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Airforce Escape 25 cal. Any thoughts? Good / bad reviews?

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dunderklumpten

Member
Sep 10, 2020
43
2
NSW
Hi all.

So here in Australia, I just saw an ad for the 25 cal Airforce Escape. I really like the idea of the Walthar barrel for pushing slugs at ranges say between 50 to 100 metres. (55 - 110 y).

I know they are single shot (which is fine by me). I know there wouldn’t be a huge shot count between fills (which is fine by me for for hunting), but other than that I know very little about them. Are they tack drivers with slugs? I’d really like to keep the velocity at a speed less than transonic because moderators are illegal here so less blast / less noise. What weight slugs are suitable for say rabbits foxes & feral cats? Are they reliable? Special care / cleaning requirements? Sort of a big unknown here in Oz. I already have a Streamline 25 for pellets and trying to option up even a Dreamline to shoot slugs here will cost a kidney. So rather than buying another FX I’m looking at other options.

if you have one or know much about em, please let me know.

Dave
 
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i just got a .25 cal condor not long ago. i have tried NOE 37 gr hollow point from the .249 rf mold. they are a no go for me. no accuracy through the condor LW choked barrel. Waiting for the NOE 41 gr boat tail mold to arrive to try them in the choked condor barrel. THe guns are great for pellets so far. but slugs are my quest given the power potential of the condor. the .249 rf slugs work well out of my umarex gauntlet though.
 
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i just got a .25 cal condor not long ago. i have tried NOE 37 gr hollow point from the .249 rf mold. they are a no go for me. no accuracy through the condor LW choked barrel. Waiting for the NOE 41 gr boat tail mold to arrive to try them in the choked condor barrel. THe guns are great for pellets so far. but slugs are my quest given the power potential of the condor. the .249 rf slugs work well out of my umarex gauntlet though.
Click to expand...

Thanks mate.
 
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If you don't want to throw your brain out I would suggest you to get a tj .257 barrel from talon tunes you could ask him to tread the barrel 1/2-20 .. n you will have the option to purchase slugs or cast your own..you will find molds from 60 n up .. best of all you will have success from the start...the barrel shroud be at least 26 1/2 ..you will have no problem with targets as far those 110y with the factory valve...with custom valve same length barrel 350y will not be to far away..
 
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I have a talon p I modified to more or less be a condor but with a custom valve. Getting well over 100 fpe. I am using an LW2 barrel 18 inch but I have a mold for slugs that are meant for choked airgun barrels and shoot well at all velocities I have tried. They Are 47 grain solid point boat tails from MP molds and are shooting very fast of course over 950 FPS. These are designed and tested specifically to work in LW barrels at high energies for long range shooting. 


I love this combination

Also have a 60 grain NOE bob's boat tail mold that also uses drive bands and seems fine with the choked barrel. These shoot well also, have a little more contact area than the MP mold slugs.

the heavier NSA slugs have a lot of contact I don't seem like a good match to a choked barrel. When I test the chronograph the forty something grain ones come out with low energy for their weight which makes me think there is a lot of friction. The lighter ones like 33 grain work just fine and do not seem to have excess friction compared to other similar mass projectiles.



I tried shooting a 24 grain hollowpoint diablo pellet and it was like a firearm report. Obviously supersonic. That's a first for me.

 
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https://www.pyramydair.com/s/m/AirForce_TalonP_PCP_Air_Pistol_Spin_Loc_Tank/2400?trk_msg=EJ1QJGG7RRB41DBIOJKF3S57LS&trk_contact=EMV7CF84T35SF0AV098G9KMTQ4&trk_module=bis&trk_sid=8VL64OBCF9P36DETBMPQN9ON0G&utm_source=Listrak&utm_medium=Email&utm_term=CHECK+AVAILABILITY&utm_campaign=Back-in-Stock+Alerts&utm_content=Message+1+Customer

...one TalonP left...they sell out fast...

...I bought this and a 24" barrel and the over priced stock attatchement...(it was missing a screw)...so now it is an Escape...

...I did not throw the light 12" barrel away but the 24" is a better shooter... (duh)

...the only slug I have tried were the H&N Grizzlies and they shot ok except for frequent flyers...

...I sold all my lead last year... (D'OH!)

...I have not said much before this as I have not shot but the one slug but I do very much like my Escape...

...it is sort of at the opposite end of the spectrum from the FX in being simple and rugged and trouble free...and cheap...

