FN Scar 20S 6.5CM is a shooter

[GUNNER10]

I really like FN but they are sorta the polar opposite of Sig. Where Sig, haphazardly releases what ever yellow sticky the lead engineer nails with a dart in sig's quarterly production meeting, FN tends to almost take a hands off approach to a platform once its released. For as durable as the Scar is in some regards, it has proven to be quite sensitive is relation to changes in pressures.

For example, it not exactly a mystery that Scar 17's can catastrophically fail if one mounts the wrong can. its the reason the after market came up with stuff like alternate gas jets and gas regulators. Something as simple as drilling a third position on the regulator could of addressed this issue years ago. People grenading Scar 17 carriers registered as a zero on their give a fuck meter, not sure why pierced primers would be any different.

 

[ToddM]

That is true they do seem to be about the complete opposite. FN seems to get their stuff right a lot more often, but when they do get it wrong, they don't seem to do anything about it. Sig on the other hand won't get stuff right, but they will change the parts/design probably on a weekly basis until it works better. That's if they don't discontinue it first in favor of their new untested flavor of the quarter.

I think what hurts the SCAR in my mind, at least as far as me purchasing them is price, and it's not that I can't afford it, it's just that to me the cost basis is so ridiculous, especially once you add in the "problems" or perhaps "restrictions" is a better word. I will say I have had a FNX tactical for years, thousand of rounds through it, never a hiccup.

First the price....$4000 okay it's a neat unique gun, but let's face it, how much better is it than a Seekins SP10 ($2600), GAP 10 ($3700), LRI20 ($3800)? But hey we all like different guns, maybe you already have all 3 of those and why not buy a SCAR next etc. But then you get into the parts pricing......

• $1600 for a barrel, no bolt, etc...... meanwhile an entire JP LRI20 upper is $2300
• $1300 for an upper receiver (if you can find one)
• $1000 for bolt/bolt carrier/recoil assembly
• $400 for a bolt
• $400 for a bolt carrier

Okay let's say your an FN addict and you won the lottery and screw the overpriced parts, I don't care it costs more to build a second caliber upper receiver than an entire new 20s does!

Now you have to deal with the problems/restrictions......

1. Reputation for eating optics like fat kids eat cake, even high end optics.
2. Can't run it suppressed or you void your warranty, you can either take your chances with a couple recommended cans, or put on an aftermarket adjustable gas widget and hope for the best.
3. Now in the 6.5 pierced/popped primers with a wide range of factory ammo (I'm sure if you reload you can download something low enough it won't happen, but you already take a good velocity hit from the semi-auto, now you have to download your ammo even more.

At that point I feel like you really have to be an FN addict to accept all that and still go to sleep happy. It's like my buddy who raced motorcycles had to have a Ducati, but then twice a year he had to trailer it 14 hours to get valve adjustments, you gotta really love it to put up with it.

I feel like most of these things would be very easy for FN to fix, gas/supressor issue, pierced primers we all know how to fix that. The optics issue is harder, but I think the NRCH design will help due to lighter carrier mass. The parts prices are totally under their control, offer a complete caliber change upper for the 20s heck price it at $2500, I'd rather just swap uppers than change barrels at the range, the gun is modular, let's use it. But asking $4000 for the parts to build a second caliber upper......it's like FN is saying "Look we fucking hate you civilians, but if your stupid enough to cough up $$$$ for our parts, we'll look past our hate and embrace your stupidity and sell them to you"

 

[VegasKyle]

That is true they do seem to be about the complete opposite. FN seems to get their stuff right a lot more often, but when they do get it wrong, they don't seem to do anything about it. Sig on the other hand won't get stuff right, but they will change the parts/design probably on a weekly basis until it works better. That's if they don't discontinue it first in favor of their new untested flavor of the quarter.

