All issues were outlined in initial testing and FN failed/refused to fix them.
Reciprocating charging handle? No thanks
The gun has slightly tighter tolerances than an AR and won't run everything you put in it, fore example I had a lot of issues with tula and some PMC bronze.
Piston design was proprietary in that it sucked ass to take apart and clean.
Buttstock is a joke and breaks easily doesn't stay folded/closed.
Slight difference in m4 to scar controls so there needed a relearning period.
OEM sights aren't great.
Short OEM front rail sucks.
Guide rods show excessive wear even under normal conditions.
Triggers were shit for both.
Heavies broke optics, mags had issues before aftermarket mags.
After my time with one I decided it had nothing to offer over an m4 for the price tag.
Last edited by voodoo_man; 10-06-2016 at 09:13 AM.
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B&T APC556. SIG 553? H&K G36C! Robinson Arms XCR? AK74U? H&K HK53? Beretta ARX 100.
I heard awhile back that there would be a civilian release of the FNAC, who knows if it'll ever happen. For now, I'm just going to wait for the BREN 806/BREN 2, as the CZ is simply so much cheaper, and a foldable carbine is a tiny niche in my collection. I am surprised you haven't replaced those clunky 1913 rails for something slimmer, like the PMM M-LOK rail panels.
I really like my SCAR 17 but of course it is the more accurate version, the black one. Black SCARs matter.
double tap
Last edited by Sensei; 10-06-2016 at 01:00 PM.
I like my rifles like my women - short, light, fast, brown, and suppressed.
I was just throwing out random rifles with folding stocks with at least some semblance of reliability (notice how I didn't put the ACR in the list?). I had thought that B&T had a can designed for the 553, though, so I'm surprised to hear it doesn't do well with your cans.
Which version of the XCR do you have? The new ones look interesting, emphasis on the look. I do find it fascinating how Robinson Arms has clung on to putting out that single-ish product, yet I've almost never heard it being mentioned anywhere.
And, ultimately, the SCAR platform will probably remain one of the most tested firearms in history, given its raison d'être.
Part of the issue with the Sig 553 is barrel length. Many suppressor manufacturers warranty their cans down to 10 inches. I run Surefire, Knights, and SiCo Omega and they are all limited to 10" in 556 (actually Knights tests theirs down to 11.5" but stands behind their product if you are reasonable).
As for my XCR, I bought it in early 2008 as a gift to myself after a deployment to the sandbox. It did fine for 2,000 rounds or so, then I started having reliability issues with quality ammo. My firing pin went kaput at around 3,000 rounds. It took RA 6 months and a ton of calls to get a replacement. That lesson led to Sensei's Rule # 1: Don't buy firearms that have been out for less than 2 years. Better to let one's enemy be the beta tester...
Last edited by Sensei; 10-06-2016 at 01:42 PM.
I like my rifles like my women - short, light, fast, brown, and suppressed.
I've both 16 and 17 and haven't had any problems, other than crap getting caked on piston selector and it getting stuck for a bit. Did get an extended rail on 16, works OK. 16 proved reliable in conditions where AR failed under sub optimal maintenance. Nothing broke in the gun or on the gun so far. Really want 10 inch bbl for 16 to get a most compact non-bullpup setup but too lazy to deal with NFA.
I did have 1 breakage with a different SCAR 16S. My first SCAR that I purchased over 6 years ago arrived with broken stock latch. You might recall that this was an issue with how the early batches were shipped coupled with the plastic design of the latch. Apparently, the latch teeth would break during shipping if a sharp axial load was applied to the extended stock. At least, that is what FN told me when they replaced my first stock. I believe that Tango Down makes a metal latch that greatly reduces the likelihood of this problem.
Last edited by Sensei; 10-06-2016 at 10:18 PM.
I like my rifles like my women - short, light, fast, brown, and suppressed.