While the original version of the SCAR 17 was good, it had multiple kinks and shortcomings that users generally loathed. And now, FN seems to have been largely corrected many of them on the NRCH (Non-Reciprocating Charging Handle) variant that is now becoming mainstream.
Table of contents
Introduction
Before you picked one up, you probably know the SCAR 17 as the SCAR-H thanks to video games such as Call of Duty and Battlefield- where it is a classic fan favorite- and in other games as well as movies, T.V shows etc.
The truth is, the SCAR-H, despite being less than 20 years old as of 2023, is already a pop culture icon as well as the rifle of choice for numerous military special forces groups around the world, which further adds to its mystique.
In the civilian world, a virtually identical clone of the weapon (officially actually named the SCAR 17S) has been on the market in the U.S and anywhere else it's legal for quite some time, now, but it never really made quite the impact that was probably expected of it due to numerous reasons- namely it's price and the unintended consequences of its engineering.
But now, the SCAR 17 seems to have been brought to its full potential (or very close to it) by its Belgian-owned American subsidiary, FN America.
Indeed, the NRCH variant of the SCAR 17 is going mainstream among enthusiasts, and it looks like they finally got what asked for.
What to know why it's better? Read on!
Hands-on experience- function, features, shooting and more
At a glance
Like it's spiritual predecessor, the SCAR 17 NRCH is surprisingly light- at only about 8 pounds, it's just over a pound heavier than your average stock AR-15.
It feels good, though- the front end of the SCAR 17 where the piston bolt is (this is a piston-operated gun, unlike an AR) is surprisingly lightweight and also seems to withstand heat buildup fairly well- even after a few hundred rounds, it doesn't feel unbearably hot.
Additionally, because of the light frame of the SCAR 17, putting on accessories such as lights, lasers and all the other toys you want doesn't seem like too much extra weight when you're actually carrying it. Obviously, you can't throw everything you have on there and still expect it to be light and maneuverable, but it's worth mentioning how graceful it feels even with some extra weight added on.
Controls and features
The external controls of the SCAR 17 are, in many ways, similar to that of an AR (whether or not this was intentional, I don't know).
Starting from the front of the gun and working our way backwards, we can see that there are nonetheless a few differences.
At the front of the gun is an adjustable gas block. This has only 3 positions, but that's still better in many people's opinion, and aftermarket adjustable gas blocks with more positions are available. It's a bit hard of operate without tools, but I'd rather have the option of one than not have one at all.
The SCAR 17 has 1913-style picatinny rails at the 12, 3, 6 and 9 o'clock positions on the fore-end, and a full-length picatinny rail on top. The edges are pretty damn sharp, though, and you can easily cut yourself of you are treating it rough.
The flip-up stock iron sights on the gun are unique and I love them- they have elevation knobs ranging out to 600 meters that are easy to use and are built in a way that makes long-range shooting with them considerably easier than, say, standard AR sights. They do not have rear windage adjustments, however.
The safety, mag release and bolt release are all in the same spot as on an AR like we previously said, and this should make transitioning between the two a lot easier for most people.
Also of note is that while it uses 20-round magazines that are similar to those found in AR-10 pattern rifles, they are proprietary and are not interchangeable as far as I am aware.
The most significant feature however, as the name was meant to convey, is it's charging handle. On the original SCAR 17, issues and complaints mainly centered around the charging handle and recoil impulse- the SCAR 17 fires the pretty beefy .308 Winchester round, and that generated a jarring, violent bolt thrust that not only "shook loose" red dot optics and made them lose their zeroing over time, but also posed a number of other problems such as users clipping their hands and finger on the bolt handle as it moved while the weapon cycled.
The NRCH has almost entirely done away with those problems, and as I'll explain later, it seems to be working.
The stock grip on the gun is just a standard AR-style grip, but due to the gas piston system, a collapsing sock could be used in the design of the weapon. It's not incredible, but it works well- multiple adjustable positions and an integrated cheek riser (that's also adjustable) give it a little more than most other stock guns will offer, and while it doesn't feel great, either from a sensory standpoint, again, it'll do.
Shooting it
The original SCAR 17 was a pretty good shooter- predictably reliable, not too hard to operate, and with a muzzle brake just good enough to tame the .308 Winchester's hefty recoil enough to the point where it didn't feel like getting punched square in the shoulder.
The SCAR 17 NRCH further improves upon its predecessor in this regard, as the lack of a reciprocating charging handle makes the recoil impulse feel less awkward and more natural, while also making it noticeably lighter. The new system also managed to not shake up the aimpoint that was on the gun so much, either, and it maintained its zero perfectly well even after hundreds of rounds.
The factory muzzle break it comes with, however, still needs some work done, because it's like setting off a small bomb 3 feet in front of you when shooting it in the tight confines of a shooting range.
As for reliability, like most guns I deem worthy of reviewing, it had few or no issues in my experience. The last time I shot this rifle, I put about 200 rounds through it over the course of a few hours (mostly federal 149 grain FMJ ammo but I also threw in some more expensive stuff as well) and I had one malfunction with some 165 grain Hornady SST since this is a good hunting caliber and the malfunction was a minor stovepipe (Hornady usually produces extremely reliable ammo and this was the first malfunction I'd had with their products in years). I quickly cleared the spent casing, and it continued firing as normal without further issues with the same ammo.
The gun is also supposed to be extremely accurate for a semi-automatic, and while I haven't taken one past 50 yards yet, the word is that with match ammo it can do 1 MOA out to quite some distance. I'm not sure how true this is, but with standard non-match ball ammo, when trying for groupings I got a little over 2 MOA from a standing position at 50 yards. That information might not be worth much, but it's what I can concretely confirm.
Overall, great shooting experience.
Pros and cons
Pros
The non-reciprocating charging handle "cures" the weapon of many of its previous iterations recoil-related problems
Has many of the same controls the AR-15 platform has, so the learning curve should be fairly gentle when picking one up and using it
It does the "accuracy" and "reliability" parts of its reputation really well. I can certainly see why it's favored by elite military units (such as the U.S Army's 75th Ranger Regiment and U.S Navy SEAL teams)
It's got enough features out of the box that you can fine tune it to your liking with few or no aftermarket parts
While they are a bit sharp on the corners, the picatinny rails are excellent and the fore-end seems to keep the heat off your shooting hand pretty well for a piston gun (at least in my experience)
Cons
It's expensive as hell- I've seen some that resellers that offer them for nearly 4,000 USD
Because it's chambered in .308 Winchester, it's still going to have more recoil than any AR-15
The muzzle blast is ruthless in confined spaces due to the installed factory muzzle brake (though it can easily be removed and replaced)
Final thoughts
I love the SCAR 17, and while I wish like hell it was less expensive so more people would be willing to buy one and discover the joys of shooting it, I guess for now it'll remain the tool of special forces and a handful of civilians for the time being.
Known worldwide, this is a gun that's truly earned and deserves its reputation. Whether you are a police officer, hunter, competitive shooter, long-range hobbyist, military collector or just some guy or girl who likes guns, this is one you have to try before you die. Long live the SCAR 17!
Gun stats
Note: these stats are for the standard factory models- other models with different configurations and barrel lengths have been available at one time or another
Caliber | .308 Winchester |
Action | Semi-automatic (gas operated short-stroke piston) |
Barrel length | 16.25 inches (standard) |
Overall length | 38 inches (stock unfolded and extended) 28 inches (stock folded) |
Weight | 8 pounds |
Magazine capacity | 20 rounds (standard) |