SCAR-Heavy 7.62mm accuracy?

[Girodin]

I'm excited about the 17s. I looked at the SCAR in 5.56 but it didn't seem to offer enough advantage over my Noveske to make it worth it to me to purchase at the price it was going for.

The 17s however stacks up very favorably IMHO against the competition in .308. I see a reason to go to the SCAR over the competition. Also if more barrels become available that will be cool. I'd love a .260 rem.

All the FN guns I have bought or used have been top notch as well.

I had been looking at the Kel Tec RFBs but like you mentioned I was concerned about KT quality

The RFB on paper is a cool gun. Unfortunately finding one is next to impossible and there have been an astonishingly high number of reports of problems give the scant number of guns in end users hands and the amount of time KT took bringing this thing to market.

I'd like an RFB, I really wish someone else was making it.

I have KTs and I have FNs there is a world of difference in the build quality (and to be fair the price). People say the RFB is nice than your average KT and it should be since it is so much more expensive. Sadly besides unavailability it seems to have a lot of teething issues. Once they really crank up production I'd probably wait a while for the RFB to become more proven. There is also no chance I would pay $1800 for one.

 

[Taz]

Well put, reliability of a newer product is not something you want to gamble on first hand, I would like to have a rfb but not before I get a proven sub moa cqc rifle. Price aside I dont think I will find anything more suitable for me than the scar. Nothing against the m1a I just want a scar.

 

[GunTech]

Jaws, could you give more background on your experience with this rifle? I've got a more than a few thousand with from M1As, AR-10s, FALs and even the SCAR-16 recently. I have not held or fired the 17. I have not seen it at any 3 gun or sniper matches. Would love to have an evaluation from someone with actual trigger time.

 

[Jaws]

I posted this earlier in this thread:

"PS:I do not own one. I'm in Canada. US State Department is refusing to isue export permits for the SCAR and I don't know if I'll ever get to buy one."
So no. I don't have experience with the SCAR17s.

I just read quite a few impressions of owners and millitary users here and there.
I'm not sure i can post links here to other forums and sites. I've seen some interesting things posted by first hand users.

If mods think is not ok to post links to other gun boards, apologise. Please remove them.

Here' are few on the 17:

17S owner:

http://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=64127

17S owner:

http://home.comcast.net/~gunspotz/scar17s.htm

Here's a .pdf with a nice article from "ethos magazine " about the mil versions."

http://www.mediafire.com/file/6fjrvjgz88jh4mc/ethos-magazine-issue-10.pdf

This one is very interesting. MK17 user's impressions after a tour in Afghanistan:

http://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=64988

And this one is a must read. Some technical tests on the SCAR16s, AR15's and AK. (FLIR heat testing, rof testing and other really cool stuf. Not the type of info you can get from just shooting the rifle, orreading a gun magazine):

http://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=62889

Things like this:

 

[GunTech]

Great links. Thanks.

 

[SpeedAKL]

I can understand being suspicious of a relatively new-to-market weapon. Having said that, the heavy skepticism over the SCAR is silly. This is a weapon currently forward-deployed by USSOCOM that underwent a rigorous multi-year testing program prior to adoption. While reports from the field are limited, the troops seem to be very enthusiastic about the SCAR-H. Guys on M4Carbine who have either used the gun or know people who have used it in the field all have great things to say. Yeah it's really expensive; the question is, are you willing to pay the extra $$$ for it's rather unique combination of qualities?

 

[henschman]

The SCAR design definitely has potential. I like the reliable gas piston operation and the potential for light weight. The stock design seems pretty neat, with adjustable LOP and cheek height, though I could take or leave the side folding function.

However, I do not like the length of the handguard and the sight radius.

The 20" barreled one (which is the only one I'd be interested in for a battle rifle) looks especially ridiculous with that short 7" handguard on that long old barrel.

I had some hopes for the SCAR-H SSR, which is a 20" barreled SCAR with a longer handguard and fixed stock (a pic of which is posted earlier in this thread), but as per FN's website, it weighs over 11 pounds. This is too much for a battle rifle. I don't know what they put on that thing to make it so much heavier than the other SCARs, but that weight figure is a deal breaker for me.

For me, the whole point is to have a rifle that is every bit the battle rifle the M-14 is, but with better ergonomics, a drop-free mag, and better accuracy, all while weighing as much or less. You'd think it would be easily doable with modern technology... however, I haven't seen it yet. I've seen 7.62s that are as light and more accurate, but not with a reliable gas piston system (like the AR-10 variants). I've seen 7.62s that have a reliable gas piston system and better accuracy, but are too heavy (Like the LaRue OBR and LWRC REPR). And I've seen 7.62s that are as light or lighter, with better accuracy, but with a barrel length that cuts the balls off of the 7.62x51 for long range shooting and have too short of a sight radius (like the SCAR-H with the 16" barrel).

An M-14 with a 22" barrel weighs 9.3 lbs., and it's action is made of solid steel for crying out loud. How hard should it be to build a 7.62 with that same barrel length and sight radius that is at least that light, using a frickin aluminum receiver? I think the SCAR design has the potential to meet that goal, but they haven't done it yet. My billfold and I are patiently waiting.

I guess for now I'll just keep on "making do" with my "old and outdated" M1A.

 

[Jaws]

The rail lenght is not a problem anymore :

http://primaryweapons.com/store/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=244&idcategory=4

http://www.aimsurplus.com/product.aspx?item=XBTSCAR2

 

[henschman]

It doesn't get the front sight out any farther, though.

I wish they would make a version with the SSR-length handguards on a light-profile 20" barrel. I could get down with something like that. I bet they put a big honking heavy barrel on that SSR, and that's what makes it so heavy.

I also wish they went with a more modular handguard, so you could put short sections of rail only when and where you need them... kind of like a Troy TRX Extreme or VTAC Extreme or MI-SS handguard for the AR. I don't like how the FN has a rail all the way down the bottom of it. It looks like it might be removeable, but then it's a take it or leave it kind of deal. I guess the SCAR was designed before the modular handguard trend really hit with ARs... and probably before the whole forward grip technique really became widely used.

I also wish they would do sort of an AK-style front sight, attached to the barrel, way out on the end.

 

[taliv]

(fyi, posting links to other forums is just fine. I link to m4c all the time. THR is here to promote the firearms community, not the other way around.)