I shot the FN SCAR today

[30 cal slob]

You might see a few more posts floating around the interblab about this awesome platform.

I was fortunate to attend Larry Vickers' Carbine and Pistol II class this weekend.

In attendance was Brett from FN (pictured below, that's him, not me), who brought a 10-inch barrel SCAR with him.



Today we had a chance to get our hands on the SOCOM platform, with the happy switch.

Without much further ado, I'll just show the few pics I have (sorry, I'm a lousy photog):

This is the 10-inch barrel. IIRC, this gas piston system is based on the M2 carbine design.



Here is the trigger module:



Another view from up top:



The upper receiver, made of extruded aluminum, is the serialized portion of the weapon.



By request, I've added a photo that Templar (moderator at m4carbine.net) posted of the bolt and carrier:



Yes, I did fire this weapon on semi and in full-auto bursts. I'm not really into lookeemee photos, but here's me ugly mug shooting the SCAR:



I don't know where to start. Others who sampled the SCAR will be chiming in on their thoughts in a more precise and succinct manner, but my impressions of this platform so far...

THE FN SCAR ROCKS.

This is a very well thought out platform. I love the ergonomics ... it's very comfortable. The mag and bolt releases are in familiar territory for M4 users. The stock tucks out of the way like the FN FNC para IIRC (from the left to the right). The trigger breaks cleanly. edit: I was informed that this is not a plastic receiver gun - the receiver is made of extruded aluminum, which explains why this this weapon is SOLID. And it is accurate. I could be wrong, and YMMV, but this thing has none of the hint of flimsiness you might feel on an HK G36 (I shot a K not too long ago) or an SL-8.

I understand the SCAR accepts GI 5.56 mags which is obviously a plus.

The fire selector takes a little getting used to for dyed in the wool M4 users. Many of us testing it were defaulting to the happy switch at first (maybe it was subconcious).

I understand the commercial version may be available in 4Q of this year, or 1Q:09. There is no official guidance on pricing yet, but if we had to guess, list would be somewhere in the $2K range.

I've tried to stifle my urge to become an early adopter ... but based on my initial impressions of the SCAR, I'm going to be lining up to buy one.



Disclaimers:

I am just a shmo who likes to shoot. I am low speed (molasses), high drag (think velcro butt).

I do not work for FN or any of its affiliates.

Brett provided the ammo for the taste test. Thank you Brett (and FN) and Larry Vickers and M4C.

 

[rockinrussky]

Thanks for the photos. I've been quite interested in this coming out for a while now. How is the recoil on it?

 

[30 cal slob]

Comfy even on full auto.

The three prong muzzle break is noticeably louder than an M4 flash hider if you're sitting right next to a shooter, but that's just my subjective first impression.

 

[The Highlander]

I love that new stock design.

 

[Mp7]

...a rifle like that.... i wonder if the 7.62x39 version will sell well....

awesome pics of a beautyfully ugly gun.

 

[Rubber_Duck]

Thanks for sharing, and nice pics. The FCG looks like an interesting design, and I wonder how it differs from the ARs. Of the next-generation 5.56mm weapons, the SCAR gets my vote. I will most definately buy one if prices are "reasonable".

With that said, the 7.62mm SCAR-H is more my cup of tea. This is the exact configuration I want, with the medium barrel. All it needs is an ACOG and a SureFire M900 (and a suppressor if I'm not homeless after buying the rifle). The group therapy switch can stay.

 

[Kind of Blued]

Forgive me, but what is the laser pancake apparatus mounted on the rail behind the front sight?

That does look really comfortable and natural when shouldered...

 

[30 cal slob]

i believe that is the IR and visible laser module.

 

[El Tejon]

It's the laser-phaser.

You look so . . . tactical. Do you feel tactical?

 

[30 cal slob]

ET...

i felt ...

hot.

and wet.

90 degrees and humid in the southern end of VA.

with full plates and soft armor inserts, IT SUCKED.

hey, at least i took the leg holster off.

 

[El Tejon]

Hot and sweaty?

Didn't your inherent tacticalness keep you kewl?

 

[30 cal slob]

post-class shower never felt so good.

it took effort to take those photos, felt a strong urge to crawl into shade and nap.

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

Very cool - thanks for the pics and info.

But the only thing jumping into my head right now are some WHYs.

WHY not have a lower stock in the cheek area to get a lower line of sight??

