Classic Army SCAR CQC/Light

[hwagan]

Right, here be my review of the Classic Army FN-SCAR Light (CQC as CA call the black version).

 

Cost: £345 from Airsoft Armoury. Prices range from £320-400.

Magazine: 300 round, high capacity.

Barrel length: 363mm.

Gearbox: Classic Army V2.

Motor: Classic Army hi-torque.

Battery: 8.4/9.6 mini up to 1400mah, LiPo of similar size (may require modification).

Sights: Folding, adjustable for windage and elevation.

Stock: Folding, Extending, Adjustable cheek weld.

Rail system: 4" rails on left and right, full length rail on the top, lower rail from magazine well to end of receiver. M203 compatible.

Feet Per Second: 310-330. Mine came in at 327.6fps.

Controls: Ambidextrous.

 

I'm not hugely knowledgeable when it comes to real steel equipment, but history wise, i can say this. It's a rifle designed as a replacement for the M4A1 within the US SOCOM. It's made by FN Herstal of belgium, it comes in 5.56 or 7.62 flavour, and it shares a lot of similarities with the M4. It's a very modular weapon, quite futuristic looking, and is covered in RIS. And apparently, the 7.62 version will happily fire captured AK47 ammunition. Please don't quote me on any of this, because i can't say any of it is 100% factual truth.

 

Anyhoo, onto the review.

 

First Impressions:

As per most Classic Army kit, it comes in a very nicely designed box. The rifle is secured in the usual styrofoam, with the usual small pack of BB's, the usual cleaning rod and manual. All the usual stuff, really. The box is very nicely designed, with large pictures of the rifle all over it, and some basic information on it. Pretty much exactly what you'd want and expect.

 

There is no battery included, however the rifle comes as standard with a 300 round high capacity magazine. It will also accept G&P midcaps, MAG plastic midcaps, Dboys hicaps, and should accept pretty much any airsoft AR15 magazines.

 

Lifting the rifle out of the box had me practically queefing with excitement - As soon as you take the weight, you realise it's a fairly heavy weapon. I'd guess it weighs in at around 3.5 kilograms - Not too heavy to use, but weighty enough to feel realistic. Everything on this weapon is metal, except for the lower receiver and stock. What's more, none of the metal used appears to be the mostly-carbon-but-with-a-few-grams-of-lead pot metal ######.

 

The first thing i noticed about this rifle is the solidity of the thing. Picking it up felt like picking up an iron bar. Of course you're going to have the minor wobbles of the small working parts and battery cables and whatnot, but as far as the main externals of the rifle go, it's as solid as any airsoft weapon going. The only things i could persuade to move in the slightest were the cocking handle. Walking around with, shouldering and generally groping the weapon will not cause anything to rattle or creak. Even attempting to produce rattles and creeks barely makes a sound.

 

The trademarks, although not strictly accurate, are very clear. They appear to be somehow printed onto the receiver, in white. They contrast the black very nicely, and add to the overrall realism. Each piece has a unique serial number as per usual. The left hand side of the receiver almost has the correct trades - Only the top line reading simply 'Belgium' instead of 'FN Herstal, Belgium' is the only inaccuracy i know of. On the right hand side of the receiver, around the ejection port, is a very small and subtle 'classic army' trademark. The top RIS rail is marked with the 'T1, T2' style markings, however the side and bottom rails are not. This shouldn't really matter, as the top rail is the one you'll be fitting a sight too... unless you're some sort of peckhead.

 

The upper receiver is (so i'm told) CNC'd aluminium. It certainly feels like it - The black finish on the metal is flat, matte, and very sinister looking. It's a very, very nicely finished piece of kit. The texture of the plastic parts (which are the stock and lower receiver) is very authentic looking. I'm fairly certain the plastic parts are nylon fibre - Regardless of what it's made of, both the stock and lower receiver are equally solid. I was extremely impressed with the stock adjustment points. The button to fold the stock requires a good deal of pressure applied, and it clicks solidly into place without moving a millimetre either in the folded or extended position. The same goes for the length of pull adjustment - the CA stock has 3 positions, and a firm and tactile click is heard for each position. The cheekpiece can be put into the raised or lowered position, and again, it feels very solid and clicks nicely into place. The ambidextrous safety selector is probably the best i've felt on an airsoft gun - It clicks perfectly into place, and it has not the slightest bit of wobble. It's more in the style of an H&K weapon, which is far easier to use and doesn't require stretching your thumb, nor does it rub on your thumb in the 'semi' position. Safe, semi and automatic are very easily selected with the thumb, with barely any adjustment to your firing position or grip.

