Tight spot in bore (22 Condor)
I had been wondering why so much lead was gathering in the bore just up from the breech. I cleaned the bore thoroughly, and pushed a pellet through. Several pellets actually, to make sure of what I was feeling! The pellet travels smoothly until it hits a very tight spot a couple of inches up from the breech. About where the barrel tapers out to full diameter.
Accuracy has been come and go for me. Some days I can shoot a real tight 50 or 80 yard group. Other days, groups open up.
The tight spot doesn’t seem to effect the rifling marks on the pellet. I expected an L.W. barrel to have slightly higher tolerances. Anyway, I voided my warranty when I disassembled the gun a while back (and snipped off the little ‘spring twang’ tape LOL) so I’ll go ahead and give her the ol JB Compound treatment. If I mess up the messed up barrel….heck, I’ll go to 25 caliber. (Wonder if my airhog shroud will slide over and work on the .25 barrels?)
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I appreciate everyiones replies. I called AirForce. They said to ship the gun to them minus the tank. I just put it on the UPS truck.
Mine does not do that, even after a good couple thousand shots.
And you certainly should not be getting chunks of lead out of it!! 😯
You have an unhappy barrel…..
Kevin,
Mine did not do that, and I shot thousands of pellets without cleaning.
Roachcreek
I shot about 50 shots out of it. It was shooting good last nite. Dime sized at 37 yards. Took it out and shot it this morning. POI had dropped 1 1/2 inches low and to the left and groups had opened up to an inch.
I ran a patch ( dampened with Goo Gone) from the breech to the tight spot and a bit past it and then pulled back out. This is after 50 shots. I’m no expert, but this seems like excessive leading.
Does everyones 24 inch AirForce barrel do this???? Is this the norm?? If so, I wont call AirForce and seek resolution. Again, the lead on the patch in the pic was taken from the tight spot in the bore a couple of inches up from the breech after only 50 shots starting from a spotless bore.
KB,
It is a well known fact in the metal machining world that when you turn down the OD of a tube , the ID increases in that area , I think this is what you are finding as the barrel is formed as a blank , then it is buttoned or bored and taper lapped and then after that is done AF turn down the OD at the breach end causing the ID to swell in the area as the OD is relieved .
The better way to do it would be to button it after the OD is shaped .
I guess some barrels have more of a step then others depending on the density of the metal .
I wouldn’t worry about it if it does not mess with accuracy
I’ve been shooting the crap out of it today. It will still shoot dime sized 37 yard groups. Accuracy MAY have improved a wee bit. Lead is still gathering two inches or so up from the breech. I had just as soon that little “step” NOT be there.
If this is typical for 24 inch Condor barrels to be loose-bored in the narrow part of the barrel, no one has chimed in and said so. So, I’ll assume that mine is not the standard. I may call AirForce tomorrow and ask them about it. I’ll see if they will trade my double-choked tube for a single choked standard Condor barrel.
Kevinbrian,
Well you can’t quite call that firelapping, air lapping, no that is what I do under the covers at night 😎 , oh well what ever it was it sounds like you may have soved your problem.
Roachcreek
I just got through shooting 10 shots into a ragged hole at 38 yards. I worked on the barrel all morning. I worked the barrel over good with JB Paste and Eun Jin pellets. About 15 of them. At around 800 fps. Each one coated with JB Paste. Night and day difference on how the pellet feels as I push it through the bore. MUCH smoother. In the entire length of the narrow portion of the barrel, the bore was looser. Then, it step into a tighter bore for the remainder of the bore until the choke. The lead was gathering at the place where the bore went from loose to tighter. The step down was enough to really strip the lead from the pellet. That transition spot FEELS much smoother and not as harsh since I did the JB treatment. Time will tell. I’ll shoot until accuracy degrades. Then I’ll run a patch though to see how much lead is being sheered off. If what I did today works, there shouldn’t be near the amount.
I appreciate everyone’s feedback.
your warranty is stiff in tac, send it back to A/F, sounds to me it got milled backwards and the choke is at the brech end
Seems the most logical.
Dave
I believe that this is the answer!
How about, when the breech section was turned down, the bore diameter increased (It does with button rifled barrels) and what you think is a tight spot is actually how the bore shold feel.
Seems the most logical.
Dave
Wonder if the tight spot is some lead build up. i ground up jeweler’s rouge into my jb bore paiste when i first bought the condor. started with coarse then to finer rouge then just the jb bore paiste. spent quite a while on the barrel.
And of course check it for leading once you get some shots thru it.
Roachcreek
Thanks for the reply Roachcreek. I just got through JB pasting it and then cleaning out all the paste. Bore is spotless. I’ll try slugging it in the manner that you suggested.
With a small patch, on a tight fitting 22 jag, here’s what I feel: The patch enters the breech and goes a couple of inches and then stops (I’m applying moderate pressure to cleaning rod) I overcome the resistance and ithe patch rides on out to the choke with tighter feel….but steady from the first ‘choke’ to the choke at the muzzle.
It actually feels as if the entire narrow portion of the barrel is a bit looser than the remainder of the bore. Weird!!!
I just went out and shot 5 shots into a tight group at 35 yard with 18.1 gr pellets. I’ll pick it up again tomorrow. Thanks agiain. Kevin
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Thanks for this thread. After several thousand shots I thought my .22 barrel looked great. But I got curous and was surprised how much black with a little silvery glint of lead came out.
Only in direct sunlight could I see the very small sparkles of lead. Nothing like Kevins buildup ou the patch.
I don’t think it is good to pull the swag with patch back out of the breech but I see how it was necessary to show that the lead buildup was in the beginning section and not in the choke.
Good work Kevin. I would think that AF would replace that barrel under warranty.