I own a SCAR 16 and several higher end ARs and I shoot quite a few 3G events a year with a DDm4V5 AR which is my go to gun for most situations but everytime I pull out the SCAR and shoot it I find myself falling deeper and deeper in love with the platform. The only thing I don't like about it is the trigger which can be fixed. Granted it doesn't do anything WAY better than an AR but I just love the way it shoots and handles. Anyone else choose their 16 over an AR for general purpose all around shooting and how do you have it set up?

I never warmed up to my SCAR 17 till i dropped a G Super SCAR trigger in.  Now it is one sweet as rifle.  Worth every penny and it has gone down since I bought mine.

Biggest negative for me with the Scar 16/17 is how far above the bore the sights sit. Almost a inch more than an AR! I had a level on my 17 for that reason.

I first shot a SCAR about 5 years ago.  I liked it, but didn't see enough benefits over an AR to drop the coin on one.  About 3 months ago I had an opportunity to get one for a very good price.

I don't know that it does anything better than an AR, other than stores more compact since it has the folding stock.  It certainly operates cleaner, but I haven't had any reliability issues with my ARs either.  The SCAR is easier to equip with an optic since it has the continuous top rail.  I don't see the reciprocating charging handle as either an improvement or a detriment.  

But what it has shown me in a few hundred rounds through a couple times at the range in the last few months is that it's a fun rifle to shoot, and surprisingly accurate with it's light barrel.  I haven't decided whether I want to permanently equip my SCAR with a magnified optic or a RDS, but both ways it's easy to shoot well.  I really like the MI SOCOM-X rail I put on it, as well as the Magpul selector and Tango Down pistol grip.  

I still prefer the AR.
I don't feel my Scars 16 is as accurate.

maybe thats just the shitty FN trigger, i've had both a timney and a G super scar trigger in mine and its ever bit as accurate as any AR i own.

i took the factory muzzle amplifier of mine and just run an AR flash hider and now i think the scar 16 has a different recoil impulse that is distracting to fast follow ups. for that reason my scar16 now has an acog/rmr combo. i do like the cheek riser and ergos of the stock for scoped shooting.

If all things were the same, and I had to pick ONE platform I would choose SCAR 16/17 in a heartbeat.  I really love the controls/quality/feel/stock/sights, pretty much everything about the SCAR (I only have a 17).

AR is great in that there are soooo many places to get parts from, and everything from inexpensive stripped receivers to full rifles, parts to build full rifles etc.
The ability to swap out uppers with .22LR, 9mm, .300 blackout is really nice with the AR platform.
The AR is more versatile and practical.

I've had my SCAR now for 5 years.  I think it's an excellent platform and I love it the more I handle it.  However, I bought an SR-15 with a geissele trigger and it's been number 1 on my list since.  The main issue I have with my SCAR is the front sling attachment interferes with a scout light... It can be fixed but just a pain in the ass to get around to do.  Getting the SBR done should bring it back to #1 status

I prefer the AR platform for 5.56, but the SCAR platform for 7.62.

The heavy ARs just handle weird to me.

I have to second this, the 17 is God's gift to 7.62 NATO.  Meanwhile the 16 isn't quite as big a leap in performance over let's say a well equipped BCM KMR etc. while the 17 beats the hell out of any 308 AR in terms of reliability, durability etc. and does it at the same weight!

... I have a 16s for sale if any ones interested

I never handled the Scar-16, but I did qualify with the Scar-L a few years ago.  While I thought it was a cool rifle with a high CCDI factor, I agree with the SOCOM decision not to buy any more of them.  It just didn't do anything all that much better than my old M4 did and costs more.  My scores were the same (within 1-2 points) and while the receiver did stay cleaner, that carbon has to be cleaned out of someplace and that is in the gas piston.  I did like the folding stock that was adjustable for the length of pull and a few other features but not enough to justify the expense of switching over to it.  One of these days I will probably buy one but that's down the road.

Well, I have a 16 and like it. I also fins just cleaning the piston to be easier. Throw it in some solvent for 20 min, and then scrub it with a scotchbright pad. Very easy.

The SCAR is supposedly more reliable between jams compared to an AR - but honestly, as I only shoot 150 rounds per session, that's probably not an issue for me or most people. I do find it easier to clean than a standard AR, though

I haven't had my SCAR 16 for very long and I have a LOT of time on AR's so here are my observations as compared to the AR15 FWIW.

The SCAR is heavy.  It has a big, kind of awkward handguard area that poses some challenges with ergos.  Mounting stuff can be a PITA with the fixed sling mounts and charging handle locations.  It heats up really quick and cools down really slow.  It's very accurate.  The recoil is extremely mild.  It doesn't get very dirty and cleaning is a breeze.  My AR's will probably always be my go-to guns.  That being said, my SCAR is bad ass and I love it for totally non-objective reasons.  It's just cool and fun to shoot which for civilians like me is all that matters 99 percent of the time anyway.  

My next rifle will be a SCAR 17 which IMO, besides also being bad ass, brings a lot more to the table vs what's available in 7.62.

