[Happy Hunting]

Good evening everybody,

I've had a NIB SCAR 16 for a few weeks and I need someone with some experience in these matters to lend some helping advice.

I have the same problems with both PMAG and the FN mag that came with the rifle.

The problem also persists with steel (WPA 55gr) and brass (Hornady TAP 75gr) cases.





I either slingshot the charging handle or press the ping pong paddle and the rifle doesn't go in to battery- I look, eject the mag, clear the rifle, and then the round comes out looking like this for brass:




The steel doesn't dent but it gets scratched from bow to stern like this:





In addition to the problem I experience with the FN mag, with the PMAG I have this.



The weapon allllllllmost goes into battery but is about .75'' short. Ejecting the mag and recharging gets the stuck round in to battery.



I have only taken the rifle to the range one time and fired about 100 rounds. Before firing I cleaned it, and after firing I cleaned it and applied a little grease.

As any other SCAR owners know, I sunk a lot of money into this rifle and I expect it to run far better than this. These malfunctions happen extremely often.

I have Colt mags coming in tomorrow that I will try. Fingers crossed that this is only magazine related, but who knows.

If there is some simple fix out there I don't know about I would be glad to hear about it. I am new to the world of carbines so hopefully it is something stupid I am doing wrong.

[Happy Hunting]

I was being greedy earlier not showing off the whole stick in all it's glory. To make amends, I share this:

[TactiCool]

Did you properly mod the pmags before using them?

[Happy Hunting]

Yeah I filed off that corner first thing. I should have mentioned that earlier. I'm not going to risk damaging my (colicky) baby.

[WayaX]

I'll start off with a side-note:

Pmags need modified to run correctly in the SCAR. You can google it to find out what needs to be done.

Of course, you posted that you'd already done this right as I posted.

Anyway, make sure that you reassembled it right (i.e. action spring in the right orientation). If that is the case, I would call or email FN with pictures. Their customer services is good, but you'll have to ship it to them on your dime.

[WoodenPlank]

Obligatory: B-b-b-but, the SCAR is a flawless rifle, it can't have problems!

Anyway, now that that bull**** is out of the way, it looks like the mags aren't getting inserted far enough into the magazine well to feed properly - this would also explain the scrape down the steel, and the dents in the brass. Make sure the mag is seated correctly and fully, that the upper and lower are properly connected, and that the mag catch isn't damaged.

[Happy Hunting]

Originally Posted by WoodenPlank

Obligatory: B-b-b-but, the SCAR is a flawless rifle, it can't have problems!

Anyway, now that that bull**** is out of the way, it looks like the mags aren't getting inserted far enough into the magazine well to feed properly - this would also explain the scrape down the steel, and the dents in the brass. Make sure the mag is seated correctly and fully, that the upper and lower are properly connected, and that the mag catch isn't damaged.

Re-checked all those things. All square. I'm not lightly inserting the mags by any stretch. They are going in there quickly and with authority. The mag catch is working as it should as well.

[Happy Hunting]

From day 1 I have had a heck of a time getting PMAGs in and out of the magwell on this rifle. I had to sand the dickens out of all the contact points on the mag to get it to drop free. It still doesn't like to drop free empty. The tight magwell on this particular rifle makes me think the lower is the problem. Fortunately, SCAR lowers are not the controlled item and it breaks down to be pretty small in the likely event that I have to ship it.

Wishful thinking, I know.

[WayaX]

Originally Posted by Happy Hunting

From day 1 I have had a heck of a time getting PMAGs in and out of the magwell on this rifle. I had to sand the dickens out of all the contact points on the mag to get it to drop free. It still doesn't like to drop free empty. The tight magwell on this particular rifle makes me think the lower is the problem. Fortunately, SCAR lowers are not the controlled item and it breaks down to be pretty small in the likely event that I have to ship it.

Wishful thinking, I know.

You're not the first and you won't be the last person to send their SCAR in. Mine is in right now due to bolt peening issues. It is being replaced...the wait is a killer.

Oh, and shipping it was actually fairly cheap (I think around $20). The insurance cost as much as the shipping, though.

[faawrenchbndr]

Have you tried different ammo?
Have you tried USGI mags?

[Happy Hunting]

Got new mags to try- and something especially weird is happening. After inserting the promag 30 rd Colt mag I cannot even budge the charging handle. If I hold the CH rearward and instert the mag, the rifle will get jammed just as I depicted in the earliest photos. That's 0 for 3 on mags and 0 for 2 on ammo. It looks like a call to FN is in order tomorrow morning to see what I need to do.

