Armory Sponsor
Posted: 1/7/2009 6:53:24 PM EDT
| I have been looking at these for about a month now. Found one for just over $7K that has a regestered receiver not just the regestered sear like everywhere else. Really tempted to buy it. According to machinegunprices.com, they should be valued at just under $7K. Are reciever guns worth that extra penny? |
|
At one point recently I would've said that an RR gun was much less desirable than a sear gun but the recent ruling by BATFE made that a non-issue.
Mine is a sear gun and I don't have any problems with it, on principle I'd probably rather have a RR but now with the FNC I don't think it matters that much. The parts situation affects the RR and sear guns equally so just take your pick. RR is definitely uncommon, I've only seen one other one for sale in the last year or two. To be brutally honest, I think you should just save up another 3k and get an M16/AR conversion. Sucks to say it but as kick-ass as the FNC is, in the back of your head is always the parts issue. This may not be an issue in the future but it is now. In any event it will NEVER be as common or easy to repair/replace/upgrade as the AR platform. Luckily one guy is tooling up to make new barrels, perhaps bolts and carriers might not be far behind. Who knows. $7k is a very average price, certainly not a steal. Most FNC's I've seen are at that $6500-6800 range. Really at that point you're just talking about a couple hundred bucks either way so it's not a deal-breaker. Keep in mind you've also got the $200 transfer tax (possibly twice if out of state), state taxes and dealer fees (~$50?). You'll like it, they're great machineguns. |
|
Thanks for the reply. I didn't really know about the parts issue, but that is a good point for the FNC. To be honest, I have a Colt M16A1 pending paperwork right now. It is crazy what is available for those things. I already have a .22 and a 7.62x39 upper for it already :-)
My thoughts are that the FNC uses ar-15/m-16 mags which I already have plenty of and that for a machine gun. $7K is not bad for a .223. Have you had any problems with yours? Do you know how many rounds the receiver is rated at? |
Okay with an M16 AND an FNC then you'll be set! 
The FNC is a terrific machinegun and a very good value (I also bought it for the mag/ammo compatibility with my other stuff). I have no doubt that it would be much more popular if the parts and mods were more available. Going 'down' the price scale you have the AC556 (the FNC is a much cooler rifle) and going 'up' the scale you hit the M16/RR pricing (or LL. Just the fact that it's a nice looking side-folder with Burst and Auto capability is pretty kickass. I do not know how many rounds the receiver is rated for, it's pretty overbuilt if you look at it. I think the carrier/bolt would wear out before the receiver. You might get a more knowledgeable answer on www.fnctalk.com as there are some real FNC experts there (like Paco in Belgium). People say the firing pin is weak (you can buy replacements at DSA Arms) but I've never broken one. Inspect and keep an eye on the welds where tthe bolt carrier attaches to the gas piston, often these welds crack over time. Paco has taken photos of the armory upgrade to the welds that corrects this. FIRST purchase should be the SAW style grip. 100% better than the slick plastic junk the rifle came equipped with. If you can find parts like extractors, pick them up. At one point I lost the gas set screw on my FNC (at the front of the gasblock on my rifle, but some do not have this) and this prevented cycling but it'a s common enough thread size that you can find it at any screw/fastener store. Pick up one of the Stormwerkz top rails so you can mount a dot/reflex sight. Yours will probably come with burst kit, but if not try to pick one up...they seem to be getting scarce from 2-3 years ago. Otherwise just enjoy! Everyone who's shot it has loved it, I'm sure you will too! |
|
I completely agree with Observer that the FNC is a great rifle.
I have had one for probably about 4 or 5 years now and added it as another 5.56 machinegun to my collection. The parts thing is what really sucks about these guns and keeps the value down in comparison to M16s. The most common part to break is the firing pin and they are readily available from DSA so pick up 3 or 4 of them and you should be set for a lifetime. A large number of the other small spare parts can be found with Vulcan imports or if you really search. However, Barrels, Bolts, and Carrier assemblies are impossible to find. It took me about 2+ years to find a full spare bolt/carrier/recoil assembly and I paid $900 for it. James Austin, Texas |
Armory Sponsor