...which is really good as the CS is supposed to be lacking but you are in fukin OZ anyway...LoL...

...I had sort of given up on slugs behind the choked LW barrel but I am watching this thread...!!!...
 
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Indeed a large part of my journey with my Air Force airgun has been dealing with the sound because I live in the suburbs and do a lot of shooting in my garage. With the recent valve I've added shooting at over 100 FPE, the noise has become a bit harder to manage. 


I found that the talon P noise is not a big deal at all when shooting sub 30 fpe. It would not be backyard friendly in the sense that it would attract attention from the neighbors but it's not a problem to shoot in the garage unsilenced at those low powers. Loud compared to springer but not annoying. Maybe the valve closes before the pellet leaves the barrel or something at this power because right when I cross over about 30 the sound level just goes WAY up in a big step. 


I added an 18 inch barrel which moved the muzzle out of the shroud and the power and volume went up a significant amount again. It turns out that the venting of the barrel bushings and shroud on the talon p really does muffle the sound more than you think. It's abusively loud indoors with this new barrel. Feels like ear protection is necessary. 


then I added a Doug Noble valve...


 
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dannya1a said:
i just got a .25 cal condor not long ago. i have tried NOE 37 gr hollow point from the .249 rf mold. they are a no go for me. no accuracy through the condor LW choked barrel. Waiting for the NOE 41 gr boat tail mold to arrive to try them in the choked condor barrel. THe guns are great for pellets so far. but slugs are my quest given the power potential of the condor. the .249 rf slugs work well out of my umarex gauntlet though.
Click to expand...
 
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Trust me I have spent so much money and one day on my 20th slug try I found griffin Airgun ammo. They are the best imo. The .249 rounds he sells were designed for condor. I like the pellet base slugs for around the house and boat tails for hunting coyotes. The bt isnt hollow point and in my opinion good for penetration of larger game. Shim your rear scope ring with slices of soda can to get it at 300! Or no limit rings etc
 
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dunderklumpten said:
Hi all.

So here in Australia, I just saw an ad for the 25 cal Airforce Escape. I really like the idea of the Walthar barrel for pushing slugs at ranges say between 50 to 100 metres. (55 - 110 y).

I know they are single shot (which is fine by me). I know there wouldn’t be a huge shot count between fills (which is fine by me for for hunting), but other than that I know very little about them. Are they tack drivers with slugs? I’d really like to keep the velocity at a speed less than transonic because moderators are illegal here so less blast / less noise. What weight slugs are suitable for say rabbits foxes & feral cats? Are they reliable? Special care / cleaning requirements? Sort of a big unknown here in Oz. I already have a Streamline 25 for pellets and trying to option up even a Dreamline to shoot slugs here will cost a kidney. So rather than buying another FX I’m looking at other options.

if you have one or know much about em, please let me know.

Dave
Click to expand...
Griffin .249 elr 59,3 grain boat tails are the only thing that will, u know...... Split the wig. Staying pc as forums are a little bit progressive. F political crap get those bullets. Might need to buy a condor barrel but might not. With condor I hunt coyotes with the same choked barrel just longer. I don't think u have enough air in escape. I get 10 solid 300 yard c zone steel hits before refill. Donnyfl adapter, extension and emperor moderator. Hollywood quiet until you smack steel or game lol. Save for condor. U need a decent shot count to learn your gun and ballistic drop at different ranges. I have my Texan lss.257 which sucks imo. 3 to 5 then refill? Dude it's hard enough shooting subsonic regulated. Now u have to compensate for normal hard to learn subsonic bullet drop but also as gas drops. I'll save a year before I get a air Force gun ever again. Affordable decent regulated pcps out there. New avenger x or whatever I hear is decent. Same hold every time for the range u are shooting. If u have to save buy the condor. Escape is kinda rainbow flag ish. Imo it looks cool but other than survival applications with hand pump forget it. Living off grid and back up gun yes. If u hunt dude please save your self and get a refurbished full length condor. Search refurbished on af Airguns site boom it's the same price as new escape. Refurbished is just aesthetic, performance is the same. Good luck 🤞
 
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Preston tist said:
Trust me I have spent so much money and one day on my 20th slug try I found griffin Airgun ammo. They are the best imo. The .249 rounds he sells were designed for condor. I like the pellet base slugs for around the house and boat tails for hunting coyotes. The bt isnt hollow point and in my opinion good for penetration of larger game. Shim your rear scope ring with slices of soda can to get it at 300! Or no limit rings etc
Click to expand...
Lol I missed your comment I rambled for nothing. U nailed it. I'm hitting cans at 300 with no shims I can vouch dude. God bless that man I was hopeless until I found the slugs that said condor food in description. Griffin for life
 
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MrP said:
Indeed a large part of my journey with my Air Force airgun has been dealing with the sound because I live in the suburbs and do a lot of shooting in my garage. With the recent valve I've added shooting at over 100 FPE, the noise has become a bit harder to manage.


