FNAR 7.62x51mm
FN have a new 7.62x51mm (.308) autoloader called the FNAR. It is only available in 7.62x51mm and comes in two models Light barrel and Heavy barrel. It uses AR-10 magazines. (UPDATE: Owners report AR-10 magazines CANNOT be used).
FNAR Light
The FNAR puts autoloading speed and bolt-action accuracy in your hands. Every FNAR rifle must meet a 1 MOA or better accuracy specification, just like the FN SPR precision rifles. The receiver is constructed of aircraft grade alloy for light weight and strength. The fluted barrel is offered in a choice of light or heavy contours and features a hard chrome lining and recessed target crown for accuracy and long life.
The action looks like it is based on the Browning BAR (not to be confused with the Browning Automatic RIfle, which is completely different), a sporting auto-loader. Browning is owned by FN.
Browning BAR Light
These excellent photos were take by TalonArms.com
shot,looked at, for five yrs, wanted one except for price. shoots like a dream,.well, went to local gun show sat. cheap entertainment,.and first booth had one,for a grand , new,.walked the show, and came back, and handed. him my carry glock for a down payment, and i’ll finally have my 308 next season. so glad i did, the 1,000 is caused by a special sale of an over run they are selling off, heavy,20inch, with 2 2o rd clips case,and all pads,shims, saw an ad the night before on internet for 999.00,..but i dont have the cash now,.and the local dealer accepted a trade,and payments ! the gun shows really are a bunch of great family folk,..so patronise your local gun shows,..and i had the best home made 3 dollar bowl of chille i ever had. cooked by the local wives of the gun show people.plud,no shipping,or fees,.. just a normal tax. So see if you can find one on sale,..they will be reg.price very soon ($1500) And as I try to get people to know, “It’s not about guns, It’s about ypur rights” 2nd ammd.has nothing to do with hunting…it has everything to do with your PERSONAL rights already taken away from the people….
I have owned two fnar’s. The first was a heavy barrel version. I fitted it with an Elite 6500 4.5-30 scope with medium tactical rings and harris BR bipod, a perfect match for this gun. I shot a wide variety of ammo through it. My best perfect hand load shot 1.1″ 100 yrd. groups on a perfect day, factory match grades averaged 2″+, and russian averaged 4″ groups. Unhappy with the accuracy and the fact that the heavy barrel was so front heavy that it was impracticle to ever shoulder fire, I sold it and bought a standard light barrel version. The standard balances very well, especially with an elbow sling, and averages under 3/4″ groups, even with match. Very satisfied. The scope rail is slightly crooked on my light version, but luckily I have a scope with plenty of adjustment. So those of you having accuracy problems with your FNAR, don’t look too long in the mirror, I can testify there are inconsistencies in manufacturing, and probably no two barrels are the same. They weren’t in my case. Try a different scope just to be sure like I did. Good luck!
I enjoy your site and its style and design. You do a good job here; keep up the fine efforts.
I have not posted for a long time now but I have still been shooting the FNAR with great results, pretty much using federal sierra match king 168. with the front versa pod and shooting bags on the rear I get 1/4″ to 1/2″ groups @100 still when wanting to be accurate and trying best I can. I still shoot surplus for fun and not caring about accuracy. Today the range instructor suggested I try Federal American Eagle OTM match 168 made for M1A competition. I have not had luck with American Eagle in my handguns and have avoided it. He guarenteed I would be pleased so I thought what the he77 it was only $19.00 a box compared to $26.00 for the Seirra. first group was 1 1/2″ higher but the group was 1/2″. 6 clicks on the nightforce and the next group was on bull and touching. same with the next 2 groups – touching – 4th group was 2 1/4th holes they were touching so close.
I was impressed and will definetly stock up on this stuff, and its cheaper. So far it is the most accurate factory loads so far.
i had bought a fnar in 2009
this my second post
i love it exept for the mags being to high
i love it my next will be a .308 scar heavy
i have shot it it was awsom
boath were tack drivers i have shot the fnar
to 700 yards awsom
i hand load match using siera, hornady 180 and 200 gr
it shoots 168gr aswill i hopw some body
makes mags for the fnar hope p mags
jeff
OK here we go’ I bought one 1.5 yrs ago. First is that the optic rail is mounted CROCKED and CANTED, easy to see if you look from the barrel end towrds the reciever. Put it in a gun vise and made the reciever perfectly vertical, then placed levels on the rail at various locations statring at the trigger end going forward. the rail is tilted to the right and gets worse as you go down the rail. It actually is mounted canted meaning it rolls down to the right, by the time it gets to the chamber ring its way off. About 1/3 bubble off at the reciever and a full buble off at the end. I took photos and contacted FN. they were great, sent me a prepaid shipping slip to send it back. About 3 months later they sent a new gun. It was crooked too, not as bad, not canted just not square (90% to the reciever) Figuring the optics could deal with it. So I bought a ELCAN 1.5-6 power scope, military grade. $1850…. when adjusting windage the point of impact goes in a diaginal path, same with the vertical. Very difficult to zero since the base is a fixed component of the optic. Ya it can shoot tight groups at 100 yards if you suck the rifle in tight and fight against the bolt cycling before the bullet leaves the barrel.