I think what hurts the SCAR in my mind, at least as far as me purchasing them is price, and it's not that I can't afford it, it's just that to me the cost basis is so ridiculous, especially once you add in the "problems" or perhaps "restrictions" is a better word. I will say I have had a FNX tactical for years, thousand of rounds through it, never a hiccup.

First the price....$4000 okay it's a neat unique gun, but let's face it, how much better is it than a Seekins SP10 ($2600), GAP 10 ($3700), LRI20 ($3800)? But hey we all like different guns, maybe you already have all 3 of those and why not buy a SCAR next etc. But then you get into the parts pricing......

• $1600 for a barrel, no bolt, etc...... meanwhile an entire JP LRI20 upper is $2300
• $1300 for an upper receiver (if you can find one)
• $1000 for bolt/bolt carrier/recoil assembly
• $400 for a bolt
• $400 for a bolt carrier

Okay let's say your an FN addict and you won the lottery and screw the overpriced parts, I don't care it costs more to build a second caliber upper receiver than an entire new 20s does!

Now you have to deal with the problems/restrictions......

1. Reputation for eating optics like fat kids eat cake, even high end optics.
2. Can't run it suppressed or you void your warranty, you can either take your chances with a couple recommended cans, or put on an aftermarket adjustable gas widget and hope for the best.
3. Now in the 6.5 pierced/popped primers with a wide range of factory ammo (I'm sure if you reload you can download something low enough it won't happen, but you already take a good velocity hit from the semi-auto, now you have to download your ammo even more.

At that point I feel like you really have to be an FN addict to accept all that and still go to sleep happy. It's like my buddy who raced motorcycles had to have a Ducati, but then twice a year he had to trailer it 14 hours to get valve adjustments, you gotta really love it to put up with it.

I feel like most of these things would be very easy for FN to fix, gas/supressor issue, pierced primers we all know how to fix that. The optics issue is harder, but I think the NRCH design will help due to lighter carrier mass. The parts prices are totally under their control, offer a complete caliber change upper for the 20s heck price it at $2500, I'd rather just swap uppers than change barrels at the range, the gun is modular, let's use it. But asking $4000 for the parts to build a second caliber upper......it's like FN is saying "Look we fucking hate you civilians, but if your stupid enough to cough up $$$$ for our parts, we'll look past our hate and embrace your stupidity and sell them to you"

The thing you have to remember about FN (same is true for H&K or KAC) the US retail customer isn't their target market. The success and failure of the company rests on worldwide .mil and .gov contracts. not what guys on gun boards want. I think we are lucky FN has done as much for us as they have, 16s, 17s, then 20s a semi 249 and now the PDW is coming, they got barrel assemblies for the 20s to market much quicker than the 16s or 17s. So maybe there is some hope.

The problems/restrictions you listed are only issues for some people.
1. I don't use cheap optics, if what I have breaks the optic manufacture will replace it. I don't personally know anyone who's had a scar kill an optic, just reports on the internet. How many optics have you seen killed by a SCAR?
2. I doubt any of the AR-10s you listed run out of the box with every suppressor made either. FN can't possibly test their products with every suppressor out there or make it work with anything without making massive compromises and devotion cost to something that they really don't care about (US civilians using a plethora of suppressors) they made the SCAR work with what their customers were using. I remember people giving Knights Armament grief when their EMCs weren't cycling when un-surppressed with commercial 308 ammo. Those guns were intended to use M118LR and be suppressed 100% of the time. You can't have a rifle that is supposed to be great at on thing also be good at everything. Use a surefire or swap an appropriate gas jet to work with whatever other suppressor you have, doesn't seem too much beyond tuning an AR with an adjustable gas block, adjustable bcg, springs, buffers, etc.
3. A none issue for hand loaders. I don't really understand the having to down load even more part. Having to use different loads in semi vs bolt guns isn't unique to the SCAR or 6.5 creedmoor. Take any of the 308 AR-10 rifles you listed and go use some load data designed for a 24" bolt gun and you'll likely see some issues. Same for 223 and an AR-15.

