FN let the news of the release of the previously military-only FN SCAR 20S precision rifle slip last month. It’s the civilian version of SOCOM’s MK20 sniper rifle. FN first announced 200 limited edition 20S packages including a bipod, sling, case an other gear. Now FN’s has officially let it be known that you’ll soon be seeing the SCAR 20S on your local gun store’s wall where you’ll be able to buy one yourself.

JWT has had one for about a month and his full review will appear here shortly. In the mean time, here’s FN’s press release . . .

(McLean, VA – November 6, 2018) FN America, LLC is pleased to announce the release of the highly-anticipated FN SCAR® 20S precision rifle, based on the FN MK20 SSR or Sniper Support Rifle currently fielded within USSOCOM. The 7.62x51mm-chambered rifle has been purpose-built to achieve superior long-range accuracy.

“The FN SCAR 20S is the latest addition to our battle-proven line-up of FN SCAR products and the first commercial SCAR release since we launched the 17S in 2010,” said Mark Cherpes, President and CEO for FN America, LLC. “Customers will notice that the FN SCAR 20S shares more commonalities than differences with the MK20 SSR and reaffirms our commitment to producing commercial versions of our iconic military firearms.”

The rifle achieves 1-MOA (minute of angle) accuracy to 100 yards with match-grade ammunition out of the box. The 20-inch, 1:12 twist, heavy profile barrel and barrel extension, and extended, monolithic receiver add the additional rigidity that reduces fluctuation or movement between shots while the extended receiver provides the much-needed rail space for high-powered optics. The custom-designed MK20 SSR buttstock adjusts to length of pull and comb height to customize the fit to each shooter while in the prone firing position, and the factory-installed, double-stage Geissele Super SCAR trigger achieves a 3.5-4.5-pound trigger pull.

And here are the specs:

Caliber: 7.62x51mm
Barrel Length: 20 inches
Barrel Twist Rate: 1:12
Weight: 11.2 pounds
Overall Length: 40.6 – 42.5 inches
Operation: Short-stroke gas piston
Finish: Flat Dark Earth (FDE)
Capacity: (1) ten-round magazine *Compatible with FN SCAR 17S 10- and 20-round magazines

MSRP is $4499.

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41 COMMENTS

    • Never thought I’d read SCAR and Precision Rifle in the same sentence.

      Kind of like building a Jeep for track racing. Learned long ago that no matter how hard you kick it, the horse remains dead.

    • Slight spoiler alert, it shoots the newish Federal version of the M118LR, as well as several different 168gr BTHP rounds at 3/4MOA.
      I’ve never been a SCAR fan in the past, and I find the SCAR Light to be worthless, but there is no lack of precision with this rifle.

      • We can’t argue that point JWT…. but, the original post was basically: “1MOA for $4500? No thanks.” Many companies stand by their guarantee of sub MOA rifles for half that price.

        • Bolt or semiauto?

          I know 1 MOA from the factory isn’t a big deal in a bolt-action these days, but I was under the impression that it was at least a little impressive in a semiauto.

    • I fought for 4 years trying to get an 18″ barreled M14SA to shoot 1 MOA (it did 0.8 MOA with a Kreiger 22″). Sold off all my M14 stuff for $10-12k, bought a box-stock SCAR 17S that shot 1 MOA at half the loaded weight and never looked back. If you don’t have a preference for the AR-10 platform, I’ve found very little reason to dislike the SCAR 17S for the price… but no, it’s not cheap.

      Would I pay $2k more for an additional 2 action screws and a fancy stock? Definitely not… but I suspect the retails will be around a $1k premium over the SCAR 17S once the initial fanboy rush dies down and FN pulls pricing lower to move inventory.

  4. The rifle achieves 1-MOA (minute of angle) accuracy to 100 yards with match-grade ammunition out of the box.

    I know diddly-all about rifles, but that doesn’t sound all that exceptional? Am I missing something here?

    • 20 years ago that was quite a feat. It is no longer. My LaRue OSR would do at least MOA with just about any crap I threw into it, and that was about a decade ago.