The recoil is much greater than the M1 I have, rifle needs an adjustable gas port to compensate for the bolt hammering. This is a heavy barrel rig and is not balanced well, very front heavy. Can shoot better off hand with the M1 even if I use a sling and pull in the rifle tight, just like the military teaches. Have looked at many FNARs’ at dealers and they all are crooked. FN made them and the tooling was off and are unwilling to admit they need to recall these and replace the reciever. The mounting holes for the rail are drilled crooked and cannot be redrilled, inserts are used. I would buy an HK 91 if I could do it again. Very unhappy with it
Wes,
Mine does well with IMR 4895, 41.5gr shooting hornady 168 grain, amax.I get a litle better accuracy with the amx moly coated, but not much over just the amax.
I also use small size dies to resize the cases, but that is because I also reload for a couple of AR10s that seem to require this in order to eject properly. This gun may not be as finicky if you use the standard size dies. I really like the 168 gr bullet in this gun, but I am going to play with some different powders. you got a great deal, by the way.
visit AR10t.com, check out their forum in the section on reloading. some great advice there for reloading any semiautomatic .308 cal rifle
hey guys; jut purchased a shiny new fnar lite 20 inch at gander last night for $ 999.00 (after $ 300.00 gander rebate) my question is who has some info they would care to share on your most accurate handloads. I am an avid reloader, but have no experience with this type rifle. Im a bolt action guy, but at this price had to have one of these. any tips would be greatly appreciated. pleae include C.O.L. thank!
You can find the magazines for the FN AR on MIDWAY.COM
I don’t know how many of you have tried the new Hornady ammo, but, I just had a batch that blow primers out. This is a very detrimental condition in a semi auto. Fortunately I had no jams or misfires as I was almost through 20 rds when I realized the primers were flinging out of the brass during ejection. Just one batch of super performance did this and all others were fine. I have a call in to Hornady on this issue.
Neal, Dont hold your breath waiting for the aftermarket on an FNAR. Too many other more popular sporting rifles for now. Even though I chose this over an R25 you can bet Remington will customize sooner. Browning just doesn’t understand the U.S. market. As for trigger pull what are you comparing to? Find a good gunsmith and build it your way. These aren’t AR variants with a bazillion options. What they are, is very accurate .308 semi’s that perform well. Mine has good trigger feel and when using quality ammo will do consistant sub moa at 200-300 yds. I’m doubling holes at 100 yds. Crap ammo yields crap results.
I have FNAR and it shoots “OK” but the trigger leaves a lot to be desired and I would prefer an M4 style stock. I hope some of the various companies start to offer various accessories for same in the near future.
Hello is there anybody who knows who is the manufacturer’s Fnar pictinnys Rail
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I picked up an SXAR and finally got to the range. Purchased it for 850 at Sportsman’s warehouse. You may want to check that out before paying 1300 for the FN, they are almost identical except for the paint.
I’m a mediocre shot at best, windy day, with cheap 1990 vintage surplus ammo I was at 2.5 inch 10 shot groups at 100 yards all day long and several shots in the same hole. I don’t doubt the 1 MOA claimed by FN. Comfortable, descent trigger, put 100 rounds through without a misfire or jam.
Stunningly little kick, it felt like a 22 after shooting my 7 mag. Less kick than my AK. Great learning rifle, not intimidating at all for a full power rifle.
Got it for hunting Antelope\Deer\Elk and for general home defense, Should be great for both.
Did some 200yd shooting this weekend. Not impressed with results so I’ll wait for better weather. I was all over the place. I had rounds touching at 200yds, but, I couldn’t get a decent 5 shot group. Hard to believe wind gusts and thermals were the problem. One interesting thing happened though. I shot a group of the Federal gold medal match with Sierra 168 gr and got two tite, two loose, and one flier (still within a 3″ circle). I then followed up with Hornady 168gr Amax and shot exactly the same pattern, except it was two inches lower. Picked up the box and read the data. I don’t know how federal is getting that flat a trajectory with the same muzzle velocity and both brands supposedly high BC, but the data on each box for a 200 yd zero correllates to the Hornady being 2″ off vertical. I guess all I can say for now is I shot tighter with 168gr than the 147 and 150gr and my Nikon held zero. I did learn something with a .270 though. Keep track of your shot sequence and placement as your firing a group.
I found after ten shots at 100yds the old .270 winchester was making a spiral pattern.