Sitting on a target bench, I'd take the AR, sitting in any other setting and it's the SCAR.

Scar for me. Lighter runs cleaner and stays cooler. Never liked the AR because there not very reliable.

AR's not being very reliable is news to me.

I haven't found them to be very reliable either.

Oh well.

I have a Colt 6920 AR15 and a Scar 17. I have replaced all of my trigger groups in all of my rifles (except for the Steyr Aug) with the Geissele SSAE (AR15 and Sig 716) and Geissele Super Scar trigger group (FN Scar 17). That improved the triggers in all of these rifles. So, no need to complain about the trigger in your Scar. Just replace it with the Geissele Super Scar trigger group.

Stop buying junk AR's then!

My $.02 worth...

My "L-dub" M6A2 has been my go to weapon for the whole time I've owned it (8 years).  I owned a SCAR-L for about 3 months and to be honest, it didnt do anything more special or spectacular that the L-dub.  Both being piston rifles, the internals stayed very clean and I had no problem with either.  What sealed it for me to get rid of the SCAR was it wouldn't feed the steel case ammo that I bought.  Out of 500 rounds fired thru each gun, It was only 5 failure to fire in the SCAR, but 0 my L-dub.  I know what you're thinking, it was the primer on the rounds.  Surprise, the L-dub fired the five rounds the SCAR didn't.

As far as AR's not being accurate or reliable, I've built 6 and all of them run like a nose in January.  My suggestion...  Have someone build you a good gun or like it was suggested...  STOP BUYING JUNK

My SCAR wasn't as accurate.



Plus I didn't like the 5+ inch sight / bore offset.  I hated it for 3 gun.  



 

This will sound dumb but is the reciprocating charging handle ever an issue? I'm ready to buy a high end do it all rifle and its either a 16/17 (prolly 16 for ammo costs) or a high end 16" mid length AR.

What are the advantages to the scar?

This is just my opinion after using it for one season of 3 gun.  None.



A few other things in the "-" column for me was that the rifle was very picky with ammo.  Not feeding and extracting, but with its grouping.  When I was using this rifle was back when powder and primers were you buy what you can find.  That rifle would shoot different loads to way different points of impact In some cases enough to keep it out of the A zone in the head.  Where all my other rifles would pretty much keep the varied ammo in an acceptable group.  I thought it may have had something to do with the barrel attachment system. However, after removing all the fasteners, reseating the barrel and re torquing them (I think it was 62 in/lb?? I don't remember) nothing changed.  Not to mention the two SCAR16s I had to send back to the factory because the one started eating the bolt locking lugs and the other ones top rail was way, way out of specification.  A Larue mount wouldn't even seat on it!



I see you're from Pa, if I wouldn't have already traded it off I would have made you a good deal!  



In all fairness, it was a "neat" rifle, but for me the cool factor wore off real quick.  The thing about it shooting clean when suppressed.  Maybe a little cleaner, but man for a semi OCD guy like me it was a real PITA cleaning the forward upper receiver.  



YMMV



 

This sums up my opinion as well.  I have 16 and 17, both SBR'ed, suppressors, and set up as close in combat pieces.  The 16 has a Trijicon RDS and an Inforce light.   The 17 wears an Elcan DR and a Surefire M900 when needed.

If the going gets down and dirty, I think that the SCAR will have the higher reliability.

If running the stock charging handle on the left side then YES:  If you are in the habit of grabbing the mag well of an AR while running about or after reloading and your fingers aren't baby carrot Nubins the charging handle will impact your thumb and it may cause a malf or (more likely) a failure to reload.

Free Solution:  break the habit or run it like an AK.

Buy the 17 for 308 and a FACTORY BUILT BCM or other high quality brand AR for 5.56 (IMHO) that is the 1 sure key to a healthy AR15... They are light, relatively inexpensive, super reliable and accurate when built right.  They also have a lot more r&d behind them so you can upgrade with sweet new tech like the new gemtech suppressed BCG.

I've seen a HUGE improvement in cleanliness supressed vs a standard BCG.

... Or you can buy my Scar 16s

The IWC charging handle is a huge upgrade.

Colts and BCMs are junk now?

Funny how, knowing nothing about the particular brands which I own, you immediately assume they must be junk because you perceive an affront to your sacred cow.  ARs aren't magic guns,  they aren't immune to malfunctions, and they aren't without flaws, just like any other machine.   I'm happy for you that your 6 have been awesome.  The number I've worked on and assembled is in the hundreds, and my experience differs.  Don't take it personally.

The charging handle on the SCAR can be an issue if you put something in its way, like your hand or a barrier.  You can reverse the charging handle, you can practice not interfering with it,  or you can replace it with an aftermarket part.  To me that's not a big issue, it's just something to be aware of.  If I were buying my first "do it all" rifle I'd get an AR-15.  IMHO the SCAR has no clear advantage over the AR-15 and it's a pretty expensive rifle with less support for spare/aftermarket parts.    

TL/DR - I don't think the SCAR 16 is better at anything than the AR-15 but I got one anyway and I like it a lot.  Does that help?  :P