FN has confirmed the rumors that had been going around that the SCAR series of rifles has been discontinued. This comes as a shock to many, since the SCAR has been so iconic for so long!
But here’s the deal… As popular as it is in video games and works of fiction, the reality is that the rifle just isn’t worth the price of admission. The SCAR 17 is about 4 grand. Add a good optic and now you’re at 5.2 grand. Add in an appropriate number of spare mags, and you’re at 5.5 grand. A case of good ammo, and you’re now sitting on a 6 Grand Kit. Not including Lights, Lasers, Slings, Case, or any other piece of kit you want to attach to the gun, assuming you don’t already have them already that you can transfer over from whatever Peasant Class rifle you’re migrating from. For 6 Grand, you can buy a whole lot of other gun, and a good used motorcycle to go with them. And what does this really get you? A .30 cal semi-auto rifle with average accuracy and a lot of snobbery.
Look, I like the SCAR series. I love them. But they are at least twice the price they should be. The design is very clever. It’s well engineered… But it isn’t the Excalibur of Rifles some folks make it out to be, and other folks fantasize about it being… it just isn’t. I could spend all day giving you other options for launching .308, or the 5.56 if that’s the version you fancy… But I won’t, because I don’t have that kind of time. But there are tons of options that will cost you about half or even less that are going to be just as reliable, just as accurate or BETTER, and take standard/common magazines that you can get in abundance for a fraction of FN’s cost. Seriously, I found a .308 Magpul mag for only 12 bucks locally. Of course, I snagged it. You’re never going to find that for the FN. Ever. Well, maybe now you might, with the platform being tossed to the side.
There is no word on a SCAR replacement. The fact FN has refered to the series being the “LEGACY SCAR”, makes one think that there is a SCAR 2.0 in the works. But rumor has it that there is no such thing in the pipeline. Another rumor has it that FN is going to release civilian versions of their military guns… But this is not substantiated and indicators point to that being just wishful thinking. The other rumor is that FN is washing its hands of the civilian rifle market. And that is probably the most sensible approach for FN right now.
Anyone else remember FN’s outstanding bolt action rifles? Yeah, I miss those… those were great.
Agreed. With the proliferation of AR-10 aftermarket accessories, you can build out one with similar features for way less. The Law tactical adapter might not let you fire with the stock folded, but who’s realistically firing 7.62 that way? CMMG and others have side- and forward-charging designs, and while you may have to pick left or right instead of full ambi, again, realistically who goes back and forth on a regular basis?
I do. I shoot off both shoulders all the time and practice 50/50 right and left with handguns and long guns. But I’m not in the majority.
For casual shooting… One or the other is fine.
For Tactical applications, one needs to be able to do that. Because Corners exist.
I’m a FAL guy, so I find all my controls quite easy to use lefty. As long as nothing’s overly awkward to use, I don’t mind training different motions for my left and right hands.
Though, now that I think about it, that is why I switched to the FAL from my old CETME.