lock tank and the older style trigger and safety. It is a new gun just an older model. I wanted black but all they had was blue or red so I chose Blue. It is a .25 Cal. I will probably sell the barrel for some money on this project.
Here is a picture of it with a Hawk scope mounted on it. The TJ barrel is by it and I have the breech end turned down and the muzzle is crowned. I have to get the dimples yet and cut the leade. Also I started a one piece bushing for the barrel. I thought a one piece would help the stiffness of the frame and tie everything together better.
Here is the Crown I did this morning.
The Breech end of the barrel is .374 dia as per Dougs advice. I am buying a valve from him and that size will match his top hat.
That is it so far. I am going to order some delrin so I can get the breech made and some stuff to make a heavier hammer. I will post updates as I get stuff made to this thread. I am excited to do this project.
A big THANK YOU to tofazfou and Doug and all of the people on the forums that post their projects so people like me can learn and do the same thing. To be continued……..
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Here it is. Dropping it off today at PO. 2 o rings are for your hammer slap.
I hear that the m-lux doesn’t smoke up your shop like wax does. Been wanting to try it! (When I’m casteding!)
Knife
Yea it doesn’t smoke much at all. The lead pipe I cut up and melted smoked a lot when it first melt it because it was a drain pipe and I think it probably had dried shit on it. Of course I scraped off what I could but you know how it is. A sticky shitty situation.
Well I got all the bullets I cast sized and relubed. Probably about 200 worth. I need to get more lead. I have a bunch of wheel weights but not good for the air 257. I need to contact my local salvage yard and see what they have.
I made the mistake of changing my drill stop that I made to drill the seals. I’m still trying to get it back to where it was. I’m .002″ off and will get right today.
Will make another one instead of changing this one.
Hey that sounds great Doug. Again thanks so much for all you do. Just need more time in a day to get everything done. Or clone yourself to help yourself out. 😀
It is amazing how something that should be so simple is so hard.
Valve will go out today.
I made the mistake of changing my drill stop that I made to drill the seals. I’m still trying to get it back to where it was. I’m .002″ off and will get right today.
Will make another one instead of changing this one.
Yep! The factory saftey has always been very “UN-SAFE!”
I hear that the m-lux doesn’t smoke up your shop like wax does. Been wanting to try it! (When I’m casteding!)
Knife
Helpful hints. A Slut without a Slot is just abut useless! 😉 and there is no such word as Casted. 😆 😆
How do you like the Marvelux you are using? Been thinking of ordering a jar of it.
Knife
I invented that word Casted. I do that from time to time. You will see that in my posted. 😛 😀
Since I’m pretty much new to casting I don’t know if it is better then anything else. It does seem to do a good job at getting the crud to the top. I melt down some plumming pipe and that stuff was dirty. It did good on it. Just what I went with. I see people use anything from saw dust to candle wax.
I got some bullets sized and my leade cut in my barrel so all I need now is the Valve and it should be ready to at least try a few shots. I am going to fire lap the barrel at that time. I also got to get the trigger guard made but figure I can at least take a few shots with factory trigger guard set up. I did take out the unsafe safety. Why they would send out a gun that can go off when you release the safety is beyound me. Hopefully the newer style safety is better for that.
Looking Good so far! 😀
Helpful hints. A Slut without a Slot is just abut useless! 😉 and there is no such word as Casted. 😆 😆
How do you like the Marvelux you are using? Been thinking of ordering a jar of it.
Knife
I got my 53 ci tank the other day. Thanks tagdagger.
I got the disc glued on with some JB weld and got the holes drilled and tapped for the gauge and fill nipple. Then painted it up with some Rustoleum Truck bed liner.
I suppose to get my sizing die today. I will get some of my cast 257 sized up and get my leade cut sometime in the next day or two. It is cold here again. It was 50 Saturday 9 today. Dam Iowa weather. I will be back to work Thursday so my time will be more limited. It been nice having a week and a half off.
Next up is making a trigger guard. Probably be like what Doug makes on his guns and include the bottum trigger plate made into the trigger guard as one piece. That should help to give some strength in that area.
To be continued………………….
Thanks. I’m a long way from being a real machinist but I can fake it pretty good.
Wow thats looking good… you do good work.
I don’t believe it I just got an email telling me they are sending out my sizing die 😛 😛 Wow a little over 2 weeks and with Christmas in there that is quick service. I heard so much that it would take 4 to 8 weeks to get it. I guess I am lucky. Good now I can get my leade cut once it gets here. Can’t you tell I’m happy 😀
Well I made me a hammer handle yesterday for my 257. It is a little warmer here right now so I thought it would be a good time to get some of this done. I also got the breech o-rings grooves done. All I got left is to make and fit a handle to the breech but I want to wait untill I get the vavle so I can locate it in the correct spot.
Ooops I messed that one up. I was trimming it up a little and bump the handle on the lathe and it dug in hard and ripped it out of the chuck. 👿 🙄
A little bondo and a hammer and some touch up paint and I got this….
Just kidding. Had to make another one. I hate when that happens.
Here the breech and hammer with handle. Right now the combined weight of hammer and handle together is 127 grams. I’m going for 120 grams but thought I would try this weight first to see how it does.
All the innards sitting on the barrel. That is the stock spring but will use a heavier sping that I hope Doug sends with the valve.
I then had to cut a slut or I mean a slot…wait a minute a slut has a slot so same thing…in the frame. I was nervus doing that. It did turn out good though.
And here is a picture with it all together in the frame.
So I basicly got all the innards made and just waiting on valve so I can get the handle on the breech. I aslo need to widen the groove the breech handle rides in and make a bushing for the breech handle then once I have the valve I can locate the hole for the handle. My 53 ci tank and adapter should be here tomorrow and then I can install a gauge and fill nipple to the adapter. I bought it from a member here. So it is comming along nicely.
I also casted up some bullets for it this morning. Still waiting on the sizing die from Lee. It will be forever before it comes. That will be the only thing that will hold me up on this because I want to size my leade in the barrel with the bullets I will be using.
My casting supplies I bought.
To be continued…………………….
Yea dyotat100 is the man to contact for this. He has helped me out a lot on my 257. He has made several.
Dyotat would be your man for this. He has these things down pat! 😉
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Wow that looks great. 😎 Thank you so much!!! Now I need warmer weather.
Have a great New Year.