A "Newbie's" first ever machined creation.

[dougroundup]

very nice and congratulations, but what the hell is it for?

DOH!!!
I am sorry! I never described what it was on this website.
It is the front bushing that centers the barrel in the outer shroud on an Airforce brand air rifle. This replaces the OEM plastic bushing. The practical purpose for machining myself an aluminum front bushing?
Well the aluminum one that I have turned has a noticible tighter tolerance and is a little more massive.
Does it add improvement? Possibly, in theory, as the stock one did fit looser and was secured with one single set screw that presssed a side load against the barrel and shifting the difference of barrel o.d. vs shroud I.d. instead of maintaining a perfectly concentric center of the barrels' bore-line to the shround....
Well,,, thats my story and I am sticking to it! Certainly sounds good at least in a marketing and advertising hype type of way!
But does it make a noticable improvement?
Of course...... IT DOES MAKE A NOTICABLE IMMPROVEMENT TO THE ESTHETIC OVERALL APPEARANCE!
Isn't the #1 reason for commercial design form factor!?
But seriously does it shoot better from a performance standpoint?
Honestly, this Airforce air rifle is so freakin accurate and shoots so good already that I am not able to discern the difference. Maybe a serious truly sophisticated high end competitive airgunner could percieve subtle changes, I cant.
But it looks cooler than stock plastic and of course we know that to be the most important of reasons to mod anything!

 

[mattthemuppet2]

ah, that's cool! Nothing like using something that you've made part of, whether it makes a tangible difference or not

 

[GarageGuy]

Looks great! Making chips is fun. I also recommend Tubalcain or MrPete222 videos on YouTube. He is an excellent teacher. Watching his videos will give you a lot of basic knowledge, and a quick start to making and repairing useful things. Work safely, and enjoy making lots of chips!

GG

 

[Rbeckett]

Ooooohhhhh! An Air force. what caliber are you shooting? I have a Nitro Venom in .177, a Umarex Octane in .22 and a Webley Raider (Hatsan AT44W) in .177. The raider is a PCP similar to an airforce and the other two are 1000+ FPS Nitro piston technologies. The Raider will blast a squirrels skull clean and empty at 50 yards, or do a through and through that blows them off the branch for a good fall to the ground. Either way I can get up to large coons and Possums with no problem at all with the Raider or the Octane and Venom. I just re-started that romance again after a 30+ year Hiatus and hit the ground with check book at the ready...The final rifle is a .25 wood stocked Marauder, and a shoebox compressor to fill my own bottles at home.

Bob

 

[dougroundup]

Ooooohhhhh! An Air force. what caliber are you shooting? I have a Nitro Venom in .177, a Umarex Octane in .22 and a Webley Raider (Hatsan AT44W) in .177.

First off Bob, Congrats on the new vintage restoration machinery being sent your way! (I have been doing a little reading around here) Good job with being of service to others in your local community, especially the youth. Then the service animals are also a wonderful investment of your time too! Lastly, my respect for the strength and positive atititude you have while having to endure the neccessity of dialysis treatment too. For the last couple of years the majority of the work I have been involved in has been in the upgrade and remodel of dialysis treatment centers. Specifically plumbing the central systems to each treatment station.
OK excuse me, BACK ON TOPIC.....
Yes I purchased this Airforce Condor was a second hand deal at a price I couldn't refuse. I had bought it with every intention of using this as the basis for a project build a .257 caliber air rifle to shoot 70gr cast lead slugs with the goal of 1/2" groups @ 100 or more yards. This is my current hobby interest and yet another big reason for obtaining and learning the lathe. Currently as purchased the Condor is setup in .177 caliber and has impressed me completely beyond belief! This is the first precharged pnuematic I have posessed. As recieved I was immediately shocked when I was able to shoot the maximum 212ft distance of my yard and place seven (3 sighters as I zeroed the scope) of ten shots at a target taped to a phone directory through a ragged and eventual .68" single hole! I now regularly go to my local shooting range and shoot at their 75 yrd lane. The intial reaction at this facility was comical when I inquired about shooting my .177 pellet gun with one rangemaster kinda in disbelief that some guy brought his "airsoft"... especially when I wanted more then the pistol range they wanted place me on! I am a regular there now and they know what its really all about. Anything past 75 and the groups really open up quite quickly. 60 yrds its ez to stay under 3/4".

I originally purchased a Marauder .25 back in November from a fellow online and he was doing all the custom tuning and carving me a custom Thumbhole Benchrest Stock , but he has fallen wayyyy behind schedule and I am very anxious about him finishing it at all. It already looks as if my .257 project will beat out the Marauder, had I not purchased this Airforce and started shooting it in its present .177 form, I wouldnt be shooting at all. I had been putting the .257 project on hold but until I received the .25 Marauder but have decided to proceed. I have twice tried to get on the Quackenbush list for a custom built .308 air rifle, but have now decided that with a lathe and skills plus the Airforce platform , you can really do it yourself and have great results. This the #1 reason I am finding my way here as the newbie!
I am envious of your shoebox. Luckily I have several sources to fill my DIN valved 3500psi SCUBA tanks and have a couple of paintball places once I upgrade to 4500psi tanks too.