Classic Army FN Herstal SCAR-H (Heavy)
May 17, 2015 5:06:52 GMT -5
Post by triggs (SABR) on May 17, 2015 5:06:52 GMT -5
Full Album Review – Classic Army Mk17 SCAR-H
Classic Army FN Herstal SCAR-H (SCAR HEAVY)
- Real Steel History
- Overview
- Accessories
- Externals review
- Internals review
- Performance
- Final Thoughts and Upgradeability
Real Steel History
Image from www.wikipedia.com all rights reserved
The Special Forces Combat Assault Rifle, or SCAR, is a modular rifle made by Fabrique Nationale de Herstal (FNH) for the U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) to satisfy the requirements of the SCAR competition. This family of rifles consist of two main types. The SCAR-L, for light, is chambered in the 5.56x45mm NATO cartridge and the SCAR-H, for heavy, fires 7.62x51mm NATO. Both are available in Long Barrel and Close Quarters Combat (CQC) variants. The FN SCAR system completed low rate initial production testing in June 2007. After some delays, the first rifles began being issued to operational units in April 2009, and a battalion of the US 75th Ranger Regiment will be the first large unit deployed into combat with 600 of the rifles in 2009. (taken from www.wikipedia.org )
Overview
In a rare break, I for once don’t have to pay to make this review! A close friend wanted his brand new Classic Army SCAR HEAVY (Mk17 SCAR-H) upgraded, and while we waited on parts to arrive he let me write up a full review on the stock rifle. So here we go!
Like every Chinese made rifle, the CA SCAR HEAVY came in a cheap Styrofoam box, but it does have a very nicely printed up box cover highlighting some of the rifle’s selling points. The rifle was purchased from Airsoft GI and something new, at least to me, is they have started applying safety stickers to the boxes before shipping them out.
Accessories
Unfortunately I forgot to include the included 7” outer barrel extension in the pictures. It got left at my friend’s house and was unable to make an appearance in time. The list of included accessories is pretty slim though since it’s a Classic Army.
They include a standard 470 round high cap, and interestingly, a second inner barrel (450mm) as well as a 279mm already installed in the rifle. Unfortunately both barrels are 6.08mm so they won't show much difference in accuracy at any meaningful distance.
Like all Classic Army rifles there are no batteries or cheap wall chargers included. They do include however, an allen key to access the battery compartment in the stock.
Externals Review
I personally own VFC SCAR’s so the CA definitely has its work cut out for it to meet THE standard as far as how the externals look and feel. While I do not want to turn this into a comparison, there are a lot of areas that ought to be compared, especially if you want a SCAR that LOOKS nice.
Starting from the flash hider there is a noticeable and distinguishing color difference on the gas blocks between the VFC (above) and the CA (below). Classic Army does not include a correct AAC 7.62 flash hider; and unlike the real SCAR, the CA does not include the correct short barrel. The shortest Mk17 barrel is 1” past the flash hider (like the VFC).
Going down the receiver the trademarks are a dead giveaway in identifying any CA SCAR (Light or Heavy) from a VFC. CA’s are always marked EX- in order to avoid copyright infringement with FNH/Cybergun, although they carry FNH trademarks for the most part. It’s worth noting the receiver is not to realistic dimensions, so mounting of some accessories such as an EGLM (regardless of brand), or the Magpul selector switches is not possible.
The stock is a dead giveaway that this is a CA instead of a VFC. Unlike the CA SCAR-L series (including the clones) which feature a Gen2 style cheek riser (bulky and less streamlined looking). The new CA SCAR HEAVY and CA Sportline SCAR LIGHT feature the more recent, and streamlined, Gen3 stock. However the CA is Gen3(ish) in looks only, the real Gen3 stock (and VFC) have 6 positions on the stock and 3 on the cheek riser. The CA has 3 stock positions and 2 on the cheek riser.
One thing I was a little surprised to see was the amount of molding seams. My previous CA products have never come looking this rough. A little work with a file and these are an easy fix, but it’s still rare for a CA product.
Internals Review
While I am a long term investor in the VFC designed SCAR series, the Classic Army does hold all of the advantages over the VFC internal design. However, before we can look at these, we have to get the rifle apart, which is by far the most infuriating and difficult methods of all the SCAR designs.
