Setting up a SCAR 16

[Caballoflaco]

What's your opinion on the LAW Tactical side folding adapters for ARs?

I had the castle nut adaptor on one loosen up after riding around with me in a backpack on both a motorcycle and in the floorboard of a truck. That’s partly my fault because the folks who installed it for me didn’t loc-tite the little set screw that is supposed to hold the castle nut adaptor in place.

Compared to an akm74/AK100 series folding stock it works, but is bulky, and as I learned could be a failure point if you don’t do the maintenance.

Sorry for the drift @GJM

[Greg Bell]

I have one of these models and they do seem to be very soft shooters. I think they may have tinkered with the bolt weight/etc.

[Super77]

I was part of the SCAR T&E program a long time ago and deployed with one. I got to see a bunch of them run through the ringer. In short, it's a great rifle but there are a few things to be aware of.

-The ambi mag release will drop the mag inadvertently when the weak side release bumps against your kit. I never figured out a way to really disable the weak side release without permanently modifying parts but it's possible to mitigate the effect through training. Kind of a PITA and I doubt the benefit of being able to do a weak side mag change.
-The base plates of the mags would slide forward. I taped the shit out of mine to fix the problem.
-I liked the stock even though it has kind of a long toe, but it's important to make sure the locking tab clicks into place after you adjust the stock length. If you don't the thing will collapse under recoil and you'll smack yourself on the nose. Ask me how I know.
-The barrel change is a cool idea but kind of a red herring when the barrel assembly costs more than a complete upper for an AR. In an AR, you could have a complete upper with optics/BUIS/IR Laser already zeroed and ready to go. In the SCAR you sort of need to rezero everything. Not a biggy unless you're constantly swapping barrels.
-May not like Pmags (can be fixed)
-Short Rail (can be fixed with aftermarket)

Maybe that stuff has been fixed in the last 12 years. Here's what I love about the SCAR:

-Very reliable
-Very light
-Surprisingly accurate
-Rugged
-Good trigger, simple rugged design
-Dirt tolerant, neglect tolerant
-Monolithic upper
-Easy maintenance
-Cool factor
-Beefy bolt/carrier and overall durable build quality
-Can change gas settings

[GJM]

I was part of the SCAR T&E program a long time ago and deployed with one. I got to see a bunch of them run through the ringer. In short, it's a great rifle but there are a few things to be aware of.

-The ambi mag release will drop the mag inadvertently when the weak side release bumps against your kit. I never figured out a way to really disable the weak side release without permanently modifying parts but it's possible to mitigate the effect through training. Kind of a PITA and I doubt the benefit of being able to do a weak side mag change.
-The base plates of the mage would slide forward. I taped the shit out of mine to fix the problem.
-I liked the stock even though it has kind of a long toe, but it's important to make sure the locking tab clicks into place after you adjust the stock length. If you don't the thing will collapse under recoil and you'll smack yourself on the nose. Ask me how I know.
-The barrel change is a cool idea but kind of a red herring when the barrel assembly costs more than a complete upper for an AR. In an AR, you could have a complete upper with optics/BUIS/IR Laser already zeroed and ready to go. In the SCAR you sort of need to rezero everything. Not a biggy unless you're constantly swapping barrels.
-May not like Pmags (can be fixed)
-Short Rail (can be fixed with aftermarket)

Here's what I love about the SCAR:

-Very reliable
-Very light
-Surprisingly accurate
-Rugged
-Good trigger, simple rugged design
-Dirt tolerant, neglect tolerant
-Monolithic upper
-Easy maintenance
-Cool factor
-Beefy bolt/carrier and overall durable build quality
-Can change gas settings

Great info, thanks!

[Andy T]

My experience is around SCAR 17, RCHG, but here are some applicable parts:

I tried using aftermarket QD mounted at the rear receiver sling loops. I found them to be uncomfortable when shouldering/shooting the rifle. I ended up attaching the sling using BFG loop to the rear sling loop instead.

As Super 77 mentioned, there were issues with PMAGs (some early gen) and SCAR bolt catches. I *think* this issue is fixed - but double check or use USGI mags to avoid any potential issues.

I would avoid any aftermarket stock / stock adapter that has a metal plate (like VLTOR SCAR receiver adapter). They have a negative effect on rear receiver screws.

I set mine up with KDG long rail, which appears to be out of stock. However, I think PMM rail deletes coupled with his slightly extended rail, would work great for a lightweight / foldable rifle.

If desired, PMM sells MOE grips modified to work with SCAR lower.

[HCM]

My experience is around SCAR 17, RCHG, but here are some applicable parts:

I tried using aftermarket QD mounted at the rear receiver sling loops. I found them to be uncomfortable when shouldering/shooting the rifle. I ended up attaching the sling using BFG loop to the rear sling loop instead.

As Super 77 mentioned, there were issues with PMAGs (some early gen) and SCAR bolt catches. I *think* this issue is fixed - but double check or use USGI mags to avoid any potential issues.

