The AirForce Condor -- A Versatile Gun
by Tim Smith, for Airgun Hobbyist

Airgun Hobbyist January 2013
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The Condor is the largest airgun of AirForce’s utility airguns. But that doesn’t mean that the Condor is overly heavy weighing in at just 6 ½ pounds. The air rifle is well balanced and does not feel overly long with a length of 38 ¾ inches with the 24 inch Lothar Walther barrel installed. As with its siblings, the Condor offers adjustable power levels. Using a .22 caliber barrel, the velocity can be adjusted from 600 fps to approximately 1250 fps. That means a .22 caliber Condor shooting a 14.3 grain pellet can be adjusted to shoot between 11.43 ft/lbs to 53.68 ft/lbs. By using Jim Chapman’s chart on page 22, the Condor dialed down to low power has enough energy to take small game at a distance up to 30 yards with a body shot placement. Dialed up to full power, the Condor has enough energy for taking a head shot on Coyote sized animals at 50 yards.

The Condor is a pleasure to shoot. Starting with the loading of the pellet. The bolt handle easily pulls back to allow access to the barrel. The Crosman Premier .22 caliber pellets used in testing fit snugly into the barrel. Then the bolt locks firmly into place. When shouldering the airgun, it’s weight distribution makes it easy to aim and hold on the target. The trigger is just the way I like them. The first stage pulls back easily, then there’s a little resistance to feel the second stage. With very little trigger movement and a gentle squeeze, the airguns fires.

If I could make a change to the Condor, it would be to enlarge the pistol grip. Although for me, the pistol grip would need to be made out of a 4x4 block of wood. A good bet is that for most people the factory grips would work well.

The Condor is a PCP air rifle that can be filled to a maximum pressure of 3000 psi. The Condor can be filled using a hand pump, but it’s a real work out using my Benjamin hand pump. The better choice would be fill it from a scuba tank or use a device such as the Shoe Box compressor.

The Condor is available in different calibers (from .177 to .25) to meet the shooter needs. Plus it’s also available in red or blue along with the original black anodized finish. Using the built in rails, the Condor accommodates accessories from the largest airgun scopes, open sights, and a bipod all at the same time to create an Ultimate Condor making an extremely versatile air rifle.

The Condor is not designed as a repeater, but with its power and accuracy, all that’s needed is the one shot if you do your part. And by utilizing its power adjustments along with a chronograph, you can calculate and record the exact amount of power needed for each shooting situation by using the calculation below.

Energy is calculated as follows:
Velocity (fps) * Velocity (fps) * Pellet Weight
(grains) / 450240 = Energy (ft/lbs)

AirForce Airguns provided us with a 4-16 X 50 AO scope (part # U1035) for use on the Condor. The scope is incredibly crisp and clear. The scope weighs a hair less than 20 ounces and is just over 14 inches in length. With the scope attached to the black anodized aluminum Condor, it makes for a very accurate future looking weapon.

The Condor is shipped in a black AirForce colored box with a custom fit lining to protect the airgun and the air tank. Along with an owner’s manual, a 58 minute DVD is provided on the basic operation of the airgun. The DVD is hosted by Tom Gaylord and contains many interesting topics. Including the DVD was a nice touch on AirForce Airgun’s part and provides a wealth of information on how to get the most out of the air rifle. If you’re interested in learning more about the AirForce Condor, Talon, or TalonP, AirForce Airguns also sells the instructional DVD for $13.95.

The MSRP of the Condor is $689.50. And for that you have a USA made, versatile, high quality utility grade air rifle that can change to meet most of your airgunning needs, from plinking, to hunting, to pest control, even to tactical applications for the military or law enforcement. Our Condor will be back in future articles as we explore some of its versatility and add-on options.