Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Barrett FC first impressions

I recently mounted a scope on a new FC in 6.5 Creedmoor. I pulled the action and adjusted the Timney trigger to just under 2# (Timney said it was designed for 1.5-4#). Torqued it back together and went to sight it in. I had a box of Hornady Precision Hunter with 143 ELD-X bullets.

I fired three rounds to sight it in how I wanted.

I fired three more shots. They went into .5" roughly.

The LabRadar says that the velocity varied about 50 fps from just under 2600 to 2647 I believe.

It was 100*F at the firing line. I just couldn't shoot anymore and cooling between shots was not happening.

Brought it home and cleaned it. Three wet patches with Insight water based cleaner and then 2 with Montana Extreme. It was clean. No fighting copper whatsoever.

I think Ronnie Barrett got it right with this rifle.

I wish the ammo was more consistent. What factory ammo have you guys found that is better than the Hornady stuff?

The Hornady stuff is very accurate in my Tikka, like you described. It did run about 50-75 fps slower than advertised on the box though. I also shot some PRIME ammo and it was close to spec but not quite as accurate.

This past April I bought a nearly new 270 Fieldcraft that Capt Craig had listed in the campfire classifieds.

He had mentioned he tried Barnes factory ammo with the 130 gr TTSX and it shot under a inch, when I got it I picked up a box of Barnes 130's and was amazed as long as I let it cool in between it shot repeated groups of under .75 and smaller!

Also was impressed on how smoothly the bolt cycled and ejected spent shells, I have had a dozen or so Tikka's that shot good and had a smooth action but this gun is ridiculously sweet! I now also have a new Fieldcraft in .243 to break in..

The 143s weren’t particularly accurate in my Ruger. The 140ELD-Ms were freakishly accurate, as were Federal 130 Bergers.

The Prime ammo may be more consistent.

If your Tikkas had their bolt's NP3'd they would be sweeter as well. No bottom metal on a rifle almost guarantees I would not buy it and especially for what they are going for. Surprised they don't use a TriggerTEch trigger either.

Is it because of unloading,that you must have bottom metal? I never really cared either way,and might prefer an internal in some cases. Maybe if I had to load and unload a bunch it might matter.

The only thing I don't like about the FC is the non bolt locking safety. To me that's could be an issue,and is more of an issue than the internal mag.

Unloading a gun with cold fingers...been there done it with a ADL never again. I think Barrett could have sacrificed 2 ounces if that , I would most likely buy one. I like locking bolts as well, all my rifles except my 700 have one. I would still pick a Barrett over most anything else in its price range.

I hate bottom metal and I seldom fully unload my rifles.

Sounds like you pretty much feel the same about it. I live in the south,so it rarely gets cold enough for fingers to stop working. My two main hunting rifles use internal mags.I don't give it a thought except to be pointed in a safe direction when unloading. I don't fully chamber a round to eject it either,and they unload quick and easy .

I am not a fan of internal magazines but after recently buying a new Kimber Subalpine I have found that running all the ammo through the chamber to unload the rifle aint as big a pain in the ass as I though it might be...I still like bottom metal better, I can keep my magazine box/follower/spring cleaner with much easier access......Hb

I never actually chamber rounds being unloaded from blind magazines. I point the muzzle straight up and operate the bolt only enough to cause the rounds to pop out of the magazine lips and fall out of the ejection port into my hand.

To me 'bottom metal" is just more weight, another liability to break, and a large hole cut in the bottom of an otherwise very rigid stock.

I have seen people inadvertently dump all their rounds into the dirt and break the hinges or mag springs when using the swing down arrangement.

wow! I have never seen this, those guys are hard on their chit!...😁...Hb

I see bottom metal on a lightweight rifle as a mistake. To unload, turn rifle over with left hand under the mag and half-cycle the bolt. All the ammo falls into your hand in a few seconds.

Yep. They shuck right out never having to chamber. I thought it might be an issue having only had either detachable box magazines or bottom metal types, it isn't a real issue at all, other than learning something new.

Yeah that sounds a lot easier then depressing the magazine latch doesn't it ?

Just adds weight and complexity and does nothing to make it a better hunting tool. Just a preference. Whatever makes you happy.

The 1/2" group is plenty accurate enough for 100 yard shooting but that ES is a little high if you want to stretch it out. I get along just fine without a removable magazine or floorplate. I have some of each.

Bottom metal adds complexity? Really?... I think it does make a rifle a better hunting tool...but like you say "to each his own"....Hb

I prefer a hinged floorplate too. It's part of my idea of what makes for a "nice" rifle. I've also used the open bottom a time or two when things got cattywhumpus inside the magazine; just dumped the load and started over. All that said, a blind mag makes perfect sense when making up a very light gun, keeps cost down, and of course makes the stock stiffer. Got no trouble unloading the way descibed above, and have even done that with rifles with floorplates that were very hard to open or to keep from marking up the release catch. First time I opened up the bottom on my Kimber Longmaster, the floorplate swung down and the front edge put two little dings in the forend just in front of the guard screw, -poor fitting.

I prefer either to any sort of DM, although I'm losing that battle and have a couple rifles with those now. They get marketed as a "feature", but often they're used because it's cheaper and easier to manufacture a rifle using them. The DM combined with the CRF on my CZ 527 6.5 is a certified PITA on the bench because you can't single-load a round, gotta feed from the mag. An Original Bob's Sled single-loading block took care of that.