According to the owner, they run a lot of wolf .223 gold and it was definitely the MR556, NOT the 416. No clue why it would be shot out around 10k (owner said it was just under 10k). I was more impressed with the long term durability of the SCARs they’re running, especially the bolt life lasting 3+ barrels and over 100k rounds, full auto.
Not the first I’ve heard of a mr556 barrel being shot out after around 10k rounds. A guy I know was using a mr556 as a LE duty rifle and had this happen. Not sure what he was using for ammo. The mr barrel is not chrome lined and not nitrided, maybe this is why it has less durability.
For me, its price vs performance. As a civvy it does nothing an AR won’t do with the 5.56 round.
Do they work better in the sandbox than the M4/M16?
I don’t know, a bolt going 3 barrels & over 100k rounds with full auto before breaking and very minimal maintenance required may be more than an AR is capable of, perhaps even an E3 bolt. The SCAR 16s CQC is a slick little gun as well & the 17s is a value in .308 IMO.
Kind of a turn off on a $2,000 upper…
I qualified with the SCAR-L when I was with AFSOC a few years ago. I guess the problem I have with it is the same thing SOCOM listed. Yeah, it’s reliable, accurate enough has bells, whistles, a folding stock, a kung-fu grip and the chicks dig it factor going for it, but did it really do anything all that much better than my old M4? Not really. My scores were on par with my M4, my M4 never had a functional issue (then again the old Marine in me despises a weapons maintenance slob so I kept mine clean) and ergonomically wise, the M4 is pretty good. Bottom line is that I really didn’t see what the SCAR-L did any better other than costing more than an M4. When I got burned out on the AR design and went shopping for something different, I couldn’t justify the price of a SCAR-16 that wasn’t bringing anything really earthshattering to the table. Instead, I went with a Tavor that offered carbine type velocity in SBR length without the red tape hoops to jump through. That was enough of a difference compared to my M-4gery to justify the price (which is still lower than the SCAR-16) over another M4 design.
The SCAR 16 can run suppressed in a short or normal barrel configuration better than the M4 can. That’s pretty much the bottom line IMHO. Until HK gives us a civilian HK416 A5 variant, the SCAR 16s is a civilian’s best bet for a good all around carbine that brings the advantages of a piston system to the table.
The SCAR 16 can be dramatically improved to become an even better rifle than the current version and the HK 416, but only if FN can make a business case for it with Govt/LE contracts and civilian sales. Until then, we depend on the aftermarket to improve the stocks, the trigger, handguard, etc.
I prefer the SCAR 16’s charging handle over the AR, I like the fact I can manipulate the bolt without taking my firing hand off of the grip. A 10" AR seems quieter on the ears suppressed than a 10" SCAR with the same suppressor, that’s my only gripe.
The SCAR modularity is mostly a myth. I have an MGI Hydra upper on a Colt lower and it’s a real QD barrel, with countless caliber operations, and access to pretty much every AR15 barrel under the sun, including piston conversions.
That’s not even including if I had the matching lower with a modular mag section.
Even in the absence of MGI, there is the LMT MRP.
I can think of a few reasons I would want a SCAR, but modularity really isn’t one of them.
What is the point of a bolt that out lasts a barrel, shouldn’t the bolt be replaced with a new barrel?
I agree it’s a good idea to change bolt/barrel at the same time, it is however very impressive and certainly gives me piece of mind. Having a bolt that may or may not last the life of a barrel is a turn off to me, which is why I am a fan of KAC (and the SCAR). So the point is, the SCAR bolt is damn tough, as durable as you need it to be.
Nothing is WRONG with it, it’s just significantly more expensive for nothing extra.
You could make the same argument for the SR-15 using that same logic.
Except for an enhanced gas system, enhanced bolt, ambi controls, 2-stage trigger, rail system…
My point was both systems have durability that surpasses your standard AR-15. In case you missed it, Henderson defense went 3 barrels and over 100k rounds before breaking a SCAR bolt, minimal parts breakage. They rent full auto guns out in Vegas to tourists, their guns get shot full auto a lot. Besides the SCAR has ambi controls, the best scar is the CQC so the stock rail is fine, only thing an SR-15 has on it that you mentioned is the out of the box trigger, gas system doesn’t apply.
You won’t get me to say a bad thing about KAC, I have a 14.5 SBR & 11.5 upper on AX556 lowers which are even more ambi. I’m a fan of everything KAC makes and I’d rather have my 11.5 KAC upper (or a full 11.5 KAC for that matter) over s SCAR but it’s hard to deny the merits of the SCAR.
As I knew you had a couple KAC, I feared I was misinterpreting your post.
Apologies.
Except to get a trigger that’s equally good you need a replacement Geissle, and enough rail real estate to reach out and grab toward the end of the gun you need to drop another 200 into it, etc etc.
Nothing wrong
To switch the SR15 from a 14.5-16" barrel to 11.5, you need to buy another $2k upper, whereas switching from my 14" barrel to 10" barrel cost me $800.
Stamp $200
Chop $150
Engraving $40=$390.