    • I suspect it actually does better… the SCAR 17S shoots 1 MOA @ 100 yds out of the box. This is just the minimum claim they want to make.

  7. Hey, honest question here for JWT or anyone with exp on this system. Is it true that these things break scopes and optics? I was thinking about buying a 17S, and putting my eotech and g33 on it. Thanks ttag!

    • Well that’s one I have not heard of. I have never experienced that issue with any SCAR. I also went back and talked to several snipers and veterans in SOCOM units with experience with the SCAR series rifles and none of them brought up that particular issue.

    • They eat up cheap scopes like it’s nothing but once you pass the Barska threshold you should be fine. Eotech should be good to go.

      • I have heard it is something about the impulse…almost like reverse recoil. Back in the 90’s, I shot a lot of bolt action 50BMG. They would shake pretty much anything except a Leupold or Unertl to pieces. I always heard BB gun scopes would hold up because they were built for the reverse recoil on an air gun. I don’t know if that is true.

        Not sure if it is quite the same thing with the SCAR, but seems to be similar.

        I doubt our military mounts any optics that won’t hold up to the SCAR abuse.

        • Some spring piston airguns do recoil forward as the piston moves towards the shooter, and there are special scope designed to handle that force. However, I haven’t heard that as a solution to a rifle. Where would forward movement come from? The BCG moving back is part of the entire rifle moving back, and it spreads the momentum change over time (lessens what some physics texts call inpulse). The BCG moving forward would push the rifle back.

      • Don’t know about SCAR, but I had an HK91 back in the day that ate three scopes in the time I had it, including two Leupold variable power scopes. If you turned the scope to point down and then to point up, you could hear the lens clink inside. I did send them off to Leupold who sent me back replacements, but by that time I had sold the HK as I just didn’t much like it.

  10. It will shoot better than 1 MOA. My 17 shoots 3/4 MOA with 175 GMM SMK’s. I hope they make more than 200. Price will come down if they do.

    Seeing preorders for ~$4k. Agree it seems too high, but it will be as high as the market will support. I think regular SCAR 17’s are in the $3200 range now, and this one comes with a Geissele trigger. I suspect they will sell out at $4k.

    • The 200 limited SCAR kits were $1k more and included hard and soft cases, bipod, Vickers sling, cleaning kit, swag, etc. I was hoping more for a $3k street price for the mass market version.

  11. I’m sure those SCAR’s are mighty fine weapons, but it’s a toss up in who wins the ugly contest, SCAR or HiPoint

  12. I have a Stag arms AR10 in 6.5 Creedmoor that consistently shoots a half M.O.A. or better.
    This last Saturday my wife shot a .7″ group at 300yards.
    Rifel, scope, mount, bipod and monopod combined come to just under half of the msrp of of this rifle. This makes no sense to me.
    If anyone wants to call b.s. I have the targets and match results.

  14. Only $4500, what a deal!!! Almost as bad as the PSL coming back for $2k plus. Of course as the saying goes, a fool and his money are soon parted. I’m sure they will sell well due to that fact.

  15. Just get a FAL… 1/4 the price, same or better accuracy out of the box, less weight, more class…

    Seriously, FN, just give us FAL’s again… Save yourself the time, energy, and expense of trying to reinvent wheels you already have…

  16. My FNAR is 1 MOA or better and I got it for $900 new. The FNAR isn’t as cool (ugly) looking though. Hell I can shoot 1.5 MOA with Wolf steel case with the FNAR. I guess if I had the $$ I might get one but I’m just to cheap to spend that kind of money on that kind of gun or any gun for that matter.

  17. Don’t be cheap, accuracy IS NOT cheap, ANYTHING good is not cheap!
    You want cheap, buy an AK and Wolf.
    You want hits at 800M?
    1/2 MOA and less with hand-loaded Berger VLD 175 Gr. bullets.
    Weigh/ measure everything and sort them. Brass included. It varies.
    Lapua brass, 42 grains of IMR 8208 and you’ll get 2,750 fps.
    All the holes touch……….

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