The Dirty 30
I’ve had my 30 cal. Synthetic FX Crown for a few weeks now so I thought I’d report on it. I bought it used, here on AGN, from Prouzy (great seller). Everything was as he told me it was. I cleaned the barrel. My first trip to the 50 yard range was a real eye opener. I did not like the way the trigger was set! Even so I shot (6) five shot groups with an average c-c size of .52”. (best group .39”) This was at an indoor range. I was shooting off a rolled up towel!
After this trip I played with the trigger. This Crown trigger is tricky to adjust! I eventually got it to where I wanted it (from a post on AGN) only to discover my safety didn’t work. With some more help from the AGN people I got the safety working again. It is actually just a matter of screwing in an allen screw a bit. Really good two stage trigger now. The hardest part was I had to order some smaller allen keys.
Next trip I took it out to 75 yards. (10) five shot groups netted me an average c-c of .613”. (best group .283”) As impressed as I was with these groups, many of them had a lone flier. I was shooting off a rest that I use for my rimfire sporter and it really doesn’t work that well with the Crown, in this indoor range. I was also making reticle adjustments between groups...not sure if that is a great idea.
I was out the other day, and shot it at 50 Yards again. This time I tried a single shot tray (and my adjusted trigger) to see if I could improve on my 50 yard results. I shot (5) five shot groups and averaged .343” c-c. (best group .212”, the first group shot on a clean barrel) Then I filled the magazine and rapidly shot the 14 rounds through it on one target. I should have taken my time because I got .689” c-c. If it throws fliers at 50 it is not noticeable because it made one larger ragged hole with 14 shots. I believe if I had taken my time it would have been much smaller.
Next trip will be back at 75 yards to try with the single shot tray vs. magazine to see if there is a difference. I expect to have a bipod mounted for the next trip to see if I can find a more comfortable position to shoot. The issue has to do with the indoor range “bench” layout not the Crown. Not easy to shoot off! It will be much better when I can shoot outdoors off a concrete bench, not these two level flexy shelves I’m shooting off.
I have not touched any of the dials or attempted to tune the gun. (nor do I really know how! LOL) I’m just shooting it as it came from Chris. The regulator gage is reading just over 150. The HST is set on MAX and the TP is set at 25/30. I’ve only been filling to 220-230 bar, although I can go to 250. Chris said it shot the 44.75s at 880 and the 50s at 850, but I haven’t checked it with my chrony yet. When it warms up I’ll bring out the chrony. All the groups I’ve shot are with the 44.75s, no inspecting, weighing, sorting, cleaning, or lubing. Straight from the tin.
I have BKL highs with a Sightron S-Tac 5-20 x 50 duplex reticle mounted. The whole package weighs about 8.25 pounds! Ergonomically it feels great. Very easy to shoulder and hold. All targets were shot at 20X. I can’t wait until summer to take it out to 100 yards! I love this gun!! I bought it because I have coyotes coming through my yard and I have two tiny dogs that I’m concerned about. Now that I have it l find it’s much more than my coyote gun. I love it for target shooting. I’m also anxious to try a slug barrel when FX releases them in 30. Of course I haven’t seen a coyote since I got it! Although one day on my way home from the range (with the Crown) my wife called and said she couldn’t let the dogs out because one was sitting about 20 yards from the back door!
I’ll add to this post after my next range trip.
I’ve had my 30 cal. Synthetic FX Crown for a few weeks now so I thought I’d report on it. I bought it used, here on AGN, from Prouzy (great seller). Everything was as he told me it was. I cleaned the barrel. My first trip to the 50 yard range was a real eye opener. I did not like the way the trigger was set! Even so I shot (6) five shot groups with an average c-c size of .52”. (best group .39”) This was at an indoor range. I was shooting off a rolled up towel!
After this trip I played with the trigger. This Crown trigger is tricky to adjust! I eventually got it to where I wanted it (from a post on AGN) only to discover my safety didn’t work. With some more help from the AGN people I got the safety working again. It is actually just a matter of screwing in an allen screw a bit. Really good two stage trigger now. The hardest part was I had to order some smaller allen keys.
Next trip I took it out to 75 yards. (10) five shot groups netted me an average c-c of .613”. (best group .283”) As impressed as I was with these groups, many of them had a lone flier. I was shooting off a rest that I use for my rimfire sporter and it really doesn’t work that well with the Crown, in this indoor range. I was also making reticle adjustments between groups...not sure if that is a great idea.
I was out the other day, and shot it at 50 Yards again. This time I tried a single shot tray (and my adjusted trigger) to see if I could improve on my 50 yard results. I shot (5) five shot groups and averaged .343” c-c. (best group .212”, the first group shot on a clean barrel) Then I filled the magazine and rapidly shot the 14 rounds through it on one target. I should have taken my time because I got .689” c-c. If it throws fliers at 50 it is not noticeable because it made one larger ragged hole with 14 shots. I believe if I had taken my time it would have been much smaller.
Next trip will be back at 75 yards to try with the single shot tray vs. magazine to see if there is a difference. I expect to have a bipod mounted for the next trip to see if I can find a more comfortable position to shoot. The issue has to do with the indoor range “bench” layout not the Crown. Not easy to shoot off! It will be much better when I can shoot outdoors off a concrete bench, not these two level flexy shelves I’m shooting off.
I have not touched any of the dials or attempted to tune the gun. (nor do I really know how! LOL) I’m just shooting it as it came from Chris. The regulator gage is reading just over 150. The HST is set on MAX and the TP is set at 25/30. I’ve only been filling to 220-230 bar, although I can go to 250. Chris said it shot the 44.75s at 880 and the 50s at 850, but I haven’t checked it with my chrony yet. When it warms up I’ll bring out the chrony. All the groups I’ve shot are with the 44.75s, no inspecting, weighing, sorting, cleaning, or lubing. Straight from the tin.
I have BKL highs with a Sightron S-Tac 5-20 x 50 duplex reticle mounted. The whole package weighs about 8.25 pounds! Ergonomically it feels great. Very easy to shoulder and hold. All targets were shot at 20X. I can’t wait until summer to take it out to 100 yards! I love this gun!! I bought it because I have coyotes coming through my yard and I have two tiny dogs that I’m concerned about. Now that I have it l find it’s much more than my coyote gun. I love it for target shooting. I’m also anxious to try a slug barrel when FX releases them in 30. Of course I haven’t seen a coyote since I got it! Although one day on my way home from the range (with the Crown) my wife called and said she couldn’t let the dogs out because one was sitting about 20 yards from the back door!
I’ll add to this post after my next range trip.