Different people have different wants and needs and for me the SCAR 20s was the best option. I was looking for reliability, durability and accuracy above all else, things like cost, weight, aftermarket support, etc. were way down the list. I wanted to be able to go from 7.62 to 6.5 with a couple clicks of a torque wrench, outside of the LMT MWS the SCAR was the only game in town. Swapping uppers is far more costly than swapping barrels, even at $1600. The JP upper you listed is almost 50% more expensive and that doesn't take into account the need for another optic and mount at that point the marginal cost for a lower, trigger and stock makes a second complete rifle a better value.

Edit to add: you can't offer a "a complete caliber change upper for the 20s" the upper is the firearm.

 

[GUNNER10]

That is true they do seem to be about the complete opposite. FN seems to get their stuff right a lot more often, but when they do get it wrong, they don't seem to do anything about it. Sig on the other hand won't get stuff right, but they will change the parts/design probably on a weekly basis until it works better. That's if they don't discontinue it first in favor of their new untested flavor of the quarter.

I think what hurts the SCAR in my mind, at least as far as me purchasing them is price, and it's not that I can't afford it, it's just that to me the cost basis is so ridiculous, especially once you add in the "problems" or perhaps "restrictions" is a better word. I will say I have had a FNX tactical for years, thousand of rounds through it, never a hiccup.

First the price....$4000 okay it's a neat unique gun, but let's face it, how much better is it than a Seekins SP10 ($2600), GAP 10 ($3700), LRI20 ($3800)? But hey we all like different guns, maybe you already have all 3 of those and why not buy a SCAR next etc. But then you get into the parts pricing......

• $1600 for a barrel, no bolt, etc...... meanwhile an entire JP LRI20 upper is $2300
• $1300 for an upper receiver (if you can find one)
• $1000 for bolt/bolt carrier/recoil assembly
• $400 for a bolt
• $400 for a bolt carrier

Okay let's say your an FN addict and you won the lottery and screw the overpriced parts, I don't care it costs more to build a second caliber upper receiver than an entire new 20s does!

Now you have to deal with the problems/restrictions......

1. Reputation for eating optics like fat kids eat cake, even high end optics.
2. Can't run it suppressed or you void your warranty, you can either take your chances with a couple recommended cans, or put on an aftermarket adjustable gas widget and hope for the best.
3. Now in the 6.5 pierced/popped primers with a wide range of factory ammo (I'm sure if you reload you can download something low enough it won't happen, but you already take a good velocity hit from the semi-auto, now you have to download your ammo even more.

At that point I feel like you really have to be an FN addict to accept all that and still go to sleep happy. It's like my buddy who raced motorcycles had to have a Ducati, but then twice a year he had to trailer it 14 hours to get valve adjustments, you gotta really love it to put up with it.

I feel like most of these things would be very easy for FN to fix, gas/supressor issue, pierced primers we all know how to fix that. The optics issue is harder, but I think the NRCH design will help due to lighter carrier mass. The parts prices are totally under their control, offer a complete caliber change upper for the 20s heck price it at $2500, I'd rather just swap uppers than change barrels at the range, the gun is modular, let's use it. But asking $4000 for the parts to build a second caliber upper......it's like FN is saying "Look we fucking hate you civilians, but if your stupid enough to cough up $$$$ for our parts, we'll look past our hate and embrace your stupidity and sell them to you"

Yeah.

That basically echo's my critic of FN. I just think that despite FN doing alot of stuff in the States they still have the european mindset where the rifle is fine. HK sort of has the same mindset, they nail the Mp5, 50 years later it still has horrible ego's and no modern controls. This is well within the capabilities of HK but its just not something that will be entertained.

