Finally got a chance to shoot new FCP-K .308

[local4fitter]

I finally got to the range to start breaking in my new FCP-K .308. I made up 30 rounds with some components I had (not what I intend to shoot) I used Hornady 165 gr. Interbond Boat tail over 46 grs. IMR 4350,cci 200 primer, Winchester brass. I first cleaned the barrel then bore sighted ( bolt out, look through barrel, adjust scope). This is my first heavy barrel .308 and hopefully I started the barrel breaking properly. This is what I have done so far, 1shot,clean,1shot,clean,1 shot, clean,3 shots, clean,3shots, clean, 3 shots, clean, 5 shots, clean, 5 shots, clean,5 shots, clean. 27 shots so far. First 3 shots at 50 yds. just to get on paper were a clover leaf. At 100 yds. it opened up considerably. 5 shot groups were 2". I put a Bushnell banner 6-24x40 on because I had it lying around. It will get a Vortex 4-16x50 once I get the funds together. I also want to load up some 168 gr. SMK's once I can find some. Any advice is appreciated. Thanks Doug

[pitsnipe]

You will have TOO much fun to be legal with that weapon. I have owned one for over a year now (in the "correct" i.e. left hand version) And have streched it out to a grand with 168 Amax and SMK's and 178 Amax's and 175 SMK's. All able (if I do my part) to stay within a MOA at that range.Took the brake off for shooting "F" class. I have become a better marksman because of it. With confidence out past 600 yds I NEVER would have dreamed of before owning this weapon.
Good shootin!!

[Westcliffe01]

It looks like H4350 is a bit slow for such a light bullet. Varget is probably the most popular powder (which is why it is so hard to get any), but H335, H322, CFE 223 and H4895 are all listed. I'm amazed one can get 46gr of anything into a 308 case.. I was running compressed loads at 44gr of Varget...

Check to make sure the barrel and receiver tang are free floated. Is the bedding perfect ? Action screws torqued ? You checked the scope for parallax ? I went to shoot a known 1/2MOA rifle with a brand new Minox scope which was pretty expensive and it had terrible parallax and no way to correct it. The best I did was a 2" group. The scope went back and I got the 4-16x50 Viper I have now. I should have know better than get a scope with no side focus..

[Deerhunter 28]

I have the HS stocked .308.
178 Amax'S ,175 SMK's and 165 grain Game Kings SBT's seems to be my best bullets.
Powder Varget,IMR 4064 and IMR 4895.
43 to maximum seems where mine shoots the best.
Lapua brass standard CCI primers and/or Federal Match primers.
I've shot them on lands and even 20 thousands off.
I can't tell a big difference either way?



PSE EVO 60 Lbs.
Blacked out

[Joe L]

Congrats on an excellent rifle. I have had one since Thanksgiving 2012 and have nearly 600 rounds through it now. It shoots Fed GMM 168, Rem Prem 168, and Southwest Ammunition 168 really well. It took about 50 rounds for me and the rifle to settle down when new. After that, I don't clean it very often at all. I have torqued down the action bolts and adjusted the Accutrigger slightly and that is it. I had to learn to adjust the parallax correctly on my scope. That has been more critical than anything else in getting good groups out to 545 yards with the rifle. Also, the bolt feel will smooth out a bunch. I had to add a cheek pad with the 50mm scope.

I also removed the muzzle brake for F class matches.

Enjoy your new rifle.

Joe

[local4fitter]

My version of the rifle has an accu-stock and no muzzle break which I was expecting. The scope that sits on it now (temporary) has an adjustable objective but I'm not sure how to check the parallax. I torqued the action screws to 60 in.lb. and torqued the EGW 20 moa base to 20 in.lb. I wasn't expecting much out of the load I made except to break in the barrel. Speer reloading manual actually has starting grs. at 48 grs. imr 4350 for a 165 gr.bullet. Max is 52 grs. and thats not even compressed. Varget must be less dense. I left the trigger at factory adjustment ( Thinks its at its lightest). The bolt already feels smoother after 27 rounds. I did add a kydex cheek piece and that was a must. Westcliffe what height rings do you use with your Vortex viper and what is the distance of the objective off the barrel? I am open to any and all advice where I am in the learning stages. Thanks Doug

[missed]

With no brake on it you have a FCP. I'm using medium burris tactical rings with my vortex viper 6.5-20x50 and an egw 20 moa base. I almost think I could have gotten away with low rings. I love mine its a tack driver!

[jsthntn247]

Load em with 44.2 grains of varget .015 off the lands.

[missed]

I'm running 43.5 g varget and 0.020 off with 168g smk. My gun doesn't like 44g

[Westcliffe01]

Regarding scope rings, I am using medium. Particularly if you use a 20 minute one piece rail, stay with medium. With a flat (0degree) rail low rings may work for you. I use Warne Maxima permanent steel rings. They have QD rings too, but I don't need them. I also use a steel one piece picatinny rail, from the Warne Tactical range.

This is my target at 100 yds using 185gr Bergers and 44gr Varget (I did pull the 1 shot - 5 shot group)
http://www.fotoshack.us/fotos/63046308%20185%2044gr.jpg

[local4fitter]

Westcliffe, nice shooting and thanks for the advice on scope rings. Also thank you everybody on providing your reload data. I know every barrel is different but it gives me a good base to start with.

[local4fitter]

Missed, I just checked the box the rifle came in and it is a model 10 fcp 5r rifling. I originally ordered a fp-sr and then ordered a b&c stock from stocky's. 2 months went by and the gun shop called and said they had a FCP-k. Luckily for me the stock was back ordered and I was able to cancel.

[yobuck]

in looking back over all those years it truly amazes me how well guys could shoot with lousey scopes.
as distance increases parralex becomes less of a problem. if you learn not to squirm around with your
face on the stock its not much of a problem anywhere.