I recently purchased a FNAR and decided to blog about the gun and everygthing I’m doing to setup it up to my liking. I have a bunch of detailed photos and my blog can be found at http://arealmansreviews.blogspot.com/
I also purchased a 5 round magazine from Scottsdale Hunting Club for $70 plus shipping ($82). It has “5 round” printed on it just like Brian said. I have not gotten to the range yet, but have high hopes for this gun.
In some states 5 round mags are required for hunting. The FN 5 round mag is a modified 10 round with the word “5 round” printed on it for those DEC agents who have a problem counting and seem to be prejudice against any black gun with a clip. The modification consists of a little clip spot welded inside the mag to prevent further travel. For this modification I am seeing a $15.00 avg price increase and have found it harder to get a 5 round than a 10 round. My state also does not allow 20 round mags. For those of you interested in hunting with a conventional scope you may want to look at the Winchester SXAR. It is a camo version of the FNAR without rails. Winchester is listing the MSRP lower than the FNAR and it seems to have the light barrel. With the FNAR rebate expiring you may be able to get an SXAR ordered for a little less coin. The scope rail on the FNAR is so long it can interfere with the front bell on a low mounted scope. The SXAR uses conventional scope mounts.
I would really like to get some guys together with a remington R-25 and an AR-10 to do some apples to apples shooting with these rifles. Today would be a good day to test extreme powders at my place. It hasn’t got out of the single digits.
You guys need to try Gander Mountain for FNAR mags
Kevin,
Thanks for the encouragement, Maybe winchester folks will do an SXAR in 325 WSM. The hardest part with customs is finding someone to do the chamber, so I have to wait until my son gets a little more experience machining and lapping lugs. I think I can take the follower out of a bar wsm mag and put it in the FN mag. High cost game to play.
Are you implying the threads and lugs on the 24″ bolt action might match?
I was thinking Kreiger 5R with 11.25 twist?
BTW FN has the 16″ carbine version of the FNAR posted for you guys that like short barrels!! Thats a street fighter. God bless body armor.
I did get a few shots off with my new FNAR yesterday and then got distracted by an old super grade .270 that wouldn’t pattern. Out of the box I was shooting 1″ 3 shot groups at 100 yards with a crap scope i grabbed out of my parts pile. Next to a guy with a pre-64 model 70 that couldn’t get 2″ groups. When I started touching holes the model 70 guy started whining. Then he did it with the FN too and he got all excited. I hope he doesn’t go home and buy a new scope or sell his super grade! Using american eagle and cheap remington 150gr i had no feed issues or wild “fliers”. I put 40 rounds through with only one pull of the bore snake mid way. These are clean shooters. I probably won’t have the heart to put wolf or herstal ammo in it yet.
Jonathan,
I did not mean to mislead you when I did not mention taking the FNAR varmint hunting, I do but only take it with a few boxes of ammo. I get carried away sometimes and it cost me an arm and a leg in ammo cost.
Brian,
For your info the FNAR mag will hold 10 rounds of 300 wsm, looks like it would function too. Might have to adjust the spring tension. Your project sounds good, are you going to use the 24″ FN rifle barrel on the build. With a suppresor maybe? Sounds v e r y interesting!
300wsm would get very good range through that. Keep me posted on that project.
Check out Winchesters new ballistics calculator on their web site.
The .243 is probably the most versatile short action out there. My BAR “almost” competes with my .220 swift when I have a high power scope on it. I’ve dropped whitetails and coyotes with both and the big advantage with the BAR is obviously the fast follow up. I like the .243 better than the .308 because I can hold the sight picture better during recoil. I keep a lower power scope (1.5×6) with wide field on my .243 semi and a higher power (4X16) on my bolt actions. I seem to like a smaller (42mm) low profile scope on my semi’s also. The big(50-56mm) scopes require a higher cheek set and slower time to focus. The long rail on the FN does get in the way of one of the low mounts I tried, but I still haven’t decided which optics to use on that. A black gun with picatinny just begs for nite vision.
The .243 shoots flatter than the .308 and hits harder than a .223 so its easy to see why the AR guys are going to the .243 and .260 rounds. If Browning gets smart and uses the FN light barrel on the WSM calibers they may have an awesome selling product.
I would like to know if the Safari grade uses a heavier actuator rail. The steel receiver with the heavy barrel would seem like an AR10 competitor.
I think I may be on the verge of building a custom semi. Hmmm, maybe Safari grade steel WSM receiver drilled for FN mag well, FN style Barrel, custom forearm and thumb hole stock. That should throw down a couple big critters. ARE YOU LISTENING BROWNING??
Jonathan,
I am sure your Rem would do very good. I prefer semi auto for varmints because we have so many pd’s here. I take both a 223 and 243 to use. Sometimes the 22 lr. Check your state laws for magazine usage and hunting regs of course that will effect what you may use. I have used 500 rounds in one day on varmints before and thats alot of work for a bolt gun. Just my opinion anyway.
Kevin,
Thanks for the reply. I really am interested in getting a FNAR to add to the collection. I have not been able to find anything bad said about it except for the mag complaint of hard to find and pricy but that should change with time. I have not been able to get by Gander Mountain to look at one yet as it is an hour away from where I live but I plan to go before the sale goes off on 1/31.
Above you also mentioned the .243 and flatness for varment shooting. I do have a Rem Model 7 .243 that I actually use to deer hunt with and shoot 100 gr. rounds in that instance. I have never had a deer go more than 10 or 20 yards when shooting this rifle. What are your thoughts of this rifle and it’s varment capabilites? Would a 50 or 55 gr. as you mentioned above through the Model 7 be comparable to others out there for varment?
Sorry for all the questions just tyring to learn as much as I can.
Jonathan,
The FNAR is an easy rifle to shoot as is the AR’s. It’s very enjoyable whether shooting for medium range accuracy or just burning money with the cheap stuff and you have plenty of experience for this rifle. The FNAR is more difficult to disassemble and clean than an AR is, There is a good video on you-tube on how to do this. But you seldom have to clean the FNAR, I have only cleaned mine twice in over a year and many rounds through it.
Some people on this post like to compare the AR with the FNAR – They do not compare, they are different rifles built for different purposes. But they both can be just as accurate. Look at both and buy what you are comfortable with. Besides my bolt rifles I have several AR’s and the FNAR and a Browning BAR and I like them all but maybe the FNAR a little more. I do not think any one is easier than the other is to shoot. The FNAR is a very fine rifle and is fun to shoot but then again I think anything is fun to shoot. You are seeing and will see more AR’s coming out with the 243 win cartridge. In my opinion the 243 50 $ 55 gr for varmints is the fastest / flatest most accurate shooting round out today not including the 338 Lapua or the 416 & 50 cal. much more accurate than the 223 or 308. DPMS has a good AR in 243 and most AR manufactures have excellent accurate products.
I purchased a Bushmaster Varminter for varmints and it is a very accurate rifle. Have not shot any varmints yet just paper. My BAR in 243 is a varmint killer at any range.
Remember the 1 gun is not enough rule, buy what you like and shoot em when ya can.
I’ve read about 1/2 of the posts here starting from the top and was curious to know is the FNAR a gun for more of an experienced shooter or for anyone willing to learn? It just seems most of everyone here “knows their stuff”.
I do have plenty of experience handling and shooting firearms and hunting but am looking for a little more to keep me busy in the off season when not hunting. I’m also trying to get into varment hunting too. I’ve always had an interest in “precision” shooting but have never tried it.
Don’t forget the FN ($150) rebates run out January 31st!!
Gander dropped prices this week to $1259 in NY so with the rebate you can get an FNAR for $1100. Finally beginning to get back to reasonable.
I got one to compliment my .243 BAR. Except for the heavy barrel and mag well nothing else justifies the added expense over a shorttrac. I’ve been waiting for prices to drop like this. Hopefully they will stay down awhile. Had freezing rain today so no testing results yet.
can i buy the FNAR 7.62x51mm in california?
The 1 in 12 twist comes from Federal Premium Ammo specs for the 168 gr bullet, FN uses their specs since they use the Federal seirra match king 168 for their testing. The other AR 10 platforms with shorter barrels were mostly built to use the lighter nato 147 gr. thats why the 1 in 10 twist which was also speced by the manufactures of the military ammo. Untill they started making them for civilian and hunting also in the heavier bullets. I am sure the rifle manufactures test and retest their twist rates for accuracy. Maybe the ammo manufactures could help with how they get their specs on barrel twist.
My FNAR gets under 1″ moa with the 168 and above weights. Buffalo Bore 175, Federal 168 & 175 match king. and HSM. The 147 military surplus I burn gets 1.5″ to 2″ groups @ 100 and its the least expensive I’ve found. The rifles I have with the same calibers all use differant brands & weights for accuracy, I wish they would use the same so I could reduce my inventory. Well not reduce it but consolidate it.
The FNAR uses the same barrel as the FN SPR bolt rifle.
I’m sure you checked this, but I didn’t, I had a similar problem and found all the screws on the picatinny rail just a bit loose. Tightened them and with a bit of loctite it corrected the problem.
Update. I attempted to contact FN about this weapon failing to perform to thier guarantees by email. No response. I will be calling them when I have time off during daylight hours.
Shot again with PPU match 168′s. Again, 2 1/2 inch groups at 100 yards. They might ‘guarantee’ bolt action accuracy, but apparently you might have to send your gun to them a few times before you get it. I have a DPMS LR308 Sportical, cost me $500 less than this FNAR and gets the same groups with the exact same ammo and the exact same scope and it only has a 16″ barrel. If I was to do it again and pick another semi-auto sniper/hunting system, I’d go with an AR-10 platform and a 24″ bull barrel. But in all actuallity I might sell this gun and buy a good bolt action and get real bolt action accuracy.