For me the 17 is a decent rifle but my ACC does the 8lb general purpose rifle better. I think my LMT's do the accuracy thing better than both. If FN sold a Mk20 with 16 inch 6.5cm barrel, a folding stock, and a bolt with the right fire pin hole size, I would definitely grab one. Unfortunately the only that is going to happen buy a 3500 dollar rifle as a project gun and while I do still have my FN hoodie, its just not something I am interested in messing around with at this time.

 

[GUNNER10]

The thing you have to remember about FN (same is true for H&K or KAC) the US retail customer isn't their target market. The success and failure of the company rests on worldwide .mil and .gov contracts. not what guys on gun boards want. I think we are lucky FN has done as much for us as they have, 16s, 17s, then 20s a semi 249 and now the PDW is coming, they got barrel assemblies for the 20s to market much quicker than the 16s or 17s. So maybe there is some hope.

The problems/restrictions you listed are only issues for some people.
1. I don't use cheap optics, if what I have breaks the optic manufacture will replace it. I don't personally know anyone who's had a scar kill an optic, just reports on the internet. How many optics have you seen killed by a SCAR?
2. I doubt any of the AR-10s you listed run out of the box with every suppressor made either. FN can't possibly test their products with every suppressor out there or make it work with anything without making massive compromises and devotion cost to something that they really don't care about (US civilians using a plethora of suppressors) they made the SCAR work with what their customers were using. I remember people giving Knights Armament grief when their EMCs weren't cycling when un-surppressed with commercial 308 ammo. Those guns were intended to use M118LR and be suppressed 100% of the time. You can't have a rifle that is supposed to be great at on thing also be good at everything. Use a surefire or swap an appropriate gas jet to work with whatever other suppressor you have, doesn't seem too much beyond tuning an AR with an adjustable gas block, adjustable bcg, springs, buffers, etc.
3. A none issue for hand loaders. I don't really understand the having to down load even more part. Having to use different loads in semi vs bolt guns isn't unique to the SCAR or 6.5 creedmoor. Take any of the 308 AR-10 rifles you listed and go use some load data designed for a 24" bolt gun and you'll likely see some issues. Same for 223 and an AR-15.

Different people have different wants and needs and for me the SCAR 20s was the best option. I was looking for reliability, durability and accuracy above all else, things like cost, weight, aftermarket support, etc. were way down the list. I wanted to be able to go from 7.62 to 6.5 with a couple clicks of a torque wrench, outside of the LMT MWS the SCAR was the only game in town. Swapping uppers is far more costly than swapping barrels, even at $1600. The JP upper you listed is almost 50% more expensive and that doesn't take into account the need for another optic and mount at that point the marginal cost for a lower, trigger and stock makes a second complete rifle a better value.

Edit to add: you can't offer a "a complete caliber change upper for the 20s" the upper is the firearm.

I agree that most of DoD contracts bread and butter is though their mil contracts, but for as a premier firearm's manufacture, they really should be able to dial in their platform after 15 years now. The Scar is still very raw in terms what was issued in 2008 and today.

1. Yeah, I don't use cheap optics either, but out of the the whole arms room, only one weapon that requires optics "hardened", I think there may be a larger issue at play that is the result of rushed engineering that was good enough to win a solicitation.

2. I would offer that this observation is accurate, but there are no threads with any out the box 308 AR's grenading carriers with low pressure cans like the sandman. Knights did have an issue with their ECC's.....Ten years ago, they improved their improved product and now have the CC and PC. The issue that most of the 308 gas guns engineered in the late 2000's is that that the concept of lower pressure cans was really only explored by KAC and SF and since they were loud, most people went with some random high pressure can to get better sound and as a result way over charged most systems. Most 308 AR's when outfitted with a modern lower pressure 30 cal can, will run without the need for an adjustable gas system. The issue is the Scar is that even with a low pressure can, their are still accounts of carrier failures with and without aftermarket jets. Is this common, i would say no, but something that a user should be aware off. People for some reason love putting high pressure bolt gun cans on gas guns and acting confused.

