Choke length on 24" LW barrel for Condor

[Corvid_hunter]

If I wanted to buy a 24" .22cal or .25cal LW barrel for a Condor and wanted to shoot slugs with it, I assume I would need to get the choke cut off and have it re-crowned. How much of the barrel would need to be cut off, or do these barrels shoot slugs? I have an unloved .22cal Condor sitting in the safe and was thinking of making it a slug gun, if at all possible.

 

[subscriber]

Buy a LW barrel made without a choke. Pick one with the OD and twist rate you want; such as these:

Airgun Blank NO CHOKE - Twist:16" | .22 air | OD:.63" | L:23.82" | precision rifle steel tube

www.lothar-walther.com

Airgun Blank NO CHOKE - Twist:17.7" | .25 air | OD:.63" | L:24.21" | precision rifle steel tube

www.lothar-walther.com

List of optional non-choked LW airgun barrels:

standard profile

www.lothar-walther.com

 

[nervoustrig]

The choke is only about an inch, but be advised LW's nominal groove diameter is 0.221". If you plan to swage or cast your own and experimentally determine the optimum size, the 0.221" dimension may be of no consequence. But if you plan to use commercially-produced slugs, you may have difficulty finding many that are large enough. A lot of guys get frustrated with slugs so starting with a small pool of candidates is a handicap right out of the gate.

 

[TheShooter (aka Seeker)]

Right. LW has a big diff between lands and grooves dimensions. I do not know why though.

 

[subscriber]

Not just deeper rifling, but the nominal diameters are larger than typical airgun land and groove diameters. Pretty much rimfire diameters for .22 airgun barrels.

 

[nervoustrig]

I would have said LW has a larger groove diameter and a smaller land diameter than most. Across a variety of brands, my experience has been that most barrels will accept a 0.216" gauge pin. The last LW I prepped would accept a 0.215" pin but not a 0.2155.

 

[subscriber]

OK. Crosman .22 barrels sometimes have land to groove dimensions that look close to 0.001", rather than perhaps 0.002" for Weihrauch, and 0.003" for LW barrels. Somehow that does not seem like a problem for pellets, but might be more significant with slugs.

This suggest that for an unchoked LW barrel, you want slugs with a larger driving band diameter to minimize blow-by, but where that band is not very long, to minimize friction. Then the slug would need a nose section that is a semi bore rider, for shallow land engagement to keep the projectile well aligned with the bore. Other than perhaps Corbin made dies, I am not sure I have seen such slugs.

 

[mercado]

I have 2 .22 AF barrel..one 12mm 18" long the other 16mm 24" long none of the 2 I had to cut the choke in order to shoot slugs.. the 18" like slugs up to 25gr in .216 .. and the 24" likes BT from 28gr to 40gr in .216 ..no flat base or cup base above 30gr .. be sure to add one last solid bushing in the front, the wokguard and a top rail to stiffening the frame as much as possible.. newer. 22 AF barrel are 1-16 . My .22 condor

 

[Corvid_hunter]

I have 2 .22 AF barrel..one 12mm 18" long the other 16mm 24" long none of the 2 I had to cut the choke in order to shoot slugs.. the 18" like slugs up to 25gr in .216 .. and the 24" likes BT from 28gr to 40gr in .216 ..no flat base or cup base above 30gr .. be sure to add one last solid bushing in the front, the wokguard and a top rail to stiffening the frame as much as possible.. newer. 22 AF barrel are 1-16 . My .22 condor View attachment 416261

Thanks for the reply. It's encouraging to hear that these barrels will shoot slugs well. My Condor is one of the older style so I'm not sure what the barrel twist rate is. Can you explain the bushing mod in a little more detail please? I have the ring lock kit installed and have the different sized orifices to use.

 

[Corvid_hunter]

I emailed Airforce to see what the twist rate is on my older Condor. They said it's 1 : 17.72”. Would this twist rate still be slug friendly?

 

[subscriber]

l:18 twist in .22 cal should be good for 35 grain slugs, depending on how pointy (or long) they are. 40 grain slugs are a little too heavy (long) for 1:18. So, it really depends on what slugs you want to shoot.

 

[mercado]

Thanks for the reply. It's encouraging to hear that these barrels will shoot slugs well. My Condor is one of the older style so I'm not sure what the barrel twist rate is. Can you explain the bushing mod in a little more detail please? I have the ring lock kit installed and have the different sized orifices to use.

Hi sorry for the late reply , Christmas is busy season ... las bushing solid aluminum 2" long tight to the frame, tight to the barrel.

 

[Corvid_hunter]

Thanks. Where can I source one out?

 

[mercado]

Only 2 option.. solid aluminum Only custom by a machinists.. or pcp tunes sell something like that, but I have not had the chance to use one of their bushings.

 

[RM.510bigbore]

I used a .250 thick carbon fiber tube making full 1.00 in diameter. It runs into factory front bushing..tension with Donny fl. I use the two front screws to tighten to take any vibrations out.. Been using for three years.. CF tubes pretty reasonable on ebay..you can tension other ways also.. Mine is a Texan but I'm sure you can do same kind of CF tube full length on condor... Full 1.00 diameter Cf tube barrel looks great.can't scratch or hurt surface hardly. Weight isn't hardly anything.. It stiffened up thin factory AF barrels..

 

[mercado]

I used a .250 thick carbon fiber tube making full 1.00 in diameter. It runs into factory front bushing..tension with Donny fl. I use the two front screws to tighten to take any vibrations out.. Been using for three years.. CF tubes pretty reasonable on ebay..you can tension other ways also.. Mine is a Texan but I'm sure you can do same kind of CF tube full length on condor... Full 1.00 diameter Cf tube barrel looks great.can't scratch or hurt surface hardly. Weight isn't hardly anything.. It stiffened up thin factory AF barrels..

View attachment 417570

View attachment 417571

Rcbs used to sell 2 Spitzer molds in 457 if i find those molds first, I might buy a 457 .. whe could the carbon sleeve could be purchased..

 

[RM.510bigbore]

Rcbs used to sell 2 Spitzer molds in 457 if i find those molds first, I might buy a 457 .. whe could the carbon sleeve could be purchased..

I bought my CF tube on Ebay..I think 3 ft long.. Enough for two 34 inch barrels was $100.00 three years ago. Hardest part was conversation to mm..

 

[steve-l]

I emailed Airforce to see what the twist rate is on my older Condor. They said it's 1 : 17.72”. Would this twist rate still be slug friendly?

Take a 22 cal cleaning rod with a tight wad looped on the end. Insert it all the way to the barrel end, Then with a magic marker mark the rod and then slowly extract the rod so the rod makes one complete revolution. Then measure the distance the cleaning rod traveled and that is then your answer. If that distance is more than 18", it won't shoot slugs well. . . . . simple.