Got my FN from CDNN.

[Jason M]

I ordered the barreled FN action and Hogue stock from CDNN last week and picked it up yesterday. So far I am impressed. I have never bought a rifle like this (separate of the stock) or for such a price for a product like an FN rifle so I was a little skeptical about the condition it would arrive in, but it was mint, NIB as promised.

The scope rings could be used to hoist a half-ton pickup into the air--they are massive tactical rings. They situate the scope far too high above the action so I will just use another pair of medium-height rings I have laying around. The scope rail does sit up a little high on the action, too, making the mounting of 50mm scopes requiring no extra hardware to clear the barrel which is nice.

I haven't taken her out to the range yet. I am reloading ammo for it only so I didn't bother to buy any factory ammo, but considering I am waiting on the .308 dies, I may get impatient. But tropical storm Fay is keeping my patience in check. No range time until the weather clears.

I did some dry fires to feel the trigger and so far not bad. The pull is a little stiff (I estimate it at about 5 to 6 pounds). When I get home tonight, I am going to try and lossen it down to the published factory minimum of 4 pounds. But the take-up is smooth and there is no creep and very little over-travel.

I think this is going to turn out to be a smart rifle purchase!

-Jason

 

[Bill2e]

We need Pics, I think I may regret not getting one of these. Enjoy the new riffle.

 

[deerhunter61]

Yes...pics would be nice

 

[JFettig]

I received mine and have similar opinions. Although I do like the trigger, it breaks like glass but has a little over travel which I'll have to clean up. It is a little heavier than I'd like but I'll take care of that when I clean up the over travel.
I've only started breaking in my barrel with the cheapest factory ammo I've had and the target was only at 50 yards. So far its very accurate I'll find out for sure in a week or two when I can make it to the range. I'll be building loads for it then too. In the mean time I'll be shooting GM308M2 and GM308M out of it.

Jon

 

[HeavyDuty]

I saw these in the catalog. What's the deal with them? Are they used barreled actions?

Which one did you get - 20" or 24"?

 

[Jason M]

Pics to follow as soon as I get home this evening...

The trigger mechanism in this rifle is painfully simple and "breaks like glass" is a pretty good analogy! I may buy a spring of the same diameter from a hardware store that is less tense and cut it to length and try a new spring of the factory minimum trigger pull doesn't float my boat.

For me, I prefer trigger pulls of 1 pound or less, preferably in the 10oz range. But I do realize this is a service/LEO/tactical rifle, so benchrest triggers it won't have out of the box.

If this deal comes along again, I may buy another on in .300WSM or buy another .308 and sell it afterwards.

 

[Jason M]

I saw these in the catalog. What's the deal with them? Are they used barreled actions?

No, they are new manufacture, barreled action manufactured by FN Herstal USA in Virginia. The stock I got is the fully bedded Hogue stock. The stock is for a heavy barrel rifle, but I like it on my rifle because the barrel is truely free floating.

Which one did you get - 20" or 24"?

I got the 24" model. Out to 600 or so yards, the 20" and 24" will perform similarly, though. It is beyond that the 24" rifle will shine. Plus, I like longer rifles for bolt action platforms--I like 'em front heavy.

I would suspect that if CDNN has another sale of these barreled actions, expect them in the $499 range, not the $399, then $449 they went for previously. The pillar bedded Hogues went for $99 and the fully bedded stocks went for $199.

 

[HeavyDuty]

Jason, did you try top-loading single rounds? I've heard that it's hard or impossible with the PBR.

The price is making one of these *very* tempting! I've been wanting a 700P, but...

 

[Jason M]

Jason, did you try top-loading single rounds? I've heard that it's hard or impossible with the PBR.

The price is making one of these *very* tempting! I've been wanting a 700P, but...

Not yet. I don't have any ammunition on hand for it yet. I could see where top loading the magazine could be a pain with it in the rifle, but for me its not such a big deal. There are, however, raised feed lips on the magazine follower that make single shot loading with the magazine inserted easier. The nose of the round won't tip forward and get scarred on the feed ramp area.

I haven't shot round one through her yet, but so far I don't regret the purchase at all. I was looking in to a Ruger Hawkeye and then I went the completely opposite direction when I saw the price on PBRs that CDNN had. I like .308, but it wasn't on the top of my list for near-future purchases. But, now I have a great target piece, a venerable deer rifle and a BRUTAL coyote gun!

 

[gunlover_06]

I posted some pics of my FN PBR in the other thread on these but will post them here also my trigger breaks at 4.25 pounds not bad I don't think will also work mine to get it lower, like Jason I am happy with my purchase.