I like the 20 and if a consensus can be come to that they address the firing pin hole issue, I would considering one to cut back to 16 inches.

 

[MK20]

Around the same contour of a 240 barrel

It is much lighter than a 240 profile.

 

[VegasKyle]

I agree that most of DoD contracts bread and butter is though their mil contracts, but for as a premier firearm's manufacture, they really should be able to dial in their platform after 15 years now. The Scar is still very raw in terms what was issued in 2008 and today.

1. Yeah, I don't use cheap optics either, but out of the the whole arms room, only one weapon that requires optics "hardened", I think there may be a larger issue at play that is the result of rushed engineering that was good enough to win a solicitation.

2. I would offer that this observation is accurate, but there are no threads with any out the box 308 AR's grenading carriers with low pressure cans like the sandman. Knights did have an issue with their ECC's.....Ten years ago, they improved their improved product and now have the CC and PC. The issue that most of the 308 gas guns engineered in the late 2000's is that that the concept of lower pressure cans was really only explored by KAC and SF and since they were loud, most people went with some random high pressure can to get better sound and as a result way over charged most systems. Most 308 AR's when outfitted with a modern lower pressure 30 cal can, will run without the need for an adjustable gas system. The issue is the Scar is that even with a low pressure can, their are still accounts of carrier failures with and without aftermarket jets. Is this common, i would say no, but something that a user should be aware off. People for some reason love putting high pressure bolt gun cans on gas guns and acting confused.

I like the 20 and if a consensus can be come to that they address the firing pin hole issue, I would considering one to cut back to 16 inches.

The KAC SR-25 is defiantly the gold standard for large frame ARs. It is also quite a bit more expensive than the SCAR and for me I was willing to gain a little versatility and give up some refinement and quality. A KAC 6.5 upper cost almost as much as what I paid for the whole 20s so even after $1600 for the additional barrel I'm still in for way less $$$ than the KAC setup.

I'm going to chop my 20S 308 barrel in the not too distant future. I wish FN would just offer the lighter profile 16" barrel they already make for the PR but I'm not patient enough to wait. If FN were more consumer focus they should have had 6.5 and 308 in everything from 14.5" to 20" ready to go on release day.

 

[GUNNER10]

The KAC SR-25 is defiantly the gold standard for large frame ARs. It is also quite a bit more expensive than the SCAR and for me I was willing to gain a little versatility and give up some refinement and quality. A KAC 6.5 upper cost almost as much as what I paid for the whole 20s so even after $1600 for the additional barrel I'm still in for way less $$$ than the KAC setup.

I'm going to chop my 20S 308 barrel in the not too distant future. I wish FN would just offer the lighter profile 16" barrel they already make for the PR but I'm not patient enough to wait. If FN were more consumer focus they should have had 6.5 and 308 in everything from 14.5" to 20" ready to go on release day.

Knights stuff is expensive but I think that its done right. I think that while cost is always a factor to some extent, personally i am not so worried about that aspect of rifle. you are looking about a thousand dollar difference between a 17 and an ACC when prices are normal. "If" one wants to address the early 2000's ego's/handguards and trigger. that price gap narrows quite a bit, add in no pmag options and the price difference is negligible.

I "think", that the mk20 makes more sense than the mk17, by all accounts they are shooters, sans the fining pin hole issues on the 6.5 barrel. I'll probably grab one the next time I am back in the States, they just feel a lot closer to being a done right.

I guess my overall sense with the Scar is that that the platform is still under developed after 15 years. Either the 17 should be able to do accuracy stuff or the 20 should be able to do carbine far easier than is the case, need to stand alone rifles to accomplish this seems marginal. Not have spare barrels available for the Mk20's are armature hour. We all know that barrels are available and as one of the biggest manufactures on the planet, they can spin a few hundred spare mk20 barrels to support the platforms modularity/versatility. this should not be an endeavor that takes longer than it took to put a man on the moon.

