FN SCAR
Modular battle rifle family developed for U.S. Special Operations Command.
Last updated
It consists of two main types designed with modularity and high parts commonality across different calibers.[1][2] The rifle features a polymer lower receiver and an aluminum upper receiver with an integral Picatinny rail.[3]
How it changed
They continued purchasing the SCAR-H version and planned 5.56mm conversion kits for it.[4] On 25 June 2010, SOCOM announced cancellation of the Mk 16 acquisition due to limited funds and insufficient performance difference from other 5.56mm rifles.[5] As of 2015, the SCAR was in service in over 20 countries.[4] USSOCOM put out a request in early 2004 for a Special Operations Forces Combat Assault Rifle family built around two calibers, with high parts commonality and matching ergonomics.[2]
Operational units received the first rifles in April 2009, and that year a battalion from the U.S. 75th Ranger Regiment deployed with 600 of them.[2] SOCOM later canceled its SCAR-L purchase and intended to phase it out of inventory by 2013.[4] The Mk 17 was selected for caliber conversion because its receiver, designed for the larger 7.62×51mm round, could be scaled down, whereas the 5.56mm Mk 16 could not be enlarged to accept the bigger cartridge.[6]
What the maker and period sources say
The FN SCAR owner's manual states the rifle was developed using end user assessments from special operations forces operators.[7] The manual notes the ergonomically designed pistol grip stock has dimensions to suit operators familiar with the M16/M4 platform.[7] The kit allows one or both charging handles to be placed on either side based on user preference.[8] The manual specifies that SCAR 16S rifles have a standard magazine capacity of 30 cartridges and SCAR 17S rifles have a standard capacity of 20 cartridges.[7]
FN America announced on October 16, 2025 that it had completed the final production run of all civilian-market SCAR rifles except the SCAR 15P.[9] FN's instructions for the Non-Reciprocating Charging Handle Kit state it makes the SCAR series "even more user-friendly and adaptive."[8]
References
- Wikipedia, "FN SCAR" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "The Making of the 23rd Century Assault Rifle: SCAR SOF Combat Assault Rifle", 1 July 2006; "SCAR 16", www.fnhusa.com; "FN SCAR. The Next Generation of Assault Rifles", FN America; Humphries, Michael. FN's SCAR: A Cut Above, American Rifleman, July 2009. (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "FN SCAR" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Defense Tech: Meet the SCAR"; 75th Rangers will take SCAR to War, Matthew Cox, Army Times, 12 May 2009 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "FN SCAR" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Cartridges and Firearm Identification, Advances in materials science and engineering , p295, by Robert E. Walker, Publisher CRC Press, 2012, (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "FN SCAR" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Archived copy"; "IDEX 2015", fnherstal.com (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "FN SCAR" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "SOCOM Cancels Mk-16 SCAR", Kitup.Military.com, 25 June 2010; SOCOM Developing Caliber Conversion for SCAR - Kitup.Military.com, 29 June 2010 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "FN SCAR" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Update on the FN SCAR - Shootingillustrated.com, 27 June 2011 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Internet Archive scan: "User's Manual: FN SCAR 16S/17S" (undated). facts only; machine OCR of the scan. archive.org
- Internet Archive scan: "FN SCAR Non-Reciprocating Charging Handle Kit" (undated). facts only; machine OCR of the scan. archive.org
- Wikipedia, "FN SCAR" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "An update on the commercial legacy SCAR series in the U.S.", X (Twitter), October 16, 2025 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
Each numbered sentence above was checked against the source it cites before publication. Sentences citing Wikipedia adapt text from the English Wikipedia article FN SCAR (contributors), used under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is available under the same licence. Other sources were used for facts only; no text or images are copied from them.
More in Battle Rifles and Carbines
Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: FN SCAR (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Word definitions: the Codexery glossary, each quoted from its Wikipedia article.
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