I am no expert, but I have copied and pasted the below from Chuk Hawk’s website on guns and shooting.
“Rifle barrels are designed to incorporate lands and grooves that spin the projectiles they fire so that they will fly true and hit point-on. That is the fundamental definition of a rifle, it uses a rifled barrel. Rifle barrels are grooved so that the bullet makes one complete turn in a given number of inches on its trip down the barrel.
There seems to be an inordinate interest in twist rates these days. With very few exceptions the major manufacturers have carefully and correctly researched the subject and experimented to determine the most appropriate twist rate for each caliber. There is very little to be gained by second guessing their conclusion.
What follows is a list of the rates of twist for common rifle cartridges. These were taken from various sources. The rates of twist below are expressed as “one complete turn in so many inches” (i.e. 1 in 9″, 1 in 10″, etc.).
.17 HMR = 1 in 9″
.22 Long Rifle = 1 in 16″
.222 Remington = 1 in 14″
.223 Remington = 1 in 12″
.22-250 Remington = 1 in 14″
.223 WSSM = 1 in 12″
.243 Winchester = 1 in 10″
6mm Remington = 1 in 9″
.243 WSSM = 1 in 10″
.240 Wby. Mag. = 1 in 10″
.25-06 Remington = 1 in 10″
.257 Wby. Mag. = 1 in 10″
6.5×55 Swedish Mauser = 1 in 7.5″
.260 Remington = 1 in 9″
.264 Win. Mag. = 1 in 9″
.270 Winchester = 1 in 10″
.270 WSM = 1 in 10″
.270 Wby. Mag. = 1 in 10″
7×57 Mauser = 1 in 9″
7mm-08 Remington = 1 in 9.25″
.280 Remington = 1 in 9.25″
7mm Rem. SAUM = 1 in 9.25″
7mm WSM = 1 in 9.5″
7mm Rem. Mag. = 1 in 9.25″
7mm Wby. Mag. = 1 in 10″
.30 Carbine = 1 in 16″
.30-30 Winchester = 1 in 12″
.300 Savage = 1 in 10″
.308 Winchester = 1 in 12″
.30-06 Springfield = 1 in 10″
.300 Rem. SAUM = 1 in 10″
.300 WSM = 1 in 10″
.300 Win. Mag. = 1 in 10″
.300 Wby. Mag. = 1 in 10″
7.62×39 Soviet = 1 in 7.5″
.303 British = 1 in 10″
.32 Win. Spec. = 1 in 16″
8×57 JS Mauser = 1 in 9.25″
.338-57 O’Connor = 1 in 10″
.338 Win. Mag. = 1 in 10″
.340 Wby. Mag. = 1 in 10″
.357 Mag. = 1 in 16″
.35 Remington = 1 in 16″
.35 Whelen = 1 in 16″
.350 Rem. Mag. = 1 in 16″
.375 H&H Mag. = 1 in 12″
.378 Wby. Mag. = 1 in 12″
.416 Rem. Mag. = 1 in 14″
.416 Wby. Mag. = 1 in 14″
.44 Rem. Mag. = 1 in 20″
.444 Marlin = 1 in 20″
.45-70 Govt. (Marlin and Ruger rifles) = 1 in 20″
.450 Marlin = 1 in 20″
.458 Win. Mag. = 1 in 14″
.460 Wby. Mag. = 1 in 16″ “
This 1 in 12 twist thing got my attention. I did a quick search and most of the short barrel (18-20″) .308 tacticals are either 1 in 11.25 or 1 in 10. The longer barrels (24-26″) are 1 in 12. We all know the palma guys and bench rest shooters usually run longer twists. All the browning .308 i checked are 1 in 12. Calibers/chambering above and below .308 are shorter twist.
Im thinking two things. One, the twist isn’t that important, or two, Browning is using the same tooling as the FN. Do I have the velocity vs twist vs weight thing backwards? Typical 30-06 used to have a slower twist, but .300 win mag and .300 wsm are usually offered 1 in 10. It looks to me like the twist rates have gotten faster just in the last decade.
I’ve seen the twist make a difference on an AR-15 or 220 swift, but I haven’t played with enough .308 win. yet. I’m confident longer twists (ie 1 in 14) will be more sensitive to ammo quality.
I will expect any “tactical” semi to be able to shoot cheap ammo accurately. Maybe not sub MOA, but I certainly don’t expect to spend alot of time/money on ammo for a semiautomatic. I’ll save my calipers and dial indicator for a bolt gun.
Anyone out there successfully banging paper past 300 meters with these FN’s using HSM, PMC, or even Wolf ammo?
