FN 18” heavy barrel accuracy: A little disappointing

[JediGuy]

Thanks, Dennis. I’ve only ever seen if it would support the weight of the carrier.

[kevin1]

I loaded the 73 ELDM with 24.6 and 25 of Varget. 25 gr is the maximum recommended load and it's compressed.
I also shot a box of factory 50 grain American Eagle Tipped Varmint that shot pretty will in both guns. The PSA FN rifle shot it's best average group with this ammo (1.25" at 100Y).


It's clear that both rifles favor 69 SMK vs 73 ELDM. I still have 300 that I'll only shoot in the Anderson (it will shoot 1 MOA with ELDM and 3/4 MOA with 69 SMK)
I have also ordered some 77 SMK bullets that I'll test next time.

I hope to find a sub MOA load with the 77gr for the PSA FN. If not I'll just have to accept that it's a 1-1.5 MOA rifle with the load it likes. For me a heavy barrel should shoot sub MOA. If not I don't see the benefit of going with a longer and heavier barrel vs a lighter A2 profile (at least for the type of shooting I do).

Below the file updated with today's shooting.

[PrivateCitizen]

It is probably worth noting that just because a barrel is made from FN blanks does not mean it it will be as accurate as another makers same offering.

The blank is only one piece of the puzzle. The start, really.

How PSA chooses to make barrels from FN steel vs, say, Centurion, and finished by whom is an immensely critical part of the process.

I have long been curios about this and the FN/PSA items. Is there any actual info the process?

[kevin1]

It is probably worth noting that just because a barrel is made from FN blanks does not mean it it will be as accurate as another makers same offering.

The blank is only one piece of the puzzle. The start, really.

How PSA chooses to make barrels from FN steel vs, say, Centurion, and finished by whom is an immensely critical part of the process.

I have long been curios about this and the FN/PSA items. Is there any actual info the process?

The barrel is entirely manufactured by FN. I've posted a pic of the rollmarks (FN logo HF MP 5.56 NATO 1/7) in this thread. PSA just assembles the upper with the FN barrel.

[Dennis]

The barrel is entirely manufactured by FN. I've posted a pic of the rollmarks (FN logo HF MP 5.56 NATO 1/7) in this thread. PSA just assembles the upper with the FN barrel.

If PSA assembled the upper have you pulled the handguard and checked the barrel nut? They are notorious for loose assembly. I bought a fun 20" A2 upper from them and the barrel nut was barely hand tight. It shot great after I re-assembled it correctly.

As you are going for accuracy I would tear it down and re-assemble to correct spec before anything else.

Dennis.

[pointblank4445]

It is probably worth noting that just because a barrel is made from FN blanks does not mean it it will be as accurate as another makers same offering.

The blank is only one piece of the puzzle. The start, really.

How PSA chooses to make barrels from FN steel vs, say, Centurion, and finished by whom is an immensely critical part of the process.

I have long been curios about this and the FN/PSA items. Is there any actual info the process?

Been back and forth on the whole FN thing. PSA=FN=Noveske=Hodge outside of profile and external specs (gas port)? Used to believe there was special sauce and metalurgy, but not sure. I don't know anymore...I just go by how things shoot and feel when they shoot.

Just for fun, you want to play a game? I'll put up borescope pics of 4x FN CHF barrels (2 pics each)...see if you can tell me who contracted them. For bonus points, rank them in order for how you'd think they'd shoot a 10-round group of Mk262...


BARREL #1





BARREL #2





BARREL #3





BARREL #4

[kevin1]

Barrel #3 has some tooling marks and doesn't look as good as the others.
Barrel #1 has some lezard patterns indicating that it has been shot more than the other barrels.

What I can tell you is that the inside of my FN barrel looks really good (better than the Anderson barrel). What I can also tell you is that I have some barrels that are pretty rough when you borescope them, but they shoot amazingly well.
Personally I use the borescope mainly to inspect the barrel and chamber after cleaning and don't rely on it to predict the accuracy of the barrel.

[pointblank4445]

Barrel #3 has some tooling marks and doesn't look as good as the others.
Barrel #1 has some lezard patterns indicating that it has been shot more than the other barrels.

Barrel #3 is the 2nd best shooter of the group...well, I would assume as barrel #1 has never been shot but all of its brothers have exhibited performance within about 0.2" across 5-6 examples

[tomme boy]

Just because your barrel looks good does not mean it will shoot. Same as a barrel that looks horrible can be one of you most accurate barrels ever. There is a lot more to how it will shoot than the interior finish.

[pointblank4445]

Just because your barrel looks good does not mean it will shoot. Same as a barrel that looks horrible can be one of you most accurate barrels ever. There is a lot more to how it will shoot than the interior finish.

Yep...noted that above.

Only reason I scoped these barrels was to see if the legends were true that Hodge and HK always center the gas port in the groove...they don't