FAMAE 542 Ammo thread

LordEvilPepper

LordEvilPepper

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So I've had a Famae 542 since the get go and have been running into a kundrom.

Any ammo that shoots well kicks like a angry mule; bruising my cheek and destroying brass as it send it out on a 50 foot trip somewhere into the yonder for me to find on a treasure hunting expedition into the uncharted territories of the "never mowed" part of our range burns.

Most factory ammo, although easier on the face, shoots like ####.... and sends the brass a mere 30 feet off to my left.... I have confirmed, i'm on setting 1 on the gas plug.... the small hole

Here is a list of results

150 H SST 46.5 grains BLC2: , about 1.5/2 inch groupings at 100m, Avg Muzzle velocity of about 2650 Fps. Face bruising and brass destroying.... it knocked my stock loose after about 150 rounds less then 10% salvageable brass... it literally rips bends the rim, dents/tears the side of the cases and collapses the neck

150 H SST 45.5 grains BLC2: 8-12 inch group at 100m. Avg muzzle velocity 2450, moderate recoil 60% brass salvageable

145 MFS FMJ: 4-6 inch grouping at 100m, Avg muzzle velocity 2420, light recoil, all brass fine... but unreadable (steel with weird oversized primers)

150 AE FMJ 3-4 inch grouping Avg Muzzle velocity 2500, moderate recoil, Brass 90% salvagable (oh harray Fed brass....####ing junk)


I have some 168 Barnes TAc-X loaded up with 45.5 grains of BLC-2 powder to try out... but that is on the back burner till next month....

Has anyone had the same issues as me... or a better shooting load that doesn't punch you in the face?

the gun manufacture says this thing shoots factory ammo military loads at 2690 Fps... so just WTF are they shooting and how is it not blowing up the gun?
 
I'm talking out my ass a little here as I haven't done much gas gun reloading but maybe try some of the faster powders suitable for 7.62X51. It might help with the violence of the action cycling...but like I said, just speculating.

What I can tell you though is if you'd fired an FNC1 with a butt that was too short you'd already be good buddies with the gentle pops in the cheek. I just looked at a few examples of your rifle and it looks like the same result is possible. Can you lengthen the pull a little? It might help make your experience a wee bit more pleasent.

I think my FN issues really stem from my head being too big for my neck...

You said your gas is on the setting 1/small hole. If setting one is the small hole (gas port exit is smallest) that would be for adverse conditions on the FAL. Smallest exit directed more gas to piston.

Does it have 3 settings? if so did you try any of the other settings? If it's set to direct most gas to the piston it could be real ugly to shoot.
 
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redshooter said:
I'm talking out my ass a little here as I haven't done much gas gun reloading but maybe try some of the faster powders suitable for 7.62X51. It might help with the violence of the action cycling...but like I said, just speculating.

What I can tell you though is if you'd fired an FNC1 with a butt that was too short you'd already be good buddies with the gentle pops in the cheek. I just looked at a few examples of your rifle and it looks like the same result is possible. Can you lengthen the pull a little? It might help make your experience a wee bit more pleasent.

I think my FN issues really stem from my head being too big for my neck...

You said your gas is on the setting 1/small hole. If setting one is the small hole (gas port exit is smallest) that would be for adverse conditions on the FAL. Smallest exit directed more gas to piston.

Does it have 3 settings? if so did you try any of the other settings? If it's set to direct most gas to the piston it could be real ugly to shoot.
Click to expand...

This x10. You want the gas set to the normal setting, this will vent more of the gas and reduce the energy going into the action via the piston. The small hole is when your rifle is very dirty and you get stovepipes.
 
Small hole less gas!!! Not more. The FN had a different gas system type, it had a non adjustable hole in the barrel to allow gas to the piston, the vent on the top controlled how much gas was left to do the work, so it this case small hole more gas.

Scott
 
The small hole is venting gas to the piston not out of the gas block. Setting 2 is kicking so hard im afraid it will break the gun.
the stock is the correct length for me I get a good cheek weld. Its an ammo issue.
 
We'll be releasing a video review on the rifle shortly with a section specifically on our findings with factory ammo. No reloading or load development has been done to this point.

That said to help out a bit in the mid term S&B 147gr FMJ was the softest kicking and had the most reloadable brass out of the .308 with most being the typical dent at the case mouth and in the side of the case.

Best brass by far was surplus South African 7.62 NATO with most standing up to the rifle with minimal deformation to the brass.

As for cheek slap I'm not experiencing any with the bar style folding stock.
 
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redshooter said:
I'm talking out my ass a little here as I haven't done much gas gun reloading but maybe try some of the faster powders suitable for 7.62X51. It might help with the violence of the action cycling...but like I said, just speculating.
Click to expand...