DTD don’t settle for less! FN is more than happy to fix your rifle. They are very helpfull and want you to have a quality accurate product. Call them if you can not get less than 2 moa they guarentee 1 moa @ 100. They use Federal gold match seira 168 for testing. mine is as accurate or more accurate than many bolts out there.
A while back when mags were short I got a couple through TGSCOM.com for $56.00ea. I didn’t find 5 round though. I will need 5 rd for hunting in some states. I suspect once mags are available the BAR crowd will want FNAR mag well/trigger conversions so they can burn up their light barrels. Has anyone looked at gas port/piston similarities between the FNAR/BAR rifles?
What pricing is everyone seeing on the FNAR rifle? I’ve seen everything from 1299 on sale at cabela’s to 1599 at gander. Most small gun shops can’t match the cabela price, but cabela never has them anyway.
DTD I thought barrel twist was 1 in 10?
If its 1 in 12 I don’t want it on my rack. 1 in 12 is almost useless for a tactical .308 rifle. If the twist is slow you need lighter bullets with higher muzzle velocity. I want terminal energy. Try something like Hornady factory custom SST 150 gr and then SST 165gr to see if the group changes. That way your using fairly consistent ammo to start with. I have become disenchanted with winchester ammo lately. Especially the ballistic silvertips. Not worth the coin and nickel plate doesn’t like my reload dies. A “good” tactical gun should shoot cheap FMJ well.
The much desired 20-round magazines are $50 a piece. Search google or check gunbroker, they are out there.
This is an excellent weapon, fires and loads very cleanly, however, accuracy does not match that of a good bolt action. I have shot winchester, remington, and now ppu, all BTHP 168 grain match ammo. 2 inch groups were my best, and that was with winchester ammo, from a benchrest.
Barrel twist is somewhat slow at one turn in 12 inches, I suspect that a longer bullet in the order of a 190 grain match load might improve the accuracy, something I intend to test in the near future. Any other suggestions are also welcome.
Today, went to pick up the two 20-round mags that i’d ordered and, with tax, they were $108 apiece! Asked the gun shop manager if there was anyway he could give them to me for $70. He went and did some figuring – came back and said “the best i can do is $80, plus tax”. Needless to say, the mags are still at the gun shop if anyone’s interested.
Where can we get FNAR 20-round mags for a decent price? There has to be an aftermarket mag coming out, soon…
Yeah!! got my 5 rd FNAR magazines from Bart’s sports today. Only looked for 14 mo to finally find some, and they are priced about the same as gold by the ounce!.
Just ordered 2 5 rd mags, Finally, they are showing up online.
I have determined that my failure to feed problem was with one of my magazines. The last bullet fed from this 20 round magazine hangs up each time on the outer edge of the chamber. FN said they will exchange it.
Question: How often should I take apart and clean the gas system??
I have had a heavy barrel FNAR for several months now I put a Mark 4 6 x20 scope on it and short of adding a muzzle brake it’s just like it came out of the box. Over the past months I have tried numerous brands of ammo, as I found it and I have had my best accuracy results with the 175 gr ammo that Buffalo Bore produces.
Now that 308 is becoming more available are there any other manufactures that anyone has had good luck with? Not that I am at all unhappy with Buffalo Bore its great stuff, but it’s always a good idea to know what else it will run well.
Thanks for the input. I spoke to FN tech support today. I was told to note the magazine if the problem occurs again. If I have a problem magazine they will exchange it.
Robert,
I agree with Sean, check your reload specs for length and check your magazines for damage. sprung feed lips or sprung case. Open the chamber and load a magazine with a few rounds and insert magazine into the rifle. look in the chamber and see how high the top cartridge is. something is binding and not letting the cartridge come to the top of the magazine. I’m Just shootin in the dark here but good luck.
Chatterbox,
I checked all 9 of my mags and they all fit loose when empty, they rattle in the rifle untill you round them up then they are snug because of the cartridge preasure but when I hit the mag release they pop out easily with no hangup, whether empty or full. They do not bind in the rifle at all. Hope this helps.
Initially when I first bought my rifle I briefly had the same problem but not any more. I’m guessing they might have a break in period unless the occurrence is happening so often(like every time you fill up a magazine) that it’s more like shooting a bolt action after every shot. If you think that’s the case then you should call FN.
Sean, I am using Federal cases which I am reloading with Nosler
168 gr. HPBT bullets. I have no problem with accuracy. My issue is
with the two failures for the bolt to pick up cartridges from my magazine.
Robert G, I would suggest that you consider the ammo that you’re shooting. What kind is it? Military surplus, commercial? In my case I was shooting military surplus through mine and I was hitting the paper but not getting the tight shots that I get with 150 grain Winchester soft points.
