I've been fighting the itch for my first MG for a while, but I've finally decided to start saving and buy one.  They aren't getting any cheaper.  With that being said, I've been thinking seriously about getting an FNC with a registered sear.  I know there are some parts availability issues, but besides that they seem like one of the better deals out there for a transferable assault rifle.

I don't want a subgun, and I know that even though they are much more versatile, an M16 RR is too rich for my blood at this point.

Does anyone have any suggestions or comments?  I'm still saving so it may be a few more months, but as I've been thinking and saving for the past few months I keep coming back to the FNC.

Want mine? I never use it, because I have M16s.

It's a good gun, with resetting burst, just harder to get parts for it, not as versatile as the AR platform.

The big questions I would ask yourself.

1. How much do you plan to shoot it?   100rds , 1000rds, 5000rds, 10000rds a year.  Do you want to do mag dumps or burn though a case of ammo in an afternoon?  

FNCs are generally tough guns but if you plan on shooting thousands of rounds a year at a minimum you are going to wear the thin barrel out in short order.

2. Are you going to be bummed if you break a part and have to either pay $3500 for a semi host to get the part you need right away or endless wait to try and find a spare that isn't part of a whole rifle?

Last year I sold a spare bolt  to a guy who had broke his for $700ish and had been looking for a replacement for months on end.

If its going to be shot sparingly (less than 1000rds a year) its probably going to run for a long time.  If you its going to live the life that most "first machinegun I purchased" owners give them..... your are going to run the risk of some potential  expensive repairs if/when something breaks or wears out.

As long as you are ok with the potential risk of being forced to buy a replacement semi-host for a spare part, than go for it as from a shooter perspective the FNC is a nice rifle.

Yeah, I sold mine 2 yrs ago.
Usually I regret selling ANY MG but not FNC.
Why don't you look for LL? way more versatile...

I'm just throwing this out there....why not take a look at the ruger ac556?
No experience with either, but just another rifle option.

^not everyone is looking for versatility.
Maybe an m14 also?

Agreed, if you just want any MG that's not a subgun a ruger AC556 is a good option.

for the pice of a FNC you can probably find a RLL, which is a better option as far as parts availability goes and you will Likely shoot a M16 more than a FNC or probably any assault rifle aside from an HK. Also keep in mind that while the M16 has more up front cost long term you can find parts for dirt cheap, just about every major part from barrel to lowers, uppers, Etc...can be had for under $200, sometimes even less than $100

But hey at the end of the day MGs are just a hobby that's supposed to be fun so if you have your heart set on a FNC go for it.

FNCs have huge parts availability issues as discussed. Ruger AC556 and an M16 are the two I would look at for rifle calibers. Ruger for something more unique, M16 for something more versatile and easy to work on. Right now, Ruben has FNCs for $15k and M16s for $18.5k, not exactly leagues apart in price...and they can certainly be had for cheaper.

I've read that there's as many FNC sears as there are hosts. Compare that to the parts availability for the AC556 or the M16, and it couldn't be further apart.

Thanks for the input.  I don't really want an LL.  I've thought about the AC556 option, but I have a Mini-14 and honestly don't care for it too much. I've read some people really love their FNCs, and some people don't care for them all that much.

I'm also curious as to what the longer term price trends are looking like for the FNC.  They were pretty cheap for the longest time $5-8K or so, and then jumped up to $12-15K and have been pretty flat at that price point.

I've noticed Ruben has had 3 and a RR FNC that he's sat on for a while at $14.5K for the sear guns.  He may have finally moved one of them.  

I've read that if a bunch of FNC/AK5 parts kits ever hit the market, the price of sears will go through the roof.  

ETA: I have a good many title 1 guns and SBRs, and as much as I like shooting I don't really shoot all that often, maybe once a month, so I'm not looking for a gun to run mag after mag of cheap steel cased ammo through.

I'm looking for something that will hold it's value, and let me scratch my full auto itch that I've had for years now.

Also, how hard is it to find and install a burst kit in the FNC?  For some reason none of the guns that Ruben has listed come with the burst kit, even though they are marked for it.

Ruben had that FNC for quite some time.
I sold mine about two yrs ago for $10K and I'm sure the price will go up a little but no way close to M16 family.
It looks like you're pretty much set on FNC and nothing wrong with that choice.
I sold my FNC because it had pretty boring ROF, and I always ended up grabbing M16 instead of FNC.
BTW, any particular reason that you don't like LL? Just curious...

For the guns discussed here I own an AC556K, an FNC (had two of them at one point), and a couple lighting links as well.

