The FN SCAR is a fantastic rifle with a massive media following. Testing has shown the modern iteration to be hellaciously reliable and accurate. So why didn’t it replace the M4? Why did SOCOM roll the budget for the 5.56 versions all into the 7.62 guns instead?
Well as it turns out the 5.56 guns didn’t have a great showing back in 2007. Jeff goes through the reasons why on his channel and in this video.
The FN SCAR is unquestionably my favorite rifle. The X95 comes close, but it doesn’t shoot as smoothly as the SCAR. That said. I get it. I especially get it from a unit cost standpoint. A Block II M4 does everything an FN SCAR can until you get to the absolute gnat’s hair edge of reliability extremes where most rifles will never live. That, combined with some curious design quirks doomed the SCAR in SOCOM trials with the operators.
The ended up deciding to pick the devil they knew, the M4, vs the one they didn’t know and didn’t feel like figuring out live fire down range.