BLC-2 is for the most part the fastest powder for .308, a few other powders beat it out around 150gr projectiles but by 40FPS with the exception of varget at a 98 FPS faster

110, 140 168 175 180s 190s 200s, BLC2 is the fastest powder

I'm thinking it might be to fast, since the gun is damn near ripping the cases rim off indicating an early extraction. I'm thinking maybe H414 or reloader 12 might be the answer for 150's but I'm really hoping another gun nutter has tried reloading for this gun and might shed some insight
 
542 powder , case damage and accuracy

found slow low burning powders work better

believe it or not I went through the same thing
factory loads were eating the casing bullets weight 150 up to 180
i have a few powders floating around and this is what ended up working the best
155 AMax or sst
44 grains of RL 22
case minamal damage
still reusable / 85 % better condition than factory

please understand that I'm using this rifle as my deep timber elk gun under 200 yards
so energy is ok at 44 grains

I tried

imr 4895
4831 sc
4831
RL 19
imr 4350
Rl 22

best at results rl 22- 1.25 Moa at 100 yards
least case damage great groups
 
intresting..... I don't suppose you know the velocity on that round do you? or the drop at 200m vs 100m?

were are you getting load data for RL22 in .308? i can't find it anywhere, alliant doesn't publish it. neither barnes nor hornady has that info; and my good old lee book (second edition) stops at RL15....
 
Might be worth trying out some H Varget too. I have made some very accurate loads for my AR10 and M14 .. Some will say it too slow burning for the M14 but the groups were so good and the brass was fine so i dont care .. It may produce results in your 542 also .
 
LordEvilPepper said:
intresting..... I don't suppose you know the velocity on that round do you? or the drop at 200m vs 100m?

were are you getting load data for RL22 in .308? i can't find it anywhere, alliant doesn't publish it. neither barnes nor hornady has that info; and my good old lee book (second edition) stops at RL15....
Click to expand...

That's because no one recommends using powder that slow for a semi 308 shooting 150ish gr bullets. I can't see the Vel being very good, but I guess if it works...

I think you might want to start with a faster powder like IMR/H 4895 or perhaps Benchmark. Back it down till the rifle functions unreliably and then add till you get no stoppages (hopefully it groups there too).

Get your hands on some NATO Ball and see if the action still functions that violently. It's what it should be designed to shoot after all.
 
Just curious if you put a folding stock on it... i had this problem to me.. when i changed to a folding stock and used the fixed stock bolt it stuck in to where the bolt moves and was causing the bolt to slam into the stock bolt causing major recoil..
 
I dont think using varget is the answer its faster then blc2. Its likely to make the premature ejection and recoil issue worse. Getting a good group isnt the problem. Its getting a good group with proper rifle function.

baised off tikkam65s results I think droping to a slower powder is the answer. Rl22 might be a bit slow for my needs but a powder that can give me factory speeds at max load might be what this gun needs to function right.
 
i did start with imr 4895 and played with 41 to 44 which is recommended, then asked a gun smith friend of mine and we crossed reference pressures .
so at the end i have been shooting this round for about 6 months no failure to feed , no major case damage. great groups .
this gun likes slow burning powder .
 
ill see how it does with the 168s with BLC-2 as its going to be "slower" out the barrel, it might fix the timing issue.

If not I think i might through in some H414 and see how that does, i still want a 400m deer gun... so i can't slow it up to much. those 150s seem to do best at 2600 FPS and faster...
 
ok but what speeds do you need, based on distance and energy required .
i have not ran this load through a crono . i use it as a 200 meter and under round .
to me if its 2400 or 2600 fps is relevant to what im using the action for deep timer quik follow up shots on running deer /elk
 
from what i can see this thing is going to open up to much at 400 meters as a deer gun
if im getting 1.25 -1.5 at 100 then that 6+ conditions at a moving deer ..thats almost a miss or dame close
use a bolt gun for that .

this is not a 400 meter deer gun sorry .

ps i run a
custom 6.5 x 55 for 300 -1000 meters 8 x 32 x 56 up on top and shoot 600 all day long / 5 shot group at 300 is 1/2 inch and not moa
custom 7 mm for 1000-1600 meters
steyr 3006 for 200 yard open range mtn rifle
famae 542 for my timber rifle
this is great on running deer / elk moose under 200 .
 
HeadDamage said:
Varget behind a 175gr SMK works well in my 542.
Click to expand...

its beginning it to sound like this rifle likes to throw the heavy bullets (which is a shame because I still have over 500 unloaded 150s left over, and 400 loaded), this weekend i should get a chance to throw those 168 Tac X's in a gravel pit, maybe ill bring the crony along and a couple targets
 
For load development and accuracy testing I would start with the gas off. That way the extraction would not damage the case and make it unreadable. Plus more than likely that's where your best accuracy will be.

Then test for the minimum load that will cycle the action with the gas at 3 wide open - to establish a comparative base line. Work up from there not to exceed max pressure established with gas off.

I'd totally cease and desist with BLC2 because it sounds too fast. Focus on powders along the lines of Varget or 4064 which are both slower burning.

If you do get into heavier bullets that may not be all bad because the powder burn rates will need to be slower to compensate. You might find your sweet spot there, but I doubt it. If recoil is a problem now it will only get worse with heavier bullets.

Focus on a load the rifle likes, not maximum velocity.

You might even give some lighter bullets a try. I run 125 grainers in my M14 for deer and they perform very well.
 
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