I agree that KAC uppers cost the same as a mk20 is hilarious, and even if price is not factor, I am not sure if Knights 6.5 stuff is actually available. I've maybe seen a handful of them posted online in the last 2 years. This is part of the reason I think that my LMT's are a far better option as LMT 6.5 barres are a known quality and solve the longer range role for around 600 bucks.

 

[VegasKyle]

Knights stuff is expensive but I think that its done right. I think that while cost is always a factor to some extent, personally i am not so worried about that aspect of rifle. you are looking about a thousand dollar difference between a 17 and an ACC when prices are normal. "If" one wants to address the early 2000's ego's/handguards and trigger. that price gap narrows quite a bit, add in no pmag options and the price difference is negligible.

I "think", that the mk20 makes more sense than the mk17, by all accounts they are shooters, sans the fining pin hole issues on the 6.5 barrel. I'll probably grab one the next time I am back in the States, they just feel a lot closer to being a done right.

I guess my overall sense with the Scar is that that the platform is still under developed after 15 years. Either the 17 should be able to do accuracy stuff or the 20 should be able to do carbine far easier than is the case, need to stand alone rifles to accomplish this seems marginal. Not have spare barrels available for the Mk20's are armature hour. We all know that barrels are available and as one of the biggest manufactures on the planet, they can spin a few hundred spare mk20 barrels to support the platforms modularity/versatility. this should not be an endeavor that takes longer than it took to put a man on the moon.

I agree that KAC uppers cost the same as a mk20 is hilarious, and even if price is not factor, I am not sure if Knights 6.5 stuff is actually available. I've maybe seen a handful of them posted online in the last 2 years. This is part of the reason I think that my LMT's are a far better option as LMT 6.5 barres are a known quality and solve the longer range role for around 600 bucks.

I think we are on the same page with the exception of what "normal" prices are going to look like going forward. Unfortunately I think the days of a sub $5k SR-25 are gone forever. I think the LMT is a great option and kick myself for not getting one of those canteen green ones for $2500 awhile back, it looks like the current MWS is $3500is if you can find one.

I've changed my opinion on FN over the last couple years from "f&#k those Belgian assholes" to "I think they are actually paying attention to us". They released the 16s & 17s in basically the same configuration as the contract solicitation and then walked away. No improvements, no development, no ancillary products. Finally they released the barrel assemblies then back to nothing. When the 20s came out I was again filled with disappointment, a 20" 308 with a 1 in 12" twist and no 6.5 option seemed like a blast from the past. Once they updated it with the 1:10" and 1:8" creedmoor I was in. Stand alone barrel assemblies, while expensive were quickly released. Agreed that its amateur hour not to have more than just the 20" heavy profile when they already make different barrels for other markets. What gives me hope is the fact that after all this time doing basically nothing to the SCAR platform they updated the 20S, came out with a NRCH version of all 3 and announced the SC/PDW version. Still a lot of things that make me scratch my head, like why do they spend so much time and money on a semi 249 but not release the 5.56 caliber conversion for the 17 that the .mil has been getting for a decade plus?

Again, without knowing the extent of the problem with the 6.5 version it's hard to know what FN should be doing to address it. I've been incredibly impressed with the 20s so far, it's met or exceeded my expectations in every regard. I just hope someone isn't going to discount the 20s as an option based off internet hearsay which tends to get parroted and blown out of proportion.

 

[GUNNER10]

I think we are on the same page with the exception of what "normal" prices are going to look like going forward. Unfortunately I think the days of a sub $5k SR-25 are gone forever. I think the LMT is a great option and kick myself for not getting one of those canteen green ones for $2500 awhile back, it looks like the current MWS is $3500is if you can find one.

I've changed my opinion on FN over the last couple years from "f&#k those Belgian assholes" to "I think they are actually paying attention to us". They released the 16s & 17s in basically the same configuration as the contract solicitation and then walked away. No improvements, no development, no ancillary products. Finally they released the barrel assemblies then back to nothing. When the 20s came out I was again filled with disappointment, a 20" 308 with a 1 in 12" twist and no 6.5 option seemed like a blast from the past. Once they updated it with the 1:10" and 1:8" creedmoor I was in. Stand alone barrel assemblies, while expensive were quickly released. Agreed that its amateur hour not to have more than just the 20" heavy profile when they already make different barrels for other markets. What gives me hope is the fact that after all this time doing basically nothing to the SCAR platform they updated the 20S, came out with a NRCH version of all 3 and announced the SC/PDW version. Still a lot of things that make me scratch my head, like why do they spend so much time and money on a semi 249 but not release the 5.56 caliber conversion for the 17 that the .mil has been getting for a decade plus?

Again, without knowing the extent of the problem with the 6.5 version it's hard to know what FN should be doing to address it. I've been incredibly impressed with the 20s so far, it's met or exceeded my expectations in every regard. I just hope someone isn't going to discount the 20s as an option based off internet hearsay which tends to get parroted and blown out of proportion.

Yeah,

Overall I think FN is doing great work, but i just think that the European manufactures, just approach things differently. FN, CZ, HK, B&T and even Beretta all have their own way of doing things.

 

[bigjake83]

You are correct. However, in the event I wanted to shoot factory ammo (normally a huge benefit of running CM is having that option), I would not want to have any issues...being that FN seems to believe the only fix is to shoot 140gr Hornady and nothing else, that's a bunch of bullshit too.

I'm not sure why the end user, who is paying almost 5k for the rifle, is stuck with having to figure this out? I would hate to see FN spend a few bucks to change their CNC to cut a smaller diameter FP hole, so this is a non-issue.

Is Mark LaRue working with FN now??? Seems to be the same customer service approach.

 

[USGILT]

I’m a big FN fan and currently own a 17S but this is kinda horse **** to be honest. The gun is almost 5k. Admittedly every manufacturer has QAQC issues now and again but the good ones correct issues quickly. One should not have to worry about these types of failures and was a contributing factor to why I decided to go with an LMT MWS instead.

 

[GUNNER10]

I’m a big FN fan and currently own a 17S but this is kinda horse **** to be honest. The gun is almost 5k. Admittedly every manufacturer has QAQC issues now and again but the good ones correct issues quickly. One should not have to worry about these types of failures and was a contributing factor to why I decided to go with an LMT MWS instead.

That's the odd thing about a lot of these manufactures with European roots. While they make some great weapons, I am not sure if one could consider any of them as refined. Its almost like they would prefer a to design a brand new weapon system to to improve upon what they have currently.

 

[ToddM]

Kind of a necrothread but as an update FN has evidently started replacing problem 6.5's with a new bolt/firing pin. Someone posted a letter from FN detailing the new "HP" bolt they replaced in his rifle. They also stated that the old bolt will not be compatible with the new firing pin, and the new firing pin is not compatible with the old bolt. They no doubt figured out what every other manufacturer has that a small firing pin is needed in semi's past .308's. No idea if they will be

What I would be concerned about is parts for the old bolt/pin. Sig played this game with the MPX, and not long after they changed the firing pin/bolt you could no longer get parts for the old version and if you had an issue you had to send the gun in to get the new bolt. So if I had the old version and wasn't having problems I'd be making sure I sourced a spare firing pin.

Even if I had the .308 and just thought I might want the 6.5 down the road, I'd rather have the updated small firing pin setup. No idea if FN will sell them as parts, or how long that will take now that they are likely to get flooded with replacement requests from users.