Last week I put a deer down with one shot using the Winchester round and I hit exactly where the point of aim was, no deviation so look at the ammo your using vs. the gun per se before you call FN.
I own an FNAR which I purchased about a month ago and have fired about two hundred rounds with it. In the last 75 rounds I have had two failures to feed. The first one had the cartridge not pulled fully off the clip and the bolt hung up on the round. The second time, the bolt for some reason seemed to miss picking up the cartridge altogether from the clip and closed without chambering the round.
Is there any advice that anyone can offer? I am pondering giving FN a call.
Good reviews and comments!
Any experience/input with 20-round mag-loaders (name, where to buy) using stripper clips for the FNAR mags would be greatly appreciated.
Also, magazines are a really (extremely) tight fit. Your experience and recommended correction would be appreciated. Would like the mag to hit the deck when the mag release is pushed. But then, i guess, if we’re paying $70 per mag, maybe “floating” to the ground would be better.
Ben, I have to agree with Kevins assessment of the .243 shorttrac. I’m only good for 400yds due to whitetail ammo (95-100 gr) and 2-6x scope, but with varmint grenades and mil dot it could probably run 500-600yd. Definitely nicer to carry than FNAR. Very fast recovery on coyotes. I still think a light barrel FNAR in WSM 7mm or .300 with a 22″ barrel is a long range contender, but thats not the market focus. I have a son in gunsmith school and I’m trying to decide on a project for him. I was thinking of converting a .300WSM short trac to a long barrel FNAR if i can use the same gas piston/port arrangement. The other option is customizing an AR30 in some wildcat cartridge. He is doing a 204 ruger bolt action for himself and that will be the PD gun. I have never tried a semi on PD’s at the distances your looking for. I only get wood chucks at 3-400 yds with my model 64 220 swift.
A few websites that have FNAR Mags for those looking
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/SearchResults.aspx
http://www.arizonagunrunners.com/cgi-bin/cart.pl?db%7Cfndb.dat%7CFN%20Rifle%20Accessories
http://sgcusa.com/product_info.php?products_id=3610
http://www.sportsmans-depot.com/products/MAG%20FNAR%20308WIN%2020RD%20BLK.html
To my knowledge, magazine availability has not improved and there has been a drop-off in gun sales lately according to the local gun shop that I frequent.
In the past, I had problems distinguishing the heavy barrel version from the light one. I read somewhere that you could weigh them and the light barrel version averages about 10 pounds with a scope so I must have the light barrel version. Also, there seems to be a break in period for shooting this rifle as I shoot left handed. Until recently I kept getting beaned on my cheek but lately the brass has been ejecting straight out the side away from my face, but I now believe that it’s the most accurate autoloader that I’ve ever known.
Ben,
The FNAR is in my opinion a very fine piece of equipment and is one of my favorites. It is extremly reliable and fun and easy to get back on target because of the soft recoil. I am sure if you called FNH they would tell you if they are planning more calibers, I have not heard they are and since FNAR builds mostly for our proud Military and LE I would doubt the smaller calibers but only FNH would know that for sure.
If you are looking for extreme accuracy to 800 – 1000 yds for PD’s the FNAR is probably not what you want. (But buy one anyway) FN built it for short range accuracy hence the 20″ barrel. the velocity of the 308 will start dropping off earlier with the shorter barrel. Mine is very accurate at 100yds & 200yds with 1″ groups and less at 200 yds. I have hit 12″ steel plates at 400yds consistantly with a Nikon Tactical 2.5-10×44 and I just bought a Nightforce 5-22×56 (not just for the FNAR) to see what it can do to 700yds but that is probably the end of it’s range and a small PD at 700yds will take several rounds but with the 20 round mags it may be possible in my opinion. Depending on your patience. Definatly not one shot one kill. 400yds may be the limit for prarie dogs with the FNAR. I have a Browning BAR 243 camo shorttrac which is similar and made by FNAR that shoots 55 grain bullets at 4000fps mv, with it’s 22″ barrel it can hit a prairie dog at 600 yds (no wind) one shot one kill.
I have several M4′s one being a S&W also but they all have 16″ barrels and for PD’s 200yds is max for them. I think Remington makes the R-15 in camo in 22-250 with a long barrel that should be pretty accurate at longer ranges for an over the counter rifle.
FNAR mags are more available now, several internet stores have them and I am sure your local shops will have them by now. Watch and look around and you can find them for as low as $47.00. I ended up with 9 and did not pay any more than $49.99 / $55.00 with shipping for any of them.
Check out the Winchester version of the FNAR also and good hunting.
Just recently discovered this beautiful gun and really enjoyed all the information everyone had to offer. I have a couple of questions open for anyone’s advice/answer;
1) has anyone heard if they will offer the FNAR in other calibers?
2)like mentioned above I’m looking to add to my collection but am looking for an extremely accurate weapon to be used for 800-1000yd shots on very small targets(pd’s).
