Originally Posted by
psalms144.1
Well, I'm an idiot with no impulse control. Was at the LGS a couple of weeks ago on my birthday, and they had a competitive price on the FPC, so one followed me home.
Three weeks and three range trips later, it's found a new home. Here are my thoughts:
Pros:
1. Cool concept, very compact, stows in a low-profile (provided) carry bag.
2. Reasonable accuracy. I got 3" groups off a range-bag rest from a rickety bench at 100 yards, shooting A260 147gr JHP
3. Can be folded with an optic mounted
4. Really decent trigger
5. Super easy to clean the barrel and chamber when folded
Cons:
1. Can't be loaded and folded. Because the chamber is forward of the pivot point, the rifle can only be "stowed" with an "empty chamber." So, the practical manual of arms for going from folded to "in action" is:
- Slightly retract the charging handle to unhook from MLOK
- Unfold action
- Work the charging handle
- Disengage the push-button safety, aim, fire
--This procedure, to me, makes the rifle a non-starter as anything but a range toy, OR a rifle intended to be in it's unfolded configuration anytime it needs to be available for serious use. Which, basically invalidates the whole point of a folding carbine in the first place
2. While the unloaded rifle is compact and lightweight, when you put two loaded 23-round mags into the buttstock-mounted holders, it becomes VERY unbalanced, and pretty heavy.
3. On the topic of the buttstock mounted mag-holders, the mags are released by a "see-saw" mechanism, which releases the magazine on the OPPOSITE side from where you push. Not intuitive at all
4. Mine was NOT reliable with 147gr JHP - several FTEject, and when you get a double feed, it's a bear to clear.
5. Related to that point, the rifle uses "pistol" sized slide lock/release levers to lock the bolt, and they're recessed in the frame, so, basically, impossible to activate. Locking the bolt back without an empty magazine is REALLY difficult.
6. There's plenty of MLOK slots on the fore end, but almost none of those on the left side of the rail are useable, because anything added there (including a small, simple sling QD point) interferes with folding/locking the carbine (again, that's the point of the F pc, right?
7. Because the pic rail ends forward of the pivot point, and the fact that the LOP is fixed (and LONG), I couldn't get BUIS to be any use at all. Again, not an issue on a range toy
8. Disassembly for maintenance is complex, requires removal of strong non-captive springs, and pushing out non-captive pins while maintaining pressure against those springs - tough to do. Cleaning the bolt/bolt face is very difficult without a full disassembly, so maintenance is, overall a giant PITA
Hopefully this isn't taken as a complete bash of the FPC. If I was heavily invested in the M&P universe, and wanted a "play" PCC for competition, this might be OK. I'd just never put mags in the buttstock, and keep the rifle light, nimble and fairly well balanced. Planning on only running it unfolded would also open up the whole left side of the fore end for sling mounts/whatever else you need.
All in all, if you were in the above situation (MP user looking for a matching PCC), I'd probably just get the Response.