I purchased an FN SLP MK1 a few months back for 3-gun competition and was extremely excited about the purchase. I only recently had the opportunity to shoot it. Unfortunately, I had difficulty getting it to eject rounds, particularly with lighter loads. I fired seven different loads; two 1 oz loads, four 1 1/8 oz loads, and one 1 1/4 oz load. It would not eject any of the 1 and 1 1/8 oz loads, and would only eject the 1 1/4 load about 3 out of 4 times.
I was about to send it to FN for repair and checked the FNH site. I found the updates on the pistons in the section where you can download the manuals, with a number of updates explaining how they went from two (light and heavy) pistons to one. Mine came only with the heavy piston. I reached out to FN to see if I could get the lighter piston, with very frustrating results. I set multiple emails (three times) to sales, service, an customer support with no reply. I spent two hours last weekend in a maze of telephone menus trying to find out if I could get it to shoot light loads. Finally I had a customer service guy tell me it wasn't made for light loads, with an attitude like "you should have known that". I left a message for his boss, but he never called back.
Since I got it though a store that got it from a distributor, I can't take it back. I was just about to take it to the gun show this morning to try to sell it (probably at a loss) when I found this forum. I have certainly gotten more help here than from FN, and an opportunity to vent. I will try the tricks mentioned in the forum; store with the bolt open, clean and lub compulsively and maybe even send the piston to SureCycle for modification.
Bottom line seems to be, unless you plan to shoot 3-inch turkey loads at your 3-gun match (and rattle our teeth), don't expect the FN SLP MK1 to shoot reliably right out of the box. Right now it is just a single shot with an 8 round capacity. I will repost if I get it to work.
I was about to send it to FN for repair and checked the FNH site. I found the updates on the pistons in the section where you can download the manuals, with a number of updates explaining how they went from two (light and heavy) pistons to one. Mine came only with the heavy piston. I reached out to FN to see if I could get the lighter piston, with very frustrating results. I set multiple emails (three times) to sales, service, an customer support with no reply. I spent two hours last weekend in a maze of telephone menus trying to find out if I could get it to shoot light loads. Finally I had a customer service guy tell me it wasn't made for light loads, with an attitude like "you should have known that". I left a message for his boss, but he never called back.
Since I got it though a store that got it from a distributor, I can't take it back. I was just about to take it to the gun show this morning to try to sell it (probably at a loss) when I found this forum. I have certainly gotten more help here than from FN, and an opportunity to vent. I will try the tricks mentioned in the forum; store with the bolt open, clean and lub compulsively and maybe even send the piston to SureCycle for modification.
Bottom line seems to be, unless you plan to shoot 3-inch turkey loads at your 3-gun match (and rattle our teeth), don't expect the FN SLP MK1 to shoot reliably right out of the box. Right now it is just a single shot with an 8 round capacity. I will repost if I get it to work.
