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Old November 4, 2012, 09:33 PM   #1
The Long Shot
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My view on the AR-15 VS SCAR debate.

Lately the FN SCAR series has gotten a lot of press and hype. I own a SCAR 16s and am not satisfied with the performance of it. My dissatisfaction with it is because I don't feel that it's worth the money that it I paid. Shamefully, it was more of an impulse buy than anything else.... by no means am I saying that the SCAR is a bad gun, but I'm saying that it's overpriced for what you get.

I'll compare the SCAR with a Daniel Defence DDM4, might I add that the DDM4 is almost half the price.

The SCAR is a SCAR 16S without modification.

The DDM4 has a chrome lined light profile 16 inch barrel (I turned it down), a standard BCG, a Carbine length DI gas system, a Omega Lite rail, A MOE stock, a Ambidextrous charging handle, selector, and the rest is pretty standard. MY DDM4 Cost me About $1500 when all is said and done. Stock it would of weighed About 6.5 pounds, but now it weighs 6.25 pounds.

Now to the point:

The SCAR Weighs in at 7.25 pounds. The DDM4 I have weighs in at roughly 6.25 pounds, which is acceptable considering that the DDM4 is a DI gun, but still the SCAR was designed to be lightweight; It's a pound heavier than my DDM4. The SCAR has a folding stock, the DDM4 doesn't, but I could buy a folding stock adaptor for my ddm4 and the stock would fold, I just wouldn't be able to fire with the stock folded (like anyone would need to). They both have light profile chromed barrels that shoot ~1.5 MOA, The scar is capable of 1.25 MOA which probably varies from barrel to barrel because they are chromed, so I'd say accuracy is about on par with each other. They both have free floated railed handguards. The SCAR has Semi-ambidextrous controls as well as the DDM4. They both don't have right handed bolt releases. I don't consider an ambidextrous charging handle without an ambidextrous bolt release fully ambidextrous. The scar has a reciprocating charging handle, and the DDM4 doesn't, but the SCAR's charging handle is located forward on the gun which I personally don't like but it comes down to preference, so both are about equal in that area. The SCAR has proved to be more reliable than the DDM4 in my personel dust, mud, and water tests. I'd say that the SCAR had less failures than the DDM4 Over the course of 1000 Rounds through each. I am not docking the DDM4 for things that can be upgraded rather inexpensively to be like the SCAR. The SCAR also looks and feels a bit more bulky than the AR-15, but that's just nit picking In conclusion I feel that the SCAR 16S is worth more like $1500-$1700 than $2500.

I still feel that the SCAR is a great system, it just isn't worth the money. It's one of those guns that's like a M1A. I've always said that you get a M1A because you want a M1A, not because you want the best rifle for the money. It's the same way with the SCAR, you want a SCAR because you want a SCAR.

Over time I'm sure that the SCAR will go down in price as it becomes less in demand and looses it's "the next big thing" factor.
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Last edited by The Long Shot; November 4, 2012 at 10:40 PM.
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Old November 4, 2012, 09:51 PM   #2
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I agree that the SCAR 16 is not worth the money; the 17 may be another story...
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Old November 5, 2012, 09:22 PM   #3
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I also agree 100% I have never fired a SCAR, but I have held one a couple times and it just doesn't feel like a $2500 rifle.
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Old November 5, 2012, 10:06 PM   #4
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Agree
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Old November 5, 2012, 10:26 PM   #5
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Nice comparison. I also have a Daniel Defense and believe a quality AR compares very well with the SCAR or ACR and at a much lower price.
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Old November 6, 2012, 12:36 AM   #6
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Great review, thanks for sharing.

If it were me i'd also get a Scar17L instead of a 16. IMO an AR can pretty much do everything a SCAR16 can, so no point in getting one in 5.56.
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Old November 6, 2012, 12:04 PM   #7
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The only thing the MK16 does better than the M4 is the ability to fire wile submerged in water, so if you are planning on going shark hunting the SCAR would be a wise decision.

For your mud and sand tests what lube did you run and how wet did you run your DDM4?
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Old November 6, 2012, 03:31 PM   #8
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Didn't SOCOM and a Ranger eval Battalion come to the same conclusion regarding the SCAR16 a few years ago?

The SCAR 17 is a whole other story; nothing else in the same prices range can touch it.
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Old November 7, 2012, 03:04 PM   #9
The Long Shot
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Quote:
The SCAR 17 is a whole other story; nothing else in the same prices range can touch it.
There are some .308 AR-15s in the same price range like the P308, and if it had a light profile barrel on it it would weigh as little or less than the SCAR 17. It's the same way with the PWS MK2. There's also the LR308. I'l be doing a SCAR 17 comparison soon. When both of the SCARs loose the "cool new thing" factor they'll drop in price.

Quote:
For your mud and sand tests what lube did you run and how wet did you run your DDM4?
I used MPRO 7. I just put a few drops on a patch and wiped it all over the BCG. I also used the same lube on the SCAR. I had 8 malfunctions in the DDM4 and 6 in the SCAR for the mud and sand over the course of 250 rounds. The other 750 rounds shot prior to sand and mud was flawless in both rifles. I didn't clean either gun durring testing.

I'll make a post about the SCAR 17 when I get enough rounds through it to have a valid opinion.
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Last edited by The Long Shot; November 7, 2012 at 03:31 PM.
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Old November 7, 2012, 06:48 PM   #10
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If I'm going to get something other than a D.I. AR, I'd opt for something like the PWS MK116 instead. Once you go proprietary, the whole argument about parts compatibility goes out the window, so a piston AR is on a level playing field with something like the SCAR.
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Old November 7, 2012, 07:04 PM   #11
The Long Shot
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Quote:
If I'm going to get something other than a D.I. AR, I'd opt for something like the PWS MK116 instead. Once you go proprietary, the whole argument about parts compatibility goes out the window, so a piston AR is on a level playing field with something like the SCAR.
I didn't say a thing about parts compatibility. That had nothing to to with my point. The only things a piston system change are the bolt carrier, the gas system, and potentially the handguard, you may just need a shorter one if you have a rail system that goes over your gas block. Other than those few things the parts compatibility remains the same. My main point in my posts was that the SCAR 16S really doesn't have anything AR-15s dont and that I could have a lighter weight DI or piston ar by using a light profile barrel. Look at LWRC, the M6 is lighter than the SCAR. I could also have an AR with a reciprocating charging handle.
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Old November 7, 2012, 11:52 PM   #12
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I agree... the Scar 16s though a nice gun.... does nothing one my BCM's wont do..and its more than double the price. Not worth it to me... but I will gladly shoot anyone elses given the chance... to each his own.
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Old November 8, 2012, 03:38 PM   #13
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The SCAR only shines in .308 in my opinion
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