WHY adopt the standard crappy AR pistol grip and not a better more ergo one??

WHY is the upper, not the lower, receiver the serialized part? (not a big deal)

WHY is the fire control selector on the right side?



At least the charging handle is on the left side where it should be.

 

[30 cal slob]

you left out "why the $2,000 price tag"

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

Then there's that too.

 

[Deer Hunter]

So how's the upper receiver plastic?

I don't know much about the platform, but I have always wanted an FNC to go alogn with my FAL. However, when you said it was a polymer upper receiver that kind of set of a few warning signals. What is stress bearing? Is it just polymer?

 

[ny32182]

Thanks for the writeup...

My biggest "why" so far is, "why have the 6 oclock rail attached directly to the barrel rather than free floated"??

I've also heard that the bolt is a many-lug design and the ejector is a spring loaded post. I've never had problems with these in ARs, but many people consider them to be weak points. Can you confirm this? If true, my next "why" would be, "why not go with a more AK-like bolt design if starting from scratch like they did with the SCAR"?

If the price is palatable I'll probably buy one, mostly for collection purposes.

 

[MT GUNNY]

The selector is ambi

The sites sit higher than the AR
plus the but stock slopes down so you have a natural eye to sight alignment

Serial on upper probably has to do with the 10 inch Barrel

when you buy one remove the grip and put a ergo on it!

lower rail attached directly to barrel is 2 less things to get loose and create inaccuracy, IE laser sight.

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

The selector is ambi

Cool.

The sites sit higher than the AR plus the but stock slopes down so you have a natural eye to sight alignment.

That's precisely my point (and the problem). The gun is designed such that it could have LOWER sights (an improvement) and not higher sights (or the same height). Instead, they put that silly sloping chunck of plastic which needs to be removed entirely. Then one would have "natural eye to sight alignment" with a much lower line of sight (at least 3/4th" lower). Ridiculous. Of course they do it so that it's backward-compatible with the ACOG, Aimpoint, Eotech and all the other doo-hickeys calibrated for the AR15 style rifle rather than stepping out boldly and actually making an improvement.

Serial on upper probably has to do with the 10 inch Barrel

OK. Hmm.

when you buy one remove the grip and put a ergo on it!

That's the point - everyone does that, so why should we have to waste money and waste time and material for the one that is on it? Why not just stick an ERGO brand grip on it from the get go, if we're trying to make those ya know, improvements.

Other than the charging handle and quick barrel modularity, I fail to see how it's any better than an AR15. Granted, there is those things, but the XCR has those things, plus other advantages (AK gas system, lower sight line). Anyway, I'd sure take one if given to me, but they missed the opportunity to make me *want one*. Does it have the two-way bolt control that the XCR has? Or just one way like the AR15?

 

[ny32182]

lower rail attached directly to barrel is 2 less things to get loose and create inaccuracy, IE laser sight.

Huh?

The barrel should be free floated. The upper should be a true monolithic design all the way around.

-Now the POI is likely to change every time you change something on the bottom rail (VFG, bipod, light, whatever)

-Imagine how expensive that barrel assembly is with that rail on it (on second look, it does appear to be bolted on, so maybe this isn't as much of an issue as it looks at first).

-May not be a problem with a good cover, but that rail is going to be getting a whole lot hotter under extended fire than one with a free float design.

I just can't think of any *positive* aspect that comes from having the rail attached directly to the barrel. For now, its a mystifying design decision.

 

[jpatterson]

DROOL!!

Me want.

 

[esmith]

Looks like a cool gun, im not a big fan of plastic but if it feel comfortable then who cares.

 

[rero360]

why not have the stock be able to fold in the opposite direction? that way you could unfold it with the non firing hand and be able to shoot with it folded with no problems.

 

[HorseSoldier]

I was at the Vickers class also, along with a couple other guys from my unit, and we all walked away with a significant drool factor going on. I thought being able to shoot Vickers' StG-44 at his AK class was wildly cool, but the SCAR was right up there with it.

I found it to be nicely balanced and handled very well. Internet complaints about the weight did not seem to be warranted -- my personal AR I was shooting in the class is chunkier than the SCAR-L, though I do think it modestly heavier than the more bare-bones M4A1 I'm issued on the work side of things. The ergos were nice, and it looked like maintenance is very user friendly as well.

 

[HorseSoldier]

Double tap