Overview
This is a detailed performance review of the FCC 416D speed box complete rifle since January 27, 2013. So far, over the course of owning this gun (January-May), it has seen about 10 games, one 24 hr engagement and was also at the gun range at TAC13; so rounds were poured through it and many people got to try it out. Including all testing and working-in, this 416 has seen around 35,000+ rounds.
Pictured above:
- FCC 416D complete rifle (speed box)
- EOtech EXPS3
- AN/PAQ-4
- Surefire M952V
- Tactical foregrip
- Magpul rail covers
- Magpul MIL-spec CTR stock
- Magpul ASAP sling plate
- Magpul PTS EMAG
Internals After 35,000+ Rounds
Features Included With The FCC 416D (Speed Box)
My 416D included:
- Full RS Spec A6061-T6 CNC Body
- MIL-spec buffer tube
- Steel flash hider
- FCC 2.5 Motor System
- FCC Advanced CPU
- FCC Mini MOSFET System, Deans
- FCC Hop-up System with 6.03mm precision inner barrel
- M140 cylinder
- MOE pistol grip
- Waterproofed boards
- LMT stock
- Buffer cap for the battery end
- Full auto to tri-burst mode
Initial Impressions
When I first received my PTW, there were a few minor annoyances. The body pins were not glued on, there was a gap at the bottom of the MOE pistol grip and the cylinder did not fit tightly against the buffer cap, which caused an air seal leak. These, however, were all easy fixes. I applied some glue on the body pins, wrapped some electrical tape around the pistol grip and put a lot of shims on the buffer cap. I must say, it was shocking the amount of shims needed, but I have two FCC cylinders and they both fit fine with the amount of shims on the end cap.
The 416 also came with waterproofed boards, an end cap for the battery compartment (so that you can seal it from any water), and a LMT stock that I did not really care for; it felt very plasticy. I replaced it with a MIL-spec Magpul CTR stock, which fit perfectly and had no issues.
The FCC 416 weighs in at about 8 pounds; about the same as my WE 416. The FCC is a tad heavier (~0.2 lbs) and the weight distribution of the rifle is better. The overall finish of the gun was perfect; a true beauty in my eyes. My gun has some scuffs now having seen a few games, but an excellent example of the finish is shown below (courtesy of Spartan117).
Quote:
Originally Posted by spartan117
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Fitment of Magazines
I found that standard PTW mags fit fine; there is a slight wobble when they are inserted. PMAGs will also work, but they need a good slam before they seat properly, but Varanas mags will not fit in at all. The best mags to use are EMAGs since they are designed for mag catches found on European bodies like the 416. So far, I haven't had any fitment issues with the Magpul PTS EMAGs and they hold 0.28 Bastards with ease.
Testing And Breaking-In The Gun
The hop-up rubber was extremely stiff in the beginning, which resulted in inconsistent groupings and a drop in FPS. Before I worked-in the hop-up, the 416 was firing 0.20g BB Bastards at around 365 FPS with an M115 cylinder; 290 FPS with M90. It took about 10,000 rounds before the rubber was sufficiently broken-in and it now consistently fires 391 FPS with the M115; 330 FPS with M90. Results for FPS testing with M115 cylinder are shown below.
FPS Testing
10 shots - M115 cylinder with 0.20g BB Bastard
1) 387
2) 393
3) 393
4) 393
5) 392
6) 393
7) 392
8) 387
9) 392
10) 384
= Average FPS of 391
Testing For Groupings
In addition, I can also get 1 inch groupings at 25 feet with my M115. As you can see form the pictures below, with the exception of a few outliers, the core shots were nicely grouped together. The grouping on the second test was also better than the first. I believe that they would have been tighter if I used a bipod; further testing needed.
Test 1 – 30 rounds, semi-auto: M115 using 0.28g BB Bastard
Test 2 – 30 rounds, semi-auto: M115 using 0.28g BB Bastard
Test 3 -30 rounds, burst fire: M115, 028g BB Bastard
The tri-burst function also works extremely well. At 25 feet and 30 rounds, I was able to achieve tight 1 inch groupings. Shown below
Test 4 - Stress test
I also stress tested the 416 in two ways:
1) Fire 5,000 rounds consecutively on semi-auto
2) Fire 5,000 rounds consecutively on burst fire
Total of 10,000 rounds
These tests were designed to see if the gun or motor would overheat or fail at any point. In both conditions, the FCC PTW passed with flying colours. There were no jams, BB chopping, double feeding or misfires. The grip did get very warm due to the motor throughout each scenario, but that was to be expected. It was a little too hot for bare hands, but fine with gloves.
The rate of fire is definitely faster than other PTWs I have used. There is more of a loud snapping sound when you fire the gun; butter to my ears. You can really hear a difference between the two even when you are on the field.
Gaming The 416
Over the last 3-4 months of owning the PTW, it has seen about 10 games and I have had only one issue, on two occasions it would randomly chop a couple of BBs. Not a big deal, just pull out the mag, fire a couple of shots, reinsert and I was good to go again. I would not even consider this a problem since it was such an easy fix and occurred infrequently.*
*EDIT: Determined that the chop was caused by a broken mag. Did not receive the problem again once the mag was replaced.
Other than that, it operated amazingly. All my shots were on point and never experienced any misfires, double feeding or motor failures or overheating.
Experience With The 416 Over A 24 Hr Period
My FCC 416 was really put to the test over the 24 hr engagement. I used about 5,000 BBs and two 11.1v 1000 mAh 20C G&P Li-Po batteries.
The days were hot (22C) and the night was cold (6C), so it had to perform under varying degrees of temperatures. Even with the drop in temperature during the night, the hop-up rubber did not seize on me and my shots were hitting my targets. I would expect that it would take more than that to affect the rubber. There was also a lot of different debris that the gun had to endure. I was crawling a lot through dirt and bushwhacking through the forest, so there were a lot of small particles like dirt, dust and branches to deal with. Even with all the torture I put it through, the 416 did not quit and excelled in performance.
Throughout the course of the 24 hrs, I was getting a lot of consistent long shots. I could clearly hit targets 150ft out - running 0.28g BB Bastards with a M115 cylinder. The burst function also came in handy as it was great at breaking through branches and bushes to hit your target.
I have played my fair share of 24 hr games and I have always run into some sort of problem with my guns, such as feeding or trigger issues. However, I did not have a single problem with this rifle. As far as performance goes, I could not have asked for more.
Conclusion
Though I have only owned this gun for a short period of time, my FCC 416 has seen many games and loads of different tests. After 35,000+ rounds, I have yet to run into any jams, double feeds, misfires or motor troubles including any failures or overheating. The internals also have almost no signs of wear. They essentially look the same as the first day I got the gun. There were some minor cosmetic annoyances at first. However, they were easy fixes and not a big deal especially if you care more about consistency and performance. Furthermore, even with all the harsh scrutiny I have put this PTW through already, it has not failed once and continually keeps shooting with great accuracy. With the line-up of games coming up this summer, this gun will truly be put test, but so far I definitely could not have asked for a more reliable gun than this FCC 416D.
Happy hunting
Updates start on post 6
- June 17
- August 5