To install or uninstall the battery you must use the included allen key to pull off the stock. This also helps when disassembling the rifle to guide the connectors out of the stock hinge. Unlike the VFC, the CA’s wiring is exposed when the stock is folded.
Unfortunately the rifle does not break down like a real SCAR. After removing 3 allen screws found on either side of the upper receiver, and one found underneath the rear flip up sight, the stock, hinge plate, and bolt return spring will come out. Be careful when extracting the wiring from the assembly as there are number of connectors that can be caught and pulled apart. After the stock, just push the pin at the front of the lower receiver out and the entire gearbox assembly will slide out of the lower. You can then pull out the inner barrel to change it or adjust as needed.
In case you are new to disassembling the CA SCAR series, Classic Army has included a disassembly guide as part of their instruction manual (!). To get the lower apart, start by removing the motor grip and motor, then push out the rear pin and trigger pin like normal M4 AEG’s, finally slide a flat blade screwdriver between the left side selector and the gearbox, then twist it until it’s free of the selector gear. Do the same on the right side as per the instruction manual and you can remove the gearbox.
Unlike the worthless VFC design, the CA SCAR-H is designed around the heavy duty SR25 gearbox, which makes it ideal for DMR or SASS builds.
The stock motor is not up for much of anything however. Examining the motor puts it firmly in the weak end of stock motors. While it was able to turn the stock gearbox, it certainly did not give any sort of spectacular performance both for Rate of Fire (RoF) or torque. It looks like a cross between a Proline and Sportline motor, with no sticker or markings, it’s hard to say what it is. It’s definitely on the replacement list for anyone looking for longevity.
Inside the gearbox everything looks like your average CA SR25 gearbox. The piston is a standard yellow 19 tooth SR25 type piston with one metal tooth. The aluminum piston head includes a bearing. The cylinder is a standard bore SR25 with a standard version 2 aluminum cylinder head. The air nozzle is a normal SR25 nozzle, but does includes a o-ring so it won’t need replacing to make a perfect air seal. Finally is a standard version 2 tappet plate made from the same plastic as the piston.
The gears are standard torque up Classic Army SR25 gears. The stock Angle of Engagement (AoE) was terrible, but nothing a good sorbo pad can’t fix. Each gear is clearly marked and meshed cleanly with the rest of the gears.
The spring is roughly a M140. Although with the short barrel configuration the FPS readings get very screwy as we’ll see later. The spring guide is a very nice metal guide with bearing.
Performance
FPS: 386FPS with the 6.08mm 279mm inner barrel
Range: 170-180ft
Unfortunately the new parts arrived before I could test the long barrel (which I forgot was even part of this set since it’s a rare, and rather useless, inclusion). Suffice to say I would not expect many differences with the long vs. short barrel due to the wide bore and poor quality. Most stock AEG’s sit in the 170-190ft margin straight out of the box anyways.
As stated earlier the spring appears to be a M140 (tested in a different gearbox) and can put out 460FPS with a correctly paired barrel length and cylinder capacity. While there are many theories as to cylinder vs barrel air volume, it played a huge part in the FPS readings with this gearbox and the ultra short inner barrel used during testing. Unfortunately a ported SR25 piston does not exist to properly equalize cylinder volume so the CA SCAR HEAVY FPS readings will continue to be off, and possibly affect long range accuracy if you decide to run the short barrel.
Final Thoughts and Upgradeability
As you can see, while the body is not to proper dimensions, you can still add a limitless amount of accessories (with the exception of an EGLM). I was able to set it up as a very nice CQB size battle rifle, enhanced by the folding stock.
Externals Score: 9/10
Externally the CA SCAR HEAVY feels great. The stock adjusts smoothly, and the nylon fiber feels strong. The upper gives a good clank when yanking the charging handle back. It is a bit disappointing the bolt lock doesn’t work, but it’s not a necessity. I still find it annoying that the casting lines were so noticeable, especially for a CA product.
Internals Score: 8/10
Internally I would take the SR25 gearbox for any build. They are nearly indestructible, and for a 7.62 platform they make sense to use them, something the CA will always have over the VFC design. I am going to take away points simply for the amount of work it takes to get to the internals. There are much better ways to design access.
Overall score: 8/10
I’m going to give the CA SCAR HEAVY an 8/10 mostly for the simple fact it’s so far out of dimension you can’t use the correct grenade launcher module, and the stock, while visually accurate, is a half-hearted attempt at modifying their first design to stay competitive.