 

[m1ajunkie]

Kind of a necrothread but as an update FN has evidently started replacing problem 6.5's with a new bolt/firing pin. Someone posted a letter from FN detailing the new "HP" bolt they replaced in his rifle. They also stated that the old bolt will not be compatible with the new firing pin, and the new firing pin is not compatible with the old bolt. They no doubt figured out what every other manufacturer has that a small firing pin is needed in semi's past .308's. No idea if they will be

What I would be concerned about is parts for the old bolt/pin. Sig played this game with the MPX, and not long after they changed the firing pin/bolt you could no longer get parts for the old version and if you had an issue you had to send the gun in to get the new bolt. So if I had the old version and wasn't having problems I'd be making sure I sourced a spare firing pin.

Even if I had the .308 and just thought I might want the 6.5 down the road, I'd rather have the updated small firing pin setup. No idea if FN will sell them as parts, or how long that will take now that they are likely to get flooded with replacement requests from users.

I saw that letter the other day as well, it was MAC from youtube that posted it. Been pondering if it's worth reaching out to FN about trying to get the new components or not. At the moment I'm going to wait a bit and then reach out. I rarely shoot this rifle, and when I do piercing primers hasn't really been an issue (I've maybe 2 or 3 primers in just shy of 1000 rounds. The only thing I consistently see is the primer is rather cratered with relatively tame loads.

 

[harlikwin]

Anyone have any thoughts on suppressing the SCAR 20. I've got an older 7.62 saker that I use for non-precision applications, but don't really know how repeatable the trifecta FH mounts are for precision work.

As I understand it the suppressor for the stock break on the SCAR 20 is basically unobtanium, and wasn't that great anyway.

 

[michealj88]

I ran mine with an ASR Saker for a while. Accuracy wasn’t affected, but the recoil impulse changed dramatically and I had reliability issues regardless of which jet I installed, I tried a couple different suppressors with pretty much the same results.

I currently run it with an RC2 and it runs flawlessly with both 7.62 and 6.5. I have a couple different jet options for either barrel to boot.

 

[Huskydriver]

Anyone have any thoughts on suppressing the SCAR 20. I've got an older 7.62 saker that I use for non-precision applications, but don't really know how repeatable the trifecta FH mounts are for precision work.

As I understand it the suppressor for the stock break on the SCAR 20 is basically unobtanium, and wasn't that great anyway.

Have 0 issues running a saker with keymo on mine with stock jets in 6.5 cm

 

[harlikwin]

Is the factory break hard to remove?

 

[Huskydriver]

Is the factory break hard to remove?

Mine came off easy

 

[michealj88]

Is the factory break hard to remove?

On my original 1:12 twist 308 barrel with the flash hider, I tried soaking it in boiling water for 12 hours, Kroil soak and finally tried using a Mapp gas torch to heat it. Nothing worked so I had my smith cut it off.

The brake on my 6.5 barrel turned off easily.

 

[harlikwin]

Well, I have 6.5, so hopefully easy enough to pull off then.

 

[TheHorta]

I run a TBAC Ultra-9 CB on my 6.5 20S.

Works great. Zero issues. I was nailing 2-inch (yes, 2”) steel at 500m/550y at night with an INOD Block III Cooled MWIR Clipon in front of a ZCO 4-20.

It’s a beast. Sadly, it also weighs a metric tonne.

 

[Huskydriver]

I run a TBAC Ultra-9 CB on my 6.5 20S.

Works great. Zero issues. I was nailing 2-inch (yes, 2”) steel at 500m/550y at night with an INOD Block III Cooled MWIR Clipon in front of a ZCO 4-20.

It’s a beast. Sadly, it also weighs a metric tonne.

The inod or the scar 20 is heavy? I don't think the 20s is that heavy

 

[TheHorta]

The inod or the scar 20 is heavy? I don't think the 20s is that heavy

20S is hella heavy, bro! Way heavier than my SR-25 6.5.

INOD isn’t that bad. I’d say similar to the xELR in weight, but not quite as chonky as the ELR.

 

[harlikwin]

Odd, my Scar20 seems significantly lighter than my Mk11mod0

 

[RickyRodney]

Scar 20S heavier than my LMT MWS with same barrel length and 15" handguard.