I heard that HK had lowered the price on the MR 556 rifles
but dammed if I can find any for sale, what’s the deal?
I just checked my dealer pricing with 4 wholesalers, the prices are not any lower and there are zero in stock.
When these first came out I did a group buy offering them at $2495 (which is much lower than current dealer pricing) which wasn’t very much of a markup and I had trouble getting 5 people involved.
Shorty after HK raised their dealer price to about that amount and the handful of dealers who bought them at the previous price and were willing to still sell them based upon that earlier dealer price quickly sold out.
Very few dealers and customers bought them after that initial, and apparently at least one more subsequent price increase. The bottom line seems to be people would rather have a SCAR for the same money (sometimes less) and only die hard HK enthusiasts bought them.
I’m one of the bigger HK fans, and I got mine when dealer pricing was the lowest, but even I was disappointed enough with mine that I sold it when the prices went insane. The rifle is built like a tank, the problem is it also weighs as much as a tank. The 416 comes in at around 6.5 lbs. and the MR556 at almost 9 lbs.
And if I want a 9 lb. HK rifle, I already have a HK 91.
I have not heard anything about a price drop, but direct dealers were able to get these rifles this summer.
My guess is after last Tuesday, now is not the time to expect these rifles to be in stock anywhere.
It would take leg work, but you could try going through the list of dealers to see who still has one.
Yea I heard the price dropped after they took out Bin Laden. I didn’t ever see a change. I doubt you will be seeing anything in stock for awhile to be honest. 
I think you’re talking about the 10.5" 416, right? A more fair comparison would be to the 16.5" 416, which is only about half a pound lighter than the commercial MR556. Point taken nonetheless, and I completely agree.
Agreed. I have zero interest in the 416 as currently configured. They definitly need to dumb the broomstick barrel.
The 417 I would pick up if they would just lengthen the barrel to 18 or 20.
Yep, MR556 in stock form is nose heavy. IMO you need to budget an extra $150-200 for a barrel reprofile to enjoy it. Shave some weight off the barrel and it balances much better and behaves like any other AR.
Got mine when they were at the cheaper introductory price. Now they seem to be $3K plus. Another option would be to just order the upper. HK’s web shop has them listed for $1895. I am an HK nut and like my MR556 a lot, but even I am not sure the lower is worth $1100.
Oops. Yeah I did give the weight for the 416C.
And my time with a 16.5" 416 is limited to a few opportunities to simply hold an example. Funny how the MR556 seemed much heavier than the actual difference in weight, especially front heavy.
Agreed. The 10.4" 416 isn’t bad by itself, but I felt the extra weight running it with a can. After a day with an AAC M4-2000 on the end, my MK18 felt like a feather.
They sell 20" version of MR308 in Europe, so maybe MR761 will get 20" barrel soon.
In meantime, German Army adopted new DMR rifle - G28, that is based on 16.75" MR308 (not HK417!). It uses same, civilian, semi-auto parts, but has CL barrel, steel upper, new rail, new stock, new receiver extension and new castle nut. This thing is heavy - MR223/556 feels like toy when picked up after G28. Even HK417A2 with 16" barrel and long rail feels lightweight.