3) has Mag avaibility improved over the last couple of months?
All of my accurate long range guns are a bit large for shooting PD’s, I have 7 custom built bolt guns built from 8mm mauser recievers, all with .65 lbs triggers, they vary from .257 roberts to .308 norma mag but seem a bit over kill for a small PD.
I love my auto loaders, I have 2 M&P AR’s and believe it or not my SKS I absolutly love.
By no means would the FNAR be a dedicated Preaire Dog gun, but I really like the idea of an auto loader for this, quick follow on shots, time on target…etc, now if someone would just build one with the .204 rugger.
I’m not the best shooter around but I like to think I’m good enough that a good rifle would really show itself in my hands.
Thanks guys!
I forgot to cancel some of my orders for mags, I have ended up with 9 20rd mags now. Do not know what I’ll ever need with 9 mags for my FNAR. I’ll stuff em back in the closet incase the revolution comes I guess. And I was in Gander Mtn. last night and they had 15 of both 10 & 20 rd mags on the shelf. Little pricy at $59.95 though. Looks like they have caught up with demand.
I went to the range to shoot mine yesterday and it’s shooting 2-2.5 inch groups at 100 yards for me using Winchester 150 grain SPs. I know I could probably improve this but it’s good enough for deer season opening gun day over in Alabama this weekend.
Hunting ammo performance report – Reference my 13 Oct 2009 Range Report.
Another good performer found, tested at the range yesterday:
Win Match 180 gr. Nosler Accubond by Black Hills.
Performed about the same as the Federal 165 gr Sierra Game King.
Go to the winchester website and check out their new SXAR rifle.
Looks just like the FNAR with camo
To one question, is it a significant upgrade to a custom bolt-action .30-06 ? Well, it’s a whole different animal.
First – it’s a semi-auto rifle with 10 and 20 round magazines available. But it’s very accurate with certain ammunition. However, the trigger is only average when compared to match triggers found in a custom rifle used for precision shooting.
Second – IMO, the FNAR is better suited for as a fighting rifle, for defense against crowds of charging zombies, or getting into a herd of feral hogs, or taking down medium-to-large game, than for shooting poor little pd’s.
Third – the ammo selection for a .308 is much more limited than for what may be the most versatile rifle in history with regard to the ammo selection available for it: the .30-06. Ammo is available for it to shoot anything from little varmints in West Texas to heavy game in Africa.
Fourth – the .308 is not typically reknown as a flat-shooting round. There are many rifles in a variety of calibers available to you that shoot cheaper and smaller bullets with greater speed and with better, flatter ballistics – all of which may be more suitable for varmints. Just a few are the .17, .22-250, .223, .25-06 and many more. You’ll need to research what your needs are.
Enjoy Tech and keep carrying that card! Hope this helps.
Just wondering. Has the price dropped on these bad boys at all? I’m going to be turning 18 soon and i was wondering if my father could afford to buy me one of these. And is it a significant upgrade to a .270 WBY or a custom bolt action 30-06? Im going to go to Texas Tech out in Lubbock, Texas, and i have to have SOMETHING to shoot prairie dogs with
. also, im a card carrying life member of the NRA.
it is a fn fnar .308 heavy
awsom rifle
i have shot 500 rnds
100 m 200 m 400 m
win match 168 g
Buffalo bore awsom / best
lupia reloads great
and black hills awsom / best
and 762×51 nato good
and match reloads verry good
all fed and shot well
good moa from all jeff
This is “a day-after the range” followup to my post of 28 Sep 2009.
As said, I have had and continue to have excellent results with the 175 gr Buffalo Bore match ammo.
I also have had surprisingly good results with the cheap Federal blue-box 150 gr soft points which I used while sighting-in and breaking-in the rifle.
Yesterday, I tried Winchester’s Supreme Ballistic Silver Tips in 168 gr and 150 gr. These are boat-tail nosler-point bullets.
They sprayed all over the place at 100 and 200 yards. Very erratic, not even real groups – way over 1 moa of spread from point of aim. The barrel was clean.
This was an unpleasant surprise for me, since I have gotten superior results over the years with the same type of ammo in Win. 270, both 130 gr and 140 gr. Yes, it’s a completely different rifle and is a single-shot bolt action.
However, at the end of the day, I tried another type in the FNAR: Federal’s Premium 165 gr Sierra Game King provided acceptable results. Groups of 5 at 100 and 200 yards were all within 1 MOA of the POA, usually 3 of the 5 within 1/2 MOA. And that was when I was tired. Would expect better results if rested.
For now, it looks as if that will be my hunting ammo for this season. Looking forward to the day I have time to get into reloading!
Terry, thanks for the range report.
Another good article
http://www.rifleshootermag.com/featured_rifles/RS_aforaccurate_200902/index.html