Hi Folks
My first post since the TT change-over (so I hope I don't stuff it up).
I've got my eye on a Fas 603 (.32) which is being sold at a very resonable price. It appears to have had very little use (the owner claims less than 1000 rounds since new). Just wondering if any owners (or ex-owners) can give their opinions or let me know of any problems / things to watch out for with this pistol.
Regards,
FD
FAS 603 - opinions wanted
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Fortitudo Dei
- Posts: 256
- Joined: Tue Mar 02, 2004 8:30 pm
- Location: New Zealand
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Greg Derr
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Mike
Re: FAS 603 - opinions wanted
I recently acquired one and absolutely love it.
My only "thing to watch out for" is that the person who sold it to me did so because they could not get it to fire consistently without jamming. I tried ~15 different reloads through it and found one that it works flawlessly with. Ever since then I have had virtually NO problems with.
Overall, I would highly recommend it.
... Mike
My only "thing to watch out for" is that the person who sold it to me did so because they could not get it to fire consistently without jamming. I tried ~15 different reloads through it and found one that it works flawlessly with. Ever since then I have had virtually NO problems with.
Overall, I would highly recommend it.
... Mike
Fortitudo Dei wrote:Hi Folks
My first post since the TT change-over (so I hope I don't stuff it up).
I've got my eye on a Fas 603 (.32) which is being sold at a very resonable price. It appears to have had very little use (the owner claims less than 1000 rounds since new). Just wondering if any owners (or ex-owners) can give their opinions or let me know of any problems / things to watch out for with this pistol.
Regards,
FD
FAS bugs...
Cavaet for the FAS SP family...
Gun must be kept absolutely clean to get reliability.
Recoil spings need to be checked and replaced frequently.
The spring get compressed and stays that way after 6 months.
The rear screw holding the trigger assembly has a tendency
to come loose. This makes the slide rub the slide cover.
Quick fix is the locite this screw.
Also, the extractor can cause the slide to not close completely,
making for weak hammer strikes.
Gun must be kept absolutely clean to get reliability.
Recoil spings need to be checked and replaced frequently.
The spring get compressed and stays that way after 6 months.
The rear screw holding the trigger assembly has a tendency
to come loose. This makes the slide rub the slide cover.
Quick fix is the locite this screw.
Also, the extractor can cause the slide to not close completely,
making for weak hammer strikes.
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David Levene
- Posts: 5617
- Joined: Mon Mar 01, 2004 12:49 pm
- Location: Ruislip, UK
Fantatsic shooting pistol, extremely forgiving of minor errors in technique.
Two things to check when buying a used 603 which are often forgotten:-
1) The back of the hammer box has an extension though which the screw fixing the hammer box to the frame passes. Ensure that this is not cracked where it bends into the hammer box (you will understand this when you are looking at it).
2) At the very back of the frame is a tongue which the top receiver hooks on to. Make sure that there is no sign of cracking or of it being hit.
Regular (6 monthish) replacements:-
a) Main slide spring. No matter how much or little you use the gun this spring will take on a "wave" and lose strength.
b) The buffer clip at the back of the top receiver.
Less regular (12-18 months) replacements:-
A) Trigger first stage spring.
B) Transfer bar spring (often overlooked).
C) Sear pressure spring.
The 603 probably needs a bit more care than other comparable 32s. It is well worth the effort.
Two things to check when buying a used 603 which are often forgotten:-
1) The back of the hammer box has an extension though which the screw fixing the hammer box to the frame passes. Ensure that this is not cracked where it bends into the hammer box (you will understand this when you are looking at it).
2) At the very back of the frame is a tongue which the top receiver hooks on to. Make sure that there is no sign of cracking or of it being hit.
Regular (6 monthish) replacements:-
a) Main slide spring. No matter how much or little you use the gun this spring will take on a "wave" and lose strength.
b) The buffer clip at the back of the top receiver.
Less regular (12-18 months) replacements:-
A) Trigger first stage spring.
B) Transfer bar spring (often overlooked).
C) Sear pressure spring.
The 603 probably needs a bit more care than other comparable 32s. It is well worth the effort.
Hmm,
the problems with the main slide spring is interesting news. I have to check mine soon before the season really starts here.
I had the weirdest problem with my 603. The height adjusment screw of the rear sight bent after about 100 shots. After a couple of new screws I took the gun to the gunsmith and had the whole rear sight assembly replaced. According to him some major parts of the rear sight assembly had broken and half repaired by the earlier owner. The symptom was a bending adjustmen screw. Took me a while to believe it can happen... With the new sight the gun works perfectly.
One thing I noticed that one has to check from time to time the clip. If the "mouth" of the clip gets too wide you start to get misfeeds.
I'm looking forward to starting the summer season again after a winter of intensive air pistol shooting.
Cheers,
TPe
the problems with the main slide spring is interesting news. I have to check mine soon before the season really starts here.
I had the weirdest problem with my 603. The height adjusment screw of the rear sight bent after about 100 shots. After a couple of new screws I took the gun to the gunsmith and had the whole rear sight assembly replaced. According to him some major parts of the rear sight assembly had broken and half repaired by the earlier owner. The symptom was a bending adjustmen screw. Took me a while to believe it can happen... With the new sight the gun works perfectly.
One thing I noticed that one has to check from time to time the clip. If the "mouth" of the clip gets too wide you start to get misfeeds.
I'm looking forward to starting the summer season again after a winter of intensive air pistol shooting.
Cheers,
TPe
603 rules!
I'd add to the general concensus that the FAS 603 is one of the best ISSF C/F guns out there. Personally I believe the best, but it does come down to personal preference of ergonomics.
Once you have a reliable load worked out I found 603s to be more reliable than either the Standard or Rapid FAS pistols. They do have their quirks, something in the recoil of the 32 seems to loosen just about every screw on the gun. I even made an interesting discovery halfway through a shoot-off, the front sight screw was almost completely out, leaving the front sight in a different position after every shot. It's a good idea to have a pre-match habit of checking nothing has come loose.
The only other annoying habit is the trigger transfer bar can get stuck in the bottom of its groove - mainly when a combination of gun oil and burnt powder residue combine to make a sticky paste. This means you may pull the trigger several times before ignition, not so much fun in the rapid fire part of the match. But keeping it clean will make this an unlikely occurence.
It points beautifully, and as David said, is very forgiving. Probably not well suited to a shooter with very short fingers however.
Once you have a reliable load worked out I found 603s to be more reliable than either the Standard or Rapid FAS pistols. They do have their quirks, something in the recoil of the 32 seems to loosen just about every screw on the gun. I even made an interesting discovery halfway through a shoot-off, the front sight screw was almost completely out, leaving the front sight in a different position after every shot. It's a good idea to have a pre-match habit of checking nothing has come loose.
The only other annoying habit is the trigger transfer bar can get stuck in the bottom of its groove - mainly when a combination of gun oil and burnt powder residue combine to make a sticky paste. This means you may pull the trigger several times before ignition, not so much fun in the rapid fire part of the match. But keeping it clean will make this an unlikely occurence.
It points beautifully, and as David said, is very forgiving. Probably not well suited to a shooter with very short fingers however.