© Copyright triggs 2015
Classic Army FN Herstal SCAR-H (SCAR HEAVY)
- Real Steel History
- Overview
- Accessories
- Externals review
- Internals review
- Performance
- Final Thoughts and Upgradeability
Real Steel History
Image from www.wikipedia.com all rights reserved
The Special Forces Combat Assault Rifle, or SCAR, is a modular rifle made by Fabrique Nationale de Herstal (FNH) for the U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) to satisfy the requirements of the SCAR competition. This family of rifles consist of two main types. The SCAR-L, for light, is chambered in the 5.56x45mm NATO cartridge and the SCAR-H, for heavy, fires 7.62x51mm NATO. Both are available in Long Barrel and Close Quarters Combat (CQC) variants. The FN SCAR system completed low rate initial production testing in June 2007. After some delays, the first rifles began being issued to operational units in April 2009, and a battalion of the US 75th Ranger Regiment will be the first large unit deployed into combat with 600 of the rifles in 2009. (taken from www.wikipedia.org )
Overview
In a rare break, I for once don’t have to pay to make this review! A close friend wanted his brand new Classic Army SCAR HEAVY (Mk17 SCAR-H) upgraded, and while we waited on parts to arrive he let me write up a full review on the stock rifle. So here we go!
Like every Chinese made rifle, the CA SCAR HEAVY came in a cheap Styrofoam box, but it does have a very nicely printed up box cover highlighting some of the rifle’s selling points. The rifle was purchased from Airsoft GI and something new, at least to me, is they have started applying safety stickers to the boxes before shipping them out.
Accessories
Unfortunately I forgot to include the included 7” outer barrel extension in the pictures. It got left at my friend’s house and was unable to make an appearance in time. The list of included accessories is pretty slim though since it’s a Classic Army.
They include a standard 470 round high cap, and interestingly, a second inner barrel (450mm) as well as a 279mm already installed in the rifle. Unfortunately both barrels are 6.08mm so they won't show much difference in accuracy at any meaningful distance.
Like all Classic Army rifles there are no batteries or cheap wall chargers included. They do include however, an allen key to access the battery compartment in the stock.
Externals Review
I personally own VFC SCAR’s so the CA definitely has its work cut out for it to meet THE standard as far as how the externals look and feel. While I do not want to turn this into a comparison, there are a lot of areas that ought to be compared, especially if you want a SCAR that LOOKS nice.
Starting from the flash hider there is a noticeable and distinguishing color difference on the gas blocks between the VFC (above) and the CA (below). Classic Army does not include a correct AAC 7.62 flash hider; and unlike the real SCAR, the CA does not include the correct short barrel. The shortest Mk17 barrel is 1” past the flash hider (like the VFC).
Going down the receiver the trademarks are a dead giveaway in identifying any CA SCAR (Light or Heavy) from a VFC. CA’s are always marked EX- in order to avoid copyright infringement with FNH/Cybergun, although they carry FNH trademarks for the most part. It’s worth noting the receiver is not to realistic dimensions, so mounting of some accessories such as an EGLM (regardless of brand), or the Magpul selector switches is not possible.
The stock is a dead giveaway that this is a CA instead of a VFC. Unlike the CA SCAR-L series (including the clones) which feature a Gen2 style cheek riser (bulky and less streamlined looking). The new CA SCAR HEAVY and CA Sportline SCAR LIGHT feature the more recent, and streamlined, Gen3 stock. However the CA is Gen3(ish) in looks only, the real Gen3 stock (and VFC) have 6 positions on the stock and 3 on the cheek riser. The CA has 3 stock positions and 2 on the cheek riser.
One thing I was a little surprised to see was the amount of molding seams. My previous CA products have never come looking this rough. A little work with a file and these are an easy fix, but it’s still rare for a CA product.
Internals Review
While I am a long term investor in the VFC designed SCAR series, the Classic Army does hold all of the advantages over the VFC internal design. However, before we can look at these, we have to get the rifle apart, which is by far the most infuriating and difficult methods of all the SCAR designs.
To install or uninstall the battery you must use the included allen key to pull off the stock. This also helps when disassembling the rifle to guide the connectors out of the stock hinge. Unlike the VFC, the CA’s wiring is exposed when the stock is folded.
