Bushmaster ACR vs. FN SCAR
The age old question, which rifle is better? Over the past few years there have been countless articles and opinions on both the ACR and the SCAR. However in this day and age it’s hard to sort through the opinions of the “keyboard Commandos” and actual shooters. Based on what I have read they both seem like great rifles. I thought it was time to find out for myself what all the hype was about. So last weekend I finally had a chance to put the Bushmaster ACR Enhanced and the FN SCAR 16S in a head to head showdown. Remember, I’m not a professional and I don’t even play one on TV, I’m just a guy who likes guns.
Finish
ACR- Has an extremely even finish across all parts. No issues or defects. Has an overall flat finish.
SCAR- Has an extremely even finish across all parts. No issues or defects. Has an overall satin / flat finish.
Winner- ACR, I personally prefer the flat look of the ACR.
Weight
ACR- 8.3 Pounds Stock, 9.5 as tested*
SCAR- 7.3 Pounds Stock, 9.3 as tested*
Winner- SCAR, even with all the extra add-on’s the SCAR still came it at a lower weight than the ACR.
*Remember the two rifles tested had slightly different accessories. The Scar had a forward grip and extended front rail which added to the overall weight.
Grip
ACR- Out of the Box the ACR Grip is awesome, the grip angle is great and the texture is fantastic. It also came with a built in water tight storage compartment for 2 CR123 batteries.
SCAR- Out of the Box it has a standard AR15 grip, functional but lacking, replaced with Magpul MIAD.
Winner- ACR, I liked the fact that Bushmaster got it right straight from the factory. Not having to spend the extra money on an upgraded grip was a plus.
Handguards
ACR- Not bad out of the box, however the bottom rail needs some improvement. The bottom rail system doesn’t start for 2 inches, so there is a 2 inch gap from the lower receiver to the first picatinny rail, which for someone like me who uses a forward grip as more of a hand stop; it forces you to place any accessories 2 inches out from the receiver. Minor issue but it was noticeable.
SCAR- I felt that the SCAR handguard was far too short so I installed an aftermarket rail extension, which did help but in my opinion they need to come that way from the factory.
Winner- Tie, Both rifles need slight adjustments to the handguards.
Magazines
ACR- Uses standard AR15 magazines, tested with Magpul PMAGS and USGI magazines without issue.
SCAR- Uses standard AR15 magazines, Tested fine with USGI magazines however will not accept PMAGS without modification. In fact I found that you could damage your rifle by using standard unmodified PMAGS. Here is the link describing the issue and solution. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIFuVd