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Posted: 7/25/2026 4:49:01 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Master_Blaster][Edited]
 FN ARKA: Belgium’s New 5.56mm NATO Assault Rifle Built for Modern Military & Law Enforcement Forces ARKA Why did they put a AR tube stock & rear CH on this thing? Give it a pic rail cap & the NRCH = problems solved. The new carrier makes sense because the receiver channel that housed SCAR monolithic extension could get spent casings stuck in it.  Why the SCAR in 5.56 (MK16) was not adopted by U.S. Special Forces to replace the M4A1. This looks to be made to fulfill Euro military contracts, specifically the UK Project Greyburn initiative to replace the SA80, so it's very unlikely to be commercialized. But the converging design evolution of modular HGs, barrels, & lowers among the different offerings (HK433, Bren 3) is noteworthy. |
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It’s basically the SCAR but with AR/M4 ergonomics to sort-of compete with the HK416 which has been eating everyone’s lunch in the last 10-15 years. At least a 416 can drop onto a standard M4/M16 lower. The ARKA is wholly proprietary. Maybe there isn’t a huge market for retrofitting legacy M4 guns but it seems like a middle finger from FN to keep buyers locked into their design. I’m sure if you showed up at HK’s door with a fleet of hand-me-down M4s or M16s they’d be happy to retrofit them to some level of 416-ness. Definitely agree that lower stock interface should be a 1913 rail like other modern designs. Seems like another FN lock-in choice. That said, I do like the design overall and if they don’t price it retarded like the SCAR for military contracts it could do a lot better. I suspect they won’t do that though, and it will land marginally cheaper than a MK16 as I suspect FN wants the SCAR Mk2 to be their new halo product. Then FN will be all surprised-Pikachu face as to why everyone is still buying 416s because while they are also expensive, they’ve got an extensive record of success by now. |
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The opinions expressed here are my own and do not necessarily reflect the views of my employer or their customers.
Long detailed discussion: Project GRAYBURN: FN's Rifle Competing to Replace the SA80 with firearms expert Jonathan Ferguson Looks like the tube stock can be swapped out for other options like a folding stock. Interestingly, the carrier assembly contains tungsten powder meant to serve an inertia damping function, a la the vaporware Stinger 9. |
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Originally Posted By Master_Blaster: Long detailed discussion:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RK40Iy4Z_cLooks like the tube stock can be swapped outfir other options like a folding stock. Interestingly, the carrier assembly contains tungsten powder meant to serve an inertia damping function, a la the vaporware Stinger 9. +1 Another video I watched said it can be swapped for picatinny vs AR stock tube type stocks. Just like the Beretta NARP. I think the rifle per the spec sheets is 0.5-1 lb too heavy compared to it’s competitors. Otherwise, would be interesting to see how it performs compared to the Beretta NARP and 416. Bottom line though is all of this is irrelevant unless FN lets ARFCOM crackheads like us test drive them and buy them 
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Elite Soviet Democrat
 FN's New ARKA: Revamping the SCAR for Military Tenders Spec sheets: https://fnherstal.com/app/uploads/technical-data-fn-arka.pdf 8.2 lbs is too heavy for 5.56 SBR unloaded. |
Elite Soviet Democrat
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Originally Posted By ALASKANFIRE: The Ruger 9mm has a sliding tungsten weight. I always wondered if the minimal sliding was doing much or if they just needed the weight. Any reciprocating mass in the carrier or buffer is to defeat bolt bounce in auto. Same as an AR buffer. |
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Originally Posted By themao: +1 Another video I watched said it can be swapped for picatinny vs AR stock tube type stocks. Just like the Beretta NARP. I think the rifle per the spec sheets is 0.5-1 lb too heavy compared to it’s competitors. Otherwise, would be interesting to see how it performs compared to the Beretta NARP and 416. Bottom line though is all of this is irrelevant unless FN lets ARFCOM crackheads like us test drive them and buy them Originally Posted By themao: +1 Another video I watched said it can be swapped for picatinny vs AR stock tube type stocks. Just like the Beretta NARP. I think the rifle per the spec sheets is 0.5-1 lb too heavy compared to it’s competitors. Otherwise, would be interesting to see how it performs compared to the Beretta NARP and 416. Bottom line though is all of this is irrelevant unless FN lets ARFCOM crackheads like us test drive them and buy them I'd wager the tungsten accounts for most the excess weight, as it's a seriously dense material. Originally Posted By CJofFL: Roller delayed HK's use tungsten powder inside the carrier.  Never knew this.
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