Scar 16 SBR vs. AR SBR?

[craigkim]

So, I am in the process of setting up my trust and I think I want to assemble an SBR after I have leaped through the appropriate hoops.... and at some point thereafter choose a suppressor.

I was initially leaning toward choosing an AR upper and I will still likely do that at some point, but then I saw that one can buy 10" Factory SCAR 16 barrel assemblies these days. I was contemplating going with a piston AR upper to utilize the adjustable gas running both suppressed and unsuppressed, but after looking around now I am thinking about how awesome my SCAR would be in that role being a nicely balanced piston operated weapon.

I could simply have the barrel shortened, but my understanding is that you then must alter the gas setup, whereas if I bought a factory barrel, it would run reliably with no further modifications. PLUS, I would maintain total reversibility. I also read that you can have the short barrel engraved, not the receiver, thereby again maintaining total reversibility back to the factory configuration by swapping the barrel. The disadvantage might be the cost, which is around $1k, but a decent upper for my ARs would run quite a bit more than that.

I have Googled this quite a bit and can't really compile a firm consensus.

So, I have 3 questions as I proceed:

1) Anyone SBR a SCAR 16? How do you like it? Any advice based upon the above info? Anything I am overlooking?
2) Thoughts regarding choosing to SBR a SCAR vs adding an upper, after appropriate legalities, for one of my ARs?
3) Is a piston upper the best SBR configuration for an AR over a DI setup for reliability?

Thanks

 

[0750turbo]

I would suggest going over to the FNforum and asking doing a search as I'm sure it has been discussed extensively there. I have a Scar 17 that I've considered doing the same to but the freaking barrels are so damn expensive.

 

[Hkfiend]

I ended up SBRing my AR vs doing it to my 17s for the same reason mentioned by turbo, the barrels are sooooo freaking expensive. Not that my AR upper was cheap since my SBR is all Noveske, even with that, it was cheaper than the Scar barrel.

 

[Bfish]

I ended up SBRing my AR vs doing it to my 17s for the same reason mentioned by turbo, the barrels are sooooo freaking expensive. Not that my AR upper was cheap since my SBR is all Noveske, even with that, it was cheaper than the Scar barrel.

Wow! I was thinking hmm I wonder what a Scar barrel costs... You can get a Noveske SBR for cheaper than a new barrel for a Scar? Geesh!

 

[craigkim]

Well, my questions were all over the place I realize... but I paid more than $1100 for my Noveske Gen III Recce upper. I was making the comparison to a nicer piston upper like LWRC or POF, etc, which would be more expensive.

I liked the factory barrel assembly option from FN, because I have more confidence in the gas running properly..I have read that takes some playing with and tuning if you cut your barrel.. but for about $800 less the barrel cutting option is attractive. I want a SCAR 17 and had trouble choosing between the 16 and 17 when I got the 16. I can't believe, well it's my luck, that 308 is going to be a legal deer cartridge now.... should have gone 17! 16 is super nice though too.

I could still use some real input on the piston vs DI sbr for suppressed operation. I can google this stuff anywhere, but I feel like INGO tends to be a bit more grounded and the advice more practical than the global sites.

 

[wsenefeld]

Not that either will be super quiet, but the scar will be lose than the AR. Piston guns are unavoidably louder due to the amount of gas escaping at the gas block.

 

[sig1473]

I could still use some real input on the piston vs DI sbr for suppressed operation. I can google this stuff anywhere, but I feel like INGO tends to be a bit more grounded and the advice more practical than the global sites.

I would honestly look here for the answer:M4Carbine.net Forums