I found that the talon P noise is not a big deal at all when shooting sub 30 fpe. It would not be backyard friendly in the sense that it would attract attention from the neighbors but it's not a problem to shoot in the garage unsilenced at those low powers. Loud compared to springer but not annoying. Maybe the valve closes before the pellet leaves the barrel or something at this power because right when I cross over about 30 the sound level just goes WAY up in a big step.


I added an 18 inch barrel which moved the muzzle out of the shroud and the power and volume went up a significant amount again. It turns out that the venting of the barrel bushings and shroud on the talon p really does muffle the sound more than you think. It's abusively loud indoors with this new barrel. Feels like ear protection is necessary.


then I added a Doug Noble valve...
Click to expand...
Dude donny FL adapter, extension, and emperor moderator Hollywood quiet. Just hammer spring and smack from hell on impact. But u can shoot into shredded tire targets etc to eliminate impact. My wife says my gun is shooting loud lol it's that 59 .249 slayer!¡! 5 dogs down
 
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Preston tist said:
Dude donny FL adapter, extension, and emperor moderator Hollywood quiet. Just hammer spring and smack from hell on impact. But u can shoot into shredded tire targets etc to eliminate impact. My wife says my gun is shooting loud lol it's that 59 .249 slayer!¡! 5 dogs down
Click to expand...
I run a Talon Tunes moderator on my Talon P, and it does a very good job of taming the sound, but the OP is in Australia and says silencers are a no go there and thats a real shame.
 
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dunderklumpten said:
Hi all.

So here in Australia, I just saw an ad for the 25 cal Airforce Escape. I really like the idea of the Walthar barrel for pushing slugs at ranges say between 50 to 100 metres. (55 - 110 y).

I know they are single shot (which is fine by me). I know there wouldn’t be a huge shot count between fills (which is fine by me for for hunting), but other than that I know very little about them. Are they tack drivers with slugs? I’d really like to keep the velocity at a speed less than transonic because moderators are illegal here so less blast / less noise. What weight slugs are suitable for say rabbits foxes & feral cats? Are they reliable? Special care / cleaning requirements? Sort of a big unknown here in Oz. I already have a Streamline 25 for pellets and trying to option up even a Dreamline to shoot slugs here will cost a kidney. So rather than buying another FX I’m looking at other options.

if you have one or know much about em, please let me know.

Dave
Click to expand...
I didn’t read all the other things. I will share my experience for what it’s worth. The escape is basically a talonP with a baffled shroud. I had a .25 talon P and it was great for me but I shoot offhand, mainly and plinking as opposed to benchrest.

With Air Force guns, the power is very dependent on the weight of the slug. The valve has an unusual effect where there is back pressure that keeps it open for the entire time that the slug is in the barrel so if you put in a very heavy slug that moves slowly, the heavy pellet has a long time in the barrel to accumulate energy. High weight slugs will be louder and more powerful with these in a way you won’t experience with other guns. I think it helps these guns to achieve a relatively flat shot string and to have less change in poi when switching projectiles than my other guns. The barrel is choked - not a slug gun but some people have luck with slugs, they find the perfect fit I guess

I liked to cast my own 25 caliber 48 grain boat tails along with 50 and 50 grain bbt slugs - these all have drive bands which means less resistance at the choke and i felt these were better than nsa for accuracy.

That 12 inch barrel will keep you limited to around 55 or maybe a couple of shots at 60 FPE with a heavy slug.

An 18 inch barrel is a fantastic upgrade, for these really push the power into a more practical spot for a wider range of slugs - easily up to 85 foot pounds for me.

It would be easy for you to take out the baffles and put in an 18 or 24 inch barrel if you ever wanted to gain more power. Occasionally come up for sale used for a good prices. I prefer the heavy barrels, but they also make thinner ones for the lightweight guns.

that valve will not fit a standard tank, so if you ever want more air capacity, you’ll have to order a valve and tank combination.

I love my 12”/18” AF guns.
 
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