[nipperwolf]

I shot a FN SCAR 5.56 today, with my USGI mag. No problem. Was told that it didn't do well with PMAGS.

Fwiw.

[PlasticGuy]

Send it in. I spent two years managing a gun counter. I've seen some wierd problems, even with very expensive and otherwise excellent guns. FN is a good company. Let them fix it.

[racer88]

Yeah... send it in. Mine has been flawless, even with (modified) Pmags.

[GTS197]

From what you've described, I don't think it's a mag issue. My guess would be that the lower is out of spec.

[RubiSCAR]

No matter what and how much you spend, there can always be an issue. That's the plus with dealing with FNH, they are very good about remedying the situation.

[faawrenchbndr]

Originally Posted by Happy Hunting

Got new mags to try- and something especially weird is happening. After inserting the promag 30 rd Colt mag..........

Promags are NOT Colt mags! Promags are complete garbage!

[thisaway]

Have you tried the H&K 416 steel mags? I shot SCAR once and my H&K mag worked perfectly.

[Happy Hunting]

Ok so I have had an interesting afternoon.

The UPS hub is miles away and I didn't have time to go over there so that sticks me with the USPS to ship my rifle. I show up with my intricately packed rifle and the woman at the counter asks if there is anything hazardous in the package.

I say, "it is a firearm returning to the manufacturer."

"You can't mail that unless you are in the Army or the Navy" (sorry, Air Force...)

"I'm sorry, but you are incorrect. As long as it is an unloaded rifle going to a dealer I am OK.

... blah blah no you can't it's hazardous

"If you insist, please find the regulation that says I cannot mail this item"

she walks away for about 10 minutes as a line builds up behind me

She finally returns with a small snippet of paper with one paragraph saying that the USPS must follow the strict guidelines of the ATF for shipping firearms and to refer to their (as in the ATF's) guidelines. (I don't know where she pulled this from, as I cannot find it on their site) She also would not stop waving the paper to explain where in this language it defined my inability to ship a long gun.

Prepared for a reference to the ATF, I already had thegunzone's how-to that laid out the ATF's guidelines. I read them for her, and pointed out that I am well within the regulations.

She says "where did you get that?"

"The ATF's site"

"Well, what I have is from the USPS"

"Yes, and what you have is linking to what I have here"

Once again, she tells me I am wrong and walks away, not saying what she was doing but clearly frustrated.

I was feeling pretty heated at this point, because we were at an impasse and she would not change her opinion. I feel like it had to have been opinion mixed with hearsay (Army and Navy are an exception?) for her to not read the words in front of her that explain what to do.

I followed her example and took my box under my arm and walked out. Another guy in there told me the UPS was 2 blocks away, but it was a "UPS Store" and we know the story there.

This suuuuuuuucks. The UPS hub (where it is possible I will have a similar attendant) is about 14 miles away and USPS is about 1.5 miles. I think I will try again in the morning and hope for a different counter person. I will also bring a bunch of printed evidence that proves my case and hope that person has the ability to reason.

I had heard horror stories about similar things happening and I thought I was prepared with the ATF's language. I wasn't.

I can't bring the rifle to work and have a pick-up as I work at a University, and I also can't wait at home for pick-up.

And faawrenchbndr, that is a relief. These pro-mags seem crappy.

thisaway, I haven't tried any 416 mags. After 3 failed mag brands I think the common factor is the lower which must return to its creator.

[RubiSCAR]

I am not saying you should do this, but when i needed to send back a Sig, I went to a UPS store and told them it was a airsoft gun.

[Airhasz]

I have been told to ship my gun ups because the USPS does not ship firearms.

[Blaster]

Drive the 14 miles! The USPS is full of incompetent government boobs.

[bigmoney890]

Not that this helps, but a few years ago I had to ship a paintball gun. When I got the the post office, the usps lady did the same routine, hazardous materials and such. She was an asian lady who spoke horrible english. I told her it was a paintball gun, and she only heard 'gun'. She freaked and said "no ammunition, no ammunition" I chuckled and said, it doesnt have any ammunition in the package. She said ok, and accepted the package. A few months later, a similiar thing happened. The man told me they could ship an actual gun as long as the package didn't contain ammo. Hope everything gets resolved!

[faawrenchbndr]

Originally Posted by Happy Hunting

Ok so I have had an interesting afternoon.......

Well,.......you do live in Alabama!

[supatrucka]

I work at the PO just say NO to the questions. and we do ship firearms she doesn't know her job I shipped guns everyday for a dealer that came in.