 

[Deer Hunter]

I would have loved to jump on one of these.... I didn't have the money though. Damn rent!

 

[JFettig]

Jason,
The trigger is adjustable for weight, my guess is that if you reduce the weight more than the stock spring will allow, it won't be safe, as in drop safe and possibly firing when you close the bolt.

The only thing I dont like is you really can't load the mag from the top, it needs to be removed. If your careful you can single feed, set the round on top of the mag and make sure it slides under the extractor. With this setup I would not drop a round into the chamber and jam the extractor over it, you sure could though.

Jon

 

[JFettig]

I just messed with the trigger pull on mine, I got rid of the over travel and played with the weight. I'd say its around 3lbs right now and I wouldn't consider it 100% safe as I was able to get it to fire by hitting the butt of the stock super hard against the ground. Anything lower would take a couple of reasonable hits. I was able to get it very low, probably around 1lb but I wouldn't consider shooting it like that. I wouldn't want the striker to be dropped while chambering a round and not have it fully locked up.


Jon

 

[Jason M]

I wouldn't want the striker to be dropped while chambering a round and not have it fully locked up.

Use the "half safe" position of the safety switch and the striker won't drop.

But I understand that if the sear mechanism was designed for 3+ pounds of trigger, then you should keep it in its safe ballpark. 3.5 lbs may be ok for this trigger. I just need to turn the pull down and see for myself what feels right and what is too heavy. I don't have a trigger pull gauge and nor do I need one. I just adjust the trigger until it feels good to me, no matter the weight.

How did you take out the over travel on this trigger?

 

[JFettig]

On the stud, theres 3 nuts, two which lock together to adjust the weight, the third locks the stud itself to the trigger. The stud itself adjusts the over travel, in the end is a slot for a small flat head screw driver.

Before you adjust the weight, release the striker(after safety checks of course), then loosen the end nut and turn in that screw assembly until it almost touches the sear, then reset the striker and test it and make sure it works. Then you can loosen the double nut and turn it down until its where you want it. I found that its hard to tell what feels right when the action is out of the stock, I had to put it back in the stock to get it right.


Jon

 

[marsche]

This is a very good explanation of how the trigger works.

Adjusting the Model 70 Trigger
by Frank Kleinburg ([email protected])
(Original article posted at www.recguns.com)

Let me discuss how the trigger on the Model 70 works. Knowing how it works will allow you to know how a gunsmith would
adjust it.

The trigger mechanism on the Winchester Model 70 is remarkably simple. Remove the barreled acton of a Model 70 from
it's stock and you can see just how simple it is. You will see a trigger that pivots on a pin. Look at the rear portion of the trigger
(normally hidden by the stock) and you will see a square head screw (the trigger stop screw), three nuts, and a spring (we'll call it
the trigger return spring).

The purpose of the trigger stop screw is to limit the amount of over travel of the trigger. It is possible to screw the trigger stop
screw in far enough that you will not be able to pull the trigger enough to release the sear. Ideally the trigger stop screw should
be screwed in as far as it can and still have enough trigger movement to reliably release the sear. This will allow for the greatest
amount of adjustment of the trigger spring tension.

Tension on the trigger return spring determines a majority of the trigger pull weight (the rest of the trigger pull weight comes
from the friction between the trigger and the sear). The spring surrounds the trigger stop screw, both can be seen just behind
the trigger. The trigger stop screw is held in place by a pair of captive nuts, one on each side of the part of the trigger the stop
screw passes through. A third nut sets the tension on the trigger spring. Tightening this third nut (turning it clockwise) against the
trigger spring will increase the trigger pull. And turning it counter clockwise will decrease the trigger pull weight.

After making any adjustments, be absolutely sure to test for an excessively light trigger. To do this, screw the barreled action
back in the stock. With the bolt cocked, in the closed position on an empty chamber, and the safety off, butt down the rifle. That
is hold the rifle barrel pointing upward, let the butt bounce on the ground. It should take a considerable bump to cause the firing pin
to drop (on the empty chamber).

On a friend's pre-64 Model 70 trigger, the spring had to be changed because enough of the trigger spring pretension could not
be removed to get an acceptable trigger pull weight. Yet on another (on one of those new classic actions), it was possible to
remove ALL of the trigger spring pretension. This is a dangerous situation because only the trigger to sear tension keeps the
cocked rifle from firing.

Well I hope you now have a better understanding of how a Model 70 trigger works. Of course for all trigger pull weight
adjustments you should take your rifle to a reputable gunsmith.