I really do like the Condor platform. They are relatively modular, powerful, and accurate. I have both a .177 and .22 Condor now. Both shoot very well and I enjoy shooting them. I had read about Condor frame flex in the past but was never certain just how severe a problem it could be. I did try to set up my .177 Condor to minimize any such issue by using a Tri-Rail and the resulting higher scope height to reduce unnecessary pressure on the bottle. The higher scope height might be uncomfortable for many but I'm not a "cheek weld" shooter so it is comfortable and works well for me. I still do hold the rifle lightly, though, trying to avoid unnecessary pressure on the frame and it shoots very accurately for me this way. The .22 has more recently been acquired and does not have the Tri-Rail, having the scope mounted on the stock rail. That places the scope much lower and, due to the Condor design, sometimes too low to easily get the eye behind the scope. But with some care in handling, I was happy with the way the .22 was shooting also.
Due to a recent problem with skunks in my area, I mounted a laser on the .22 Condor because I don't have any night vision or thermal scopes. I already had my scope zeroed and the rifle was shooting well. I mounted the laser on the top tube dovetail, above the barrel, at the point where the elevated "scope rail" tapers down to the frame. Easy to reach for night use. As I got the laser zeroed to point of impact at 35 yards (easy to see dot and scope reticle together with green laser), I kept noticing the laser dot moving in relation to the crosshairs as I was moving to adjust the laser and back to view. At first I thought I was catching the image through the top edge of my reading glasses I was using to help see the small adjustment opening on the laser but that wasn't the case. With glasses off and laser matching crosshairs at 35 yards, any moderate pressure with my hand on the grip or my cheek on the bottle would move the laser dot off the crosshair of the scope. I was shocked at how little pressure it took to cause the shift. Since the laser is mounted solidly on the top of the frame tube and can't be moving in relation to the barrel, the only cause for this shifting that I can understand is flex at the breech/bottle area causing a shift of the overall scope position by moving the rear of the scope rail. I'm not a heavy "cheek weld" shooter and I just lightly position my eye behind my scope. I could certainly do so today without seeing the shift if I used some care but I could also see the shift occur with only what I would call a moderate amount of pressure of cheek on bottle or pressure with my hand on the grip.
After mounting the laser and seeing the amount of flex that moderate pressure apparently causes in the frame, I now fully agree with those who think that the frame flex issue is real and that it can be severe enough to cause POI changes. It seems that this would be worse for "cheek weld" shooters and those with lower scope heights.
I'm sure long term Condor shooters have researched this and worked out ways to minimize or avoid it. Possibly some new to the platform might benefit from this information. I would be interested in the experience of any Condor shooters here with the Mad Dog stocks and how they work for the rifles. I've read that they work well to improve stability of the platform.
Due to a recent problem with skunks in my area, I mounted a laser on the .22 Condor because I don't have any night vision or thermal scopes. I already had my scope zeroed and the rifle was shooting well. I mounted the laser on the top tube dovetail, above the barrel, at the point where the elevated "scope rail" tapers down to the frame. Easy to reach for night use. As I got the laser zeroed to point of impact at 35 yards (easy to see dot and scope reticle together with green laser), I kept noticing the laser dot moving in relation to the crosshairs as I was moving to adjust the laser and back to view. At first I thought I was catching the image through the top edge of my reading glasses I was using to help see the small adjustment opening on the laser but that wasn't the case. With glasses off and laser matching crosshairs at 35 yards, any moderate pressure with my hand on the grip or my cheek on the bottle would move the laser dot off the crosshair of the scope. I was shocked at how little pressure it took to cause the shift. Since the laser is mounted solidly on the top of the frame tube and can't be moving in relation to the barrel, the only cause for this shifting that I can understand is flex at the breech/bottle area causing a shift of the overall scope position by moving the rear of the scope rail. I'm not a heavy "cheek weld" shooter and I just lightly position my eye behind my scope. I could certainly do so today without seeing the shift if I used some care but I could also see the shift occur with only what I would call a moderate amount of pressure of cheek on bottle or pressure with my hand on the grip.
After mounting the laser and seeing the amount of flex that moderate pressure apparently causes in the frame, I now fully agree with those who think that the frame flex issue is real and that it can be severe enough to cause POI changes. It seems that this would be worse for "cheek weld" shooters and those with lower scope heights.
I'm sure long term Condor shooters have researched this and worked out ways to minimize or avoid it. Possibly some new to the platform might benefit from this information. I would be interested in the experience of any Condor shooters here with the Mad Dog stocks and how they work for the rifles. I've read that they work well to improve stability of the platform.