I would avoid any aftermarket stock / stock adapter that has a metal plate (like VLTOR SCAR receiver adapter). They have a negative effect on rear receiver screws.

I set mine up with KDG long rail, which appears to be out of stock. However, I think PMM rail deletes coupled with his slightly extended rail, would work great for a lightweight / foldable rifle.

If desired, PMM sells MOE grips modified to work with SCAR lower.

PMM sells a variety of grips modified for SCARS including other Magpul grips, BCM etc. The Tango down and Reptila grips fit without modification.

[LittleLebowski]

I brought the SCAR 16 and an Knight’s SR-15 to the range for some experimentation today. It was on the pistol bay, after our practice session, so ranges were close to 40 yards. My wife and I shot both. The SCAR has the new Aimpoint RDS and the SR-15 has an Eotech., so optics were pretty close.

Both are great shooting guns, but my wife preferred the SCAR. She thought it shot flatter and loves the whole folding package. The SR-15 has a better trigger, and I prefer the Eotech optic, but I really enjoyed shooting the SCAR.

Prolly the factory brake on the SCAR.

[psalms144.1]

I was part of the SCAR T&E program a long time ago and deployed with one. I got to see a bunch of them run through the ringer. In short, it's a great rifle but there are a few things to be aware of.

-The ambi mag release will drop the mag inadvertently when the weak side release bumps against your kit.
-The barrel change is a cool idea but kind of a red herring when the barrel assembly costs more than a complete upper for an AR. In an AR, you could have a complete upper with optics/BUIS/IR Laser already zeroed and ready to go. In the SCAR you sort of need to rezero everything. Not a biggy unless you're constantly swapping barrels.
-May not like Pmags (can be fixed)
-Short Rail (can be fixed with aftermarket)

Maybe that stuff has been fixed in the last 12 years. Here's what I love about the SCAR:

-Very reliable
-Very light
-Surprisingly accurate
-Rugged
-Good trigger, simple rugged design
-Dirt tolerant, neglect tolerant
-Monolithic upper
-Easy maintenance
-Beefy bolt/carrier and overall durable build quality
-Can change gas settings

I carried a Mk16 (and occasionally Mk17) on multiple OCONUS missions for the better part of 4 years.

-To me, the mag drop issue was the most problematic - more than once I snapped my Mk16 up to fire and had the "locked" magazine hit the dirt. Luckily this never happened while I was on the two-way rifle range. The only solution I found was to down-load my plate carrier by the one magazine that continually hit that release.
-Agree the barrel exchange is really only a selling point for .mil and LE agencies with good budgets. But, the P320 gets sold to a shit ton of folks based on "modularity" even though caliber exchange kits cost 80% the price of a new gun.
-We had issues with PMags at first, but then switched to the PMags designed for SCARs (did they call them "E" versions?) and the problems went away. Of course, our issued metal mags (and we had a crap ton of heavy metal HK mags) worked just fine.
-The rail is short, but we pretty much only ran the CQB barrels in the 16s, so it was a moot point.

On the plus sides, you nailed it! Our Mk16s were significantly more accurate than our Mk18s, and softer shooting. Because of the slower cyclic rate, you could actually control them in short bursts on full auto if the situation called for it. I ran my Mk16 through 3,500+ rounds of shooting with no cleaning, lubrication, or maintenance of any kind, and was hoping to get to 5K, but the risk of taking such an abused rifle into a combat zone got the better of me and I finally broke down and cleaned it. Agreed that disassembly to get at the very dirty gas piston was super easy, and, since there's no carbon blowing into the receiver, there was no need to chip crud off of the upper.

If I was made of money and had a SCAR-16S, I'd probably spring for a longer rail if I wasn't SBRing it. Then I'd add a Vicker's padded sling, the optic of my choice, and a good light or light/laser combo, and go to town.

I heard lots of complaints from some folks about the SCAR stock hinge being "fragile," but I know for a fact that some of those that were broken in "testing" would have broken a crow bar, based on the way they were "tested." Neither me nor my guys ever had one of the hinges or locks fail.

What really endeared the Mk16 to me was the ability to carry it, ready to fire, in a normal sized backpack, for when we were traveling in areas where we weren't supposed to be armed. Prior to getting the Mk16s, we had two options - carry the Mk18 disassembled into upper and lower in a standard pack or wander the streets of Peshawar with a mountaineering rucksack slung. I can tell you on one occasion when we were traveling that way, a host nation .mil guy made a joking comment about the size of the lunch I must be carrying to need a pack that big...

[Default.mp3]

The folding stock was the specific reason I got this SCAR.

Any particular reason you didn't go with an MCX instead? I'm assuming folded OAL and possibly weight?

[GJM]

Any particular reason you didn't go with an MCX instead? I'm assuming folded OAL and possibly weight?

No special reason. I have two 17's from years ago, never had a 16, YVK had had a 16 for travel, and when the NRCH handle came out, I used a credit I had at a shop for a 16 at a good price.

The ambi mag release interference bugs me -- seems like we need a Tom Jones part like he did for the 1301 to shield it?