Unfortunately the rifle does not break down like a real SCAR. After removing 3 allen screws found on either side of the upper receiver, and one found underneath the rear flip up sight, the stock, hinge plate, and bolt return spring will come out. Be careful when extracting the wiring from the assembly as there are number of connectors that can be caught and pulled apart. After the stock, just push the pin at the front of the lower receiver out and the entire gearbox assembly will slide out of the lower. You can then pull out the inner barrel to change it or adjust as needed.
In case you are new to disassembling the CA SCAR series, Classic Army has included a disassembly guide as part of their instruction manual (!). To get the lower apart, start by removing the motor grip and motor, then push out the rear pin and trigger pin like normal M4 AEG’s, finally slide a flat blade screwdriver between the left side selector and the gearbox, then twist it until it’s free of the selector gear. Do the same on the right side as per the instruction manual and you can remove the gearbox.
Unlike the worthless VFC design, the CA SCAR-H is designed around the heavy duty SR25 gearbox, which makes it ideal for DMR or SASS builds.
The stock motor is not up for much of anything however. Examining the motor puts it firmly in the weak end of stock motors. While it was able to turn the stock gearbox, it certainly did not give any sort of spectacular performance both for Rate of Fire (RoF) or torque. It looks like a cross between a Proline and Sportline motor, with no sticker or markings, it’s hard to say what it is. It’s definitely on the replacement list for anyone looking for longevity.
Inside the gearbox everything looks like your average CA SR25 gearbox. The piston is a standard yellow 19 tooth SR25 type piston with one metal tooth. The aluminum piston head includes a bearing. The cylinder is a standard bore SR25 with a standard version 2 aluminum cylinder head. The air nozzle is a normal SR25 nozzle, but does includes a o-ring so it won’t need replacing to make a perfect air seal. Finally is a standard version 2 tappet plate made from the same plastic as the piston.
The gears are standard torque up Classic Army SR25 gears. The stock Angle of Engagement (AoE) was terrible, but nothing a good sorbo pad can’t fix. Each gear is clearly marked and meshed cleanly with the rest of the gears.
The spring is roughly a M140. Although with the short barrel configuration the FPS readings get very screwy as we’ll see later. The spring guide is a very nice metal guide with bearing.
Performance
FPS: 386FPS with the 6.08mm 279mm inner barrel
Range: 170-180ft
Unfortunately the new parts arrived before I could test the long barrel (which I forgot was even part of this set since it’s a rare, and rather useless, inclusion). Suffice to say I would not expect many differences with the long vs. short barrel due to the wide bore and poor quality. Most stock AEG’s sit in the 170-190ft margin straight out of the box anyways.
As stated earlier the spring appears to be a M140 (tested in a different gearbox) and can put out 460FPS with a correctly paired barrel length and cylinder capacity. While there are many theories as to cylinder vs barrel air volume, it played a huge part in the FPS readings with this gearbox and the ultra short inner barrel used during testing. Unfortunately a ported SR25 piston does not exist to properly equalize cylinder volume so the CA SCAR HEAVY FPS readings will continue to be off, and possibly affect long range accuracy if you decide to run the short barrel.
Final Thoughts and Upgradeability
As you can see, while the body is not to proper dimensions, you can still add a limitless amount of accessories (with the exception of an EGLM). I was able to set it up as a very nice CQB size battle rifle, enhanced by the folding stock.
Externals Score: 9/10
Externally the CA SCAR HEAVY feels great. The stock adjusts smoothly, and the nylon fiber feels strong. The upper gives a good clank when yanking the charging handle back. It is a bit disappointing the bolt lock doesn’t work, but it’s not a necessity. I still find it annoying that the casting lines were so noticeable, especially for a CA product.
Internals Score: 8/10
Internally I would take the SR25 gearbox for any build. They are nearly indestructible, and for a 7.62 platform they make sense to use them, something the CA will always have over the VFC design. I am going to take away points simply for the amount of work it takes to get to the internals. There are much better ways to design access.
Overall score: 8/10
I’m going to give the CA SCAR HEAVY an 8/10 mostly for the simple fact it’s so far out of dimension you can’t use the correct grenade launcher module, and the stock, while visually accurate, is a half-hearted attempt at modifying their first design to stay competitive.
© Copyright triggs 2015