Monday, July 26, 2010

FN SCAR Video Test and Evaluation




Thanks to improved supply, we've been selling a lot of FN SCARs lately, but I never seem to see these things in action at our local ranges. Out of all of our clients, only my EOD and SEAL buddies have given me real world feedback. I'm almost ashamed to say that I haven't had the opportunity to shoot one until last weekend.



We assembled our Great American Panel of experts, grabbed a new in box 16S SCAR Light, threw on some TW25B lube, Brownell's rail covers, a Magpul AFG, and hit the road. We had to turn around and head back for ammo and mags. Then, we hit the road… again.



After a few hundred rounds of M193 55gr 5.56mm and cheapy dirty Brown Bear ammo, we could all agree that the SCAR has one of lightest and most controllable recoils in the business. This is one smooth and accurate shooting rifle! That feeling probably has a lot to do with the size of the bolt-- almost twice that of the AR15. That larger surface area spreads out the recoil more gradually. As you can tell, I'm no engineer, but whatever it is that makes the SCAR so fun to shoot, FN did it right!



At the same time, that enlarged surface area is working against the SCAR. There's a lot of naughty metal-on-metal action happening directly underneath those hand guards. The "hand guards" are essentially Picatinny rail sections bolted onto the receiver. That kind of friction creates massive amounts of heat. As a civilian sport shooter, I hardly ever wear gloves. Thankfully, I had my Oakley's in my range bag. Jon just burnt the heck out of himself and keep shooting/cursing. The SCAR gets super FN hot under normal civilian semi-automatic conditions, so I can't imagine how hot it gets under full auto military operations. Throw on a sound suppressor like our AAC SPR/M4, and it got even hotter-- thanks to ample gas blowing back into the receiver AND our faces.



The SCAR didn't have a single problem eating ammo, but it didn't like all of the magazines we tried. It functioned perfectly with the OEM FN and USGI aluminum mags. As you'll see in the video, it performed well with the steel England and polymer Magpul PMAGs also. However, you couldn't slingshot the bolt forward with the latter types. As Jon demonstrates, you had to slap the bolt release paddle to get enough force to load rounds into the chamber. The new Magpul EMAG apparently solves this problem. Besides, who in their right mind even uses steel England mags anymore!? And to think I was real close to bringing along some old school Orlites.



So, is the SCAR perfect? No, but it's darn good now and will be even better in the future. The heat sink problem isn't much of an issue at all if you wear the fashionable "Ove Glove." I'm sure FN will free float a different style hand guard over the receiver in the future. After all, they're FN geniuses. They'll FN think of something!



Click here to see the SCAR music video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mRqEZ5K0TU


We tried to get in the spirit of the FN product line, so there's a bonus music video of Crazy Bill's PS90 and Five-seveN here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gs33O-7Q_k8



We'll have more for you soon. Until then, have a good week and God bless! - Evan

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