Robinson Arms XCR VS Sig Sauer 556

[Killshot_Ben]

I'm going to pick up one of these rifles for SHTF and target shooting. I like the caliber change on the XCR, and I'm also considering the SCAR 16s, the Bushmaster/Remington ACR, and the FN Fs2000. What would you pick and why?

[Dr Big Bird PhD]

You clearly have a high budget if you're looking at buying those weapons.

[Fishbed77]

Of those choices, I like the SCAR best, but for a real emergency use (I hate the term SHTF), give me an AR.

Cheaper, just as good, and much easier to stock up on (cheaper and easier to find) spare parts.

[Crow Hunter]

Of the choices you listed I have only fired/handled the SCAR and the FS2000.

I would chose the SCAR between the those 2.

The SCAR has easier to use controls, isn't a bullpup, and has seen more use in actual combat than any of the others.

I have heard bad things about both the XCR and the ACR that would preclude me from considering either for a serious use rifle as well as the fact that neither has seen any combat usage.

As to why combat usage is important, the SCAR series is on something like iteration #7 based on feedback received from testing and combat experience. There are things that can't be replicated in the test lab that show up in real life usage.

I, like Fishbed77, chose the AR.

[MikeGunz]

Heres a pretty funny video of a XCR torture test.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yz7sTU8J6O4

These guns seem like pretty big pieces of crap. Basically an AK that looks like an AR that is not reliable. Out of your list Id go SCAR. Out of all rifles Id go either AK or AR. Id be happy with either one.

[robertsig]

I wouldn't buy an ACR or XCR. Go with the SCAR.

[Fishbed77]

Heres a pretty funny video of a XCR torture test.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yz7sTU8J6O4

These guns seem like pretty big pieces of crap. Basically an AK that looks like an AR that is not reliable. Out of your list Id go SCAR. Out of all rifles Id go either AK or AR. Id be happy with either one.

That guy seems way too giddy about a gun that is failing some pretty basic torture tests. I guess he's trying to save face after dropping so much coin on design that is clearly not ready for primetime. Now I wouldn't expect many guns to pass his mud test (pouring mud into an open ejection port is gonna cause a stoppage in pretty much any semi-auto), but I've seen ARs, AKs, and SCARs breeze through similar sand and water tests.

[AKsRul.e]

IMHO - the FNH SCAR .
These rifles were designed to military specs and have actually been Purchased by 5 nations under military contracts.

[EdInk]

I like my Sig556. The first year had some (a lot) of QC issues. It anything new is fine.

[sailskidrive]

I have owned most of these rifles and my advice would be to avoid the XCR, Robinsons customer service is terrible. The FN 2000 is more of a tacticool arm and nearly impossible to find parts.

I have a SCAR17, the parts for it are ridiculously expensive although it is my favorite carbine. If you decide to go the SIG 556 route consider the 551 instead. While it uses more expensive magazines it is much closer to the unadulterated and proven SIG 550 and doesn't have the cheap furniture, aluminum receiver, or other issues that came with the 556.

Personally, for your intended purpose, I would suggest an AR and buy one of these other firearms as range toys.

[ronl]

I have had an XCR for about five years now and I've put thousands of rounds out of it and I have never had a problem with the rifle. Only issue I had was one of my own making. I pulled the rifle completely apart, just to learn how to do it and the barrel shot loose because I did not torque the barrel down sufficiently. I torqued it down properly as to specs and have not had any further problems with it. I put about 50 rounds through it yesterday. I was ringing steel out to 350yds. In my humble opinion, the XCR is a robust, well executed , reliable design. I've handled all the rifles mentioned, but I've not had the chance to break them completely down to analyze them. They, as with most rifles, will function well if maintained properly. But, they will not do anything any better than your standard AR, while costing much more. If you just want the "cool" factor, then by all means buy one of the rifles. If you want an utterly reliable piston design, then buy one of the Barrett AR's or find a lightly used Daewoo K-2. You can get the Barrett for around the same price as the SCAR and ACR. You can occassionally find K-2's on Gunbroker for about the price of a decent AR, but spare parts are expensive. I have yet to need a spare part for my K-2. As to the weapons mentioned, I'd choose the Sig, just because I would have money left over to get mags and ammo.

[stubbicatt]

Probably your best bet is a good quality AR15. Any of the Colt versions will likely serve you very well for a very long time. I have built some back in the mid 90s, and speaking for myself only, I think one would be wise to buy a name brand, high quality, rifle rather than create a mixmaster. Especially if he has not done something like this before.

I chose the SIG 556 for a dinky bore defense rifle. I am well pleased with the example I have purchased, and feel that it has many desirable features. So far at least it has lived up to my expectations. I seriously doubt that in any forseeable defense situation that it would make any difference what I was using.

It is just that I am not a fan of the AR15 for purely personal reasons, so I chose something else. What I like about the SIG is that many of the design features borrow the best from other designs. The gas system is kind of a combination of the FAL and the Kalashnikov. The iron sights are very much like the HK roller lockers, which I really admire. The short length of Pic rail as well as the magazine well are AR 15 in origin, near as I can tell. The ambi safety selector is much like the FAL in the automatic version, and sort of HK-ish.

The handguards may be unique to this design, I am not sure, but they sure keep it cool, despite several rounds having been fired at a time. No perceptible heat in the fore end.

Altogether I feel these design features make a swell rifle. My example is well made and the parts work together exceptionally well.

Enjoy!