If I was to put a value on them the RLL are the best option of the three in my estimation.  They really give you full M16 capability with the sole exception of 22LR.

The FNC is a good shooter and well looks like a machinegun.  Its real hang up are spare parts.    I don't know if there will ever be a plethora of spare parts available or not but assuming import/export restrictions continue to get tighter the odds of FNC parts kits coming in shrinks in my estimation.

That said if you are only going to shoot the FNC a couple time a year and not treat it like you stole it, than it should provide many years of faithful service.  Granted anything can happen at any time, but odds are it won't break or wear out anything in the first 10,000 rounds assuming the prior owner didn't beat on it too bad.  That might be a decade or more of shooting for you.

The AC556 isn't as good of a shooter as the FNC and of course looks like a Mini-14 (albeit I have personally always liked the looks of the 13" folder K variant).  The good news for the AC is most wear items are Mini-14 compatible.  Springs, barrels, bolts, extractors, pins, etc.  In general the only parts that are not Mini-14 compatible are the select-fire specific fire control parts.   There is really only one part on the AC that is easily damaged or lost and that is the  selector actuator arm.   There are really no shortage of AC556 parts kits out there as Ruger made post samples for a decade or more after the 86 ban and they pop up with pretty decent regularity when a PD demills their ACs in trade.

In regards to your question about the 3rd burst parts.  Original FN sourced burst parts are really rare.  There are also some Pindad burst kits out there as well.   However, Todd at TBA Suppressors makes domestic FNC burst kits that are a clone of the original FN produced parts.  One of my FNCs had an FN burst kit and I had a TBA for the other one.  I couldn't really tell the difference between the two kits and the TBA burst kit appeared to be very well made.

Everyone talks about parts availability...so I bought a second semi FNC to have a spare parts kit. I haven't needed it yet and truthfully I don't expect to, but it's good insurance. I still have way less money in both rifles than I would have spent on an M16. I had two M-16's at one time, but I got to the point where I was afraid to shoot them much because they were so valuable. The FNC is built like a tank and will serve you well.

Op fncs are about 15k now, you can still find m16s for about that just gotta look real hard and ask even the most unlikely people.

I love my FNC, but everything the posters have mentioned regarding part availability rings true.  However, I picked up two semis just because I came across them at good prices, one so cheap I am considering have the upper modified to be an extra in a different configuration and allow for upper swaps if I want to run the gun hard and give the barrels time to cool.

I dunno, I must be the anomaly because I really don't shoot full auto that much.  My buddys will get on it for a couple mags and then they are done for the day.  

When I bought mine, it was about half the price you could find a Colt 614 on a good day.   From what I see now, that no longer appears to be true so unsure if I can universally recommend an FNC.

As far as future pricing, well there aren't many quasi-modern Euro mgs out there, the Aug is about the only other one you can find in any sort of quantity.

When I wanna HAMMER IT, I take the beltfeds. Very occasionally, the c-mags and an HBAR upper.

After you've achieved the ammo fort, and full auto goodness, it's about asset preservation - have fun without destroying fixed assets.

FWIW, my $0.02.

FNC's are really cool guns. I had one and sold it. Was planning on replacing it but, in today's market when compared to RR m16's they are just over priced.  As others have mentioned they have some significant drawbacks when compared to the m16 platform. I would either take an AC556 on the low end or a RR M16/RLL on the high end. Of corse if in the future a non-Colt RR m16 shoots up to 25k, then those 15k FNC's won't look so overpriced anymore!

I've always had a love affair with the FNC!  There is something very sexy about the profile of the rifle...

I've been shooting and collecting FNC's and their parts for nearly 20 years.  I was introduced to the Curtis Higgins S&H Arms conversions back when Small Arms Review did a two part article on the rifle and its sear conversion.  It was a pretty good read and got me hooked!  Try to find the back issues, DEC1998 Vol2No3 and JAN1999 Vol2No4.  Here is an online copy of the conversion (even though the pictures are B&W, make sure to check them out)...

SAR FNC part II, conversion

I've shot many 10's of thousands of rounds through an M16A1, with various uppers (.22 conversions; also 5.56NATO 10.5", 11.5", 14.5", 16" and 20" barrels) and for shooting that many rounds, the M16 series rifle is likely a good choice.  Now I'm older and shoot much less, I like the finesse of the FNC.  Don't get me wrong, I still shoot plenty of rounds through the FNC, but I'm not too worried about wearing out the rifle.  

Someday, I'll get around to compiling and posting pictures of the various FNC rifles and all the parts that I've had.  Until then, I'll post my favorite rifle at this point.  Posts are always better with pictures...