I've been reading about the old MSAR STG-556 and their issues.  Question - did the XM17-E4 have the same issues reported?  I have one and its been great, and was looking for another.  More than anything I'm curious what others have seen.  What should I look out for?  What parts have broken?  Thanks!

I've had one for 4 years. Only fire about 1000 rounds but have not had any issues. Also have fired a couple hundred rounds suppressed with no problems. I am lucky mine has the metal mag release parts so no mag problems.

The E4s had a recall because of bad magazine catches that broke and would leave the magazine stuck in the gun unless you pried something in to get the catch out of the way. If it’s one that didn’t get the upgraded part you are SOL. There has been threads on this.

Other than that it’s the same as their other guns. If it’s good it could be perfectly fine and reliable for thousands of rounds. Or you could get unlucky get a lemon then have to try play around with scrounging up a part or dumping it probably at a loss unless you are unscrupulous and don’t disclose it’s a lemon.

MSAR made a lot of good guns they also made a lot of turds. Early on they had an awesome CS team to handle turds and make things right. Then that went away then they ceased to exist that’s why people recommend against them generally now. If you get a good one great but a lemon well you are on your own with a gun full of proprietary parts that mostly don’t swap with the real deal and the company that made them has been gone for awhile.

It was back to MSAR in 2013 for an extractor issue which was fixed, and I believe it has the metal mag release.  It appears to be anodized.

The magazine catch is the big issue that seems to be commonly mentioned, however I would also say that *when* the rifle was produced plays a part, too.  If the rifle was produced prior to ~December 2009/January 2010 then it should be good to go.  After those dates, things become more hit or miss, more hit the closer to January 2010 and more miss the farther you get from it.  The design remained unchanged, but the finishing and parts prep...um...suffered (and that's being kind) to the point where it was questionable that they were ever test fired before they left the factory due to so many having issues.

I actually had to laugh; I went back through my IMs looking for some that I had saved before I bought mine, and found one from MSARDave regarding the XM-30 magazines..."The amber E4 mags are great mags. I would buy them over the ones with the color added. Give me your address and I will send you one to try."  Yeah...great mags...just like Titanic was "unsinkable"...  I realize he had a job to do, but I think with the benefit of hindsight, his actions and assurances separated more people from more money than they otherwise would have spent.  Just my humble opinion.

I have an early MSAR(forward assist model)and aside from breakaing extractors with wolf ammo she's been great.

For what I paid and extras I got I'm happy.

But no more combloc ammo and I did buy another extractor and a hybrid bolt.

I have been waiting for Microtech to send me a new mag catch.  For years....

According to them, they have a bunch of them on the shelf, they just cant figure out how to ship them.  Every 6-8 months I call Wendel and ask him about my mag catch.

I really wish Rat Worx would make another batch of the Right Handed Hybrid Bolts.  I had contacted them about a year or so ago and they said they were going to make some ore buy that is the last I heard.  I don't know if that is a realistic expectation anymore.

I snatched up one of the last left handed bolts this year from Ratworx. Now all is gone. :(

I’d call them again and post in all the forums having a bullpup section. And ask all your friends to post up.

You’ve seen how Sven/Manticore does it: he checks demand.

You will need to create your own buzz!