 

The pistol grip is of the standard M4 type - I personally find the chequering on these to be quite aggressive and uncomfortable, and as such have replaced the pistol grip with a smooth HK416 type. Most AR-15 pistol grips should fit this rifle, with the exception of those that go above the thumb and link up to the underside of the lower receiver, although i can't say this for certain. The cocking handle is also very solid, and can be unscrewed and placed on either side of the receiver. Pulling the cocking handle to the rear reveals the hop-up unit behind the dust cover, although there is unfortunately no bolt catch function. The hop up unit is a dial type, something between a G36 and an M4 style unit. It's very firm, and easy to access and set. The outer barrel has an M4 style flash-hider, and is removeable to reveal a standard 14mm negative thread. Classic army have decided not to include the option to shorten the barrel to the 10.5" length - However, the 10.5" barrel can be purchased separately (even if it is a little difficult to obtain). A nice touch is the moveable switch on the front of the gas port - I'm told on the real steel this is to adjust the amount of pressure should a sub-sonic bullet be used with a suppressor.

 

The iron sights included are of excellent quality. The folding rear sight is adjustable for both windage and elevation, and can be raised or lowered as required. It's very easy to adjust, and turning the necessary dials results in a positive feeling 'click'. It's fairly heavy for something quite small, and really does feel solid. It will not wobble or move in the raised or lowered position at all. Personally, i'd feel quite confident using the CA rear sight on a real steel rifle, if for some reason i ever needed to. The front sight is of the HK type ring around a pin style. It's fixed on top of the gas block, and is just as solid as the rear sight. The front sight can be adjusted for elevation using the tool provided. A small button is pressed to raise or lower the front sight, which locks it firmly in either position. I've chosen to remove the front sight, and have replaced it with a RIS mounted folding M16 type front sight - this is solely down to personal choice, the included front sight is more than adequate.

 

The rifle is also easily field stripped. Simply remove three bolts to take off the stock, remove the M4 style body pin at the front, and the upper receiver slides forward away from the lower. Not as simple as some rifles, but easy enough to perform basic maintenance in the field.

 

There are sling points to be found on both sides of the weapon at the front sight, at the rear of the stock, and where the receiver meets the stock, allowing for a number of carrying options.

 

Overall, i can't find fault with the external quality of the rifle. Everything is made of quality material, everything is exceptionally solid, and everything looks extremely well made and finished. It's a very comfortable weapon to use, quick to shoulder, and anyone who's used an AR15 will instantly feel at home with it. The controls are all ambidextrous, which is very handy. This includes the magazine catch, which can be operated on either the left or right hand side of the receiver. I'd strongly recommend a vertical grip - the bare rails are fairly uncomfortable, and a pillar grip increases the ergonomics by a huge amount. The only slight issue is, after a solid year of use, is that the screwheads have become very slightly rusted. Considering they've been soaked in my salt filled sweat many times, i think this is to be expected. It's barely even an issue, let alone one worth worrying about.

 

So, onto the shooting performance...

 

When i purchased this rifle, it chronographed at an average over 20 shots of 327.6 feet per second out of the box. With most site limits being 328, you can't ask for more. There's nothing special here, it's an AEG. You can expect BB's to travel in the region of 50-60 yards, with hitting a man easily possible up to around 40 yards, and 50 or so yards with a longer burst. The gun takes a small type battery in the stock - There's space for up to a 9.6 volt 1400mah, or a similar sized LiPo jobby. The battery is held in the stock very securely - To fit it, the stock needs to be folded to the side. A screw is then removed to allow the rear sliding section of the stock to be pulled out. The mini battery is placed into the stock, wires connected and the stock re-attached. Although this can be a bit of a pain in the field, especially as an allen key is required, there is no danger of losing the battery or any kind of stock plate. I use 8.4 1400 batteries in mine, and these give a rate of fire of around 850 rounds a minute. Enough for suppressing fire, and not too fast to drain a magazine in seconds. The hop up unit is excellent. It isn't the standard M4 design as you'd expect, but is more of a hybrid betweent the m4/g36 system. It is adjusted using a rotating drum behind the bolt cover, and adjustments can be made easily and precisely. In my entire time using the rifle, it hasn't adjusted itself once, and it has stayed set perfectly.

 

To summarise, this is an excellent rifle. It is fairly pricey, coming in at anywhere between £3-400. However, for a high end AEG, this is fairly reasonable. Right on the mark for power straight out of the box, flawless externals and a hicap magazine as standard. It's got enough RIS for as much tacticool as you can afford, and is also compatible with a rail mounted M203 launcher, which fits perfectly and looks terrifying. The ergonomics are fantastic, it's completely ambidextrous, and anyone who's used an AR15 will feel instantly comfortable using it.

 

I've now had mine for around a year, and it hasn't skipped a beat in the entire time i've owned it. The only damage to the paintwork is on the sling swivels and rails, it's still as solid as the day i purchased it, and it's now fired 80,000 rounds out of a completely standard gearbox. It's been dragged through mud, soaked in sweat and rain, bashed into trees and much worse, without the slightest hint of a problem except for a little rust developing on the screwheads (which in my opinion adds a little realism). The only maintenance i've ever performed is cleaning the barrel and regular lubrication with silicone oil. I've also fitted a Madbull black python tightbore barrel and hop rubbers, which have increased the effective range by about 10 yards, and increased the FPS to around 340. With an ACOG style red dot, a custom fitted suppressor and a vertical foregrip, my SCAR has developed a fearsome reputation at my local site as a gun not to be on the wrong end of. For those who want complete, flawless realism, i'd suggest either a VFC AEG version, or a WE tech GBB. However, i've heard bad things about the VFC gearbox, and a GBB version is going to have obvious downsides in the colder months. The VFC version is obviously a tad more expensive, and WE GBB mags are also very pricey. If you want an excellent looking and reliable, well performing and solidly built SCAR AEG, look no further.

 

Pro's:

Almost dead on 1 joule out of the box.

Solid as a solid thing having a very solid day.

Exceptionally reliable.

Excellent looking, very nicely finished.

Excellent upgrade potential.

Railed as standard.

Ambidextrous and very ergonomic.

AR15 magazines - Easy to ponse from a teammate.

Good rate of fire.

Fantasticly reliable gearbox.

Scary looking.

 

Con's:

Fairly pricey.

Battery change requires a tool.

Doesn't have breasts.

 

 

I shall add some pictures to this review tonight, although they will be of the rifle after i've owned it for a year.

Edited September 17, 2009 by hwagan

[Filip von Izabelin]

. And apparently, the 7.62 version will happily fire captured AK47 ammunition. Please don't quote me on any of this, because i can't say any of it is 100% factual truth.

 

 

Ain't true, unless they made a separate version for the AK round.

 

The SCAR-H (Heavy) fires 7.62 x 51mm NATO, not the AK round, which is 7.62 x 39mm. I heard that FN was planning a 7.62x39mm version, but I'm not sure that anything came out of that project.

 

 

[hwagan]

Ahh, my mistake - I was wondering how exactly that would work if it were true. Makes a lot more sense that it isn't!

[hwagan]

Apologies for the phone camera quality, but here's some pictures.

 

 

And yes, it is a scientific fact that the flaming skull makes it shoot better.

[Unit 318]

I don't know if you can at your location, hwagan, but if you took the gun outside the picture quality will increase with natural light.

[hwagan]

I don't know if you can at your location, hwagan, but if you took the gun outside the picture quality will increase with natural light.

 

 

I'd very much like to, but my house backs directly onto a public wood, and the fence is quite low - i'll try and get some better photo's when it isn't 'walk the dog o clock'

[A Tobias]

i can attest for the durability of this gun.

my friend has put over 500,000 rounds through this gun with the only modification being a 400 fps spring put in and using a 9.6 v battery

it still runs as if it was brand new and the faster spring has not slowed the rof noticeably

[adadqgg]

i can attest for the durability of this gun.

my friend has put over 500,000 rounds through this gun with the only modification being a 400 fps spring put in and using a 9.6 v battery

it still runs as if it was brand new and the faster spring has not slowed the rof noticeably

I hope you mean 50,000 rounds.

[hwagan]

500,000 does seem quite an immense number... Saying that, i had a G&P M4 survive unmodified for about 200,000 rounds before that went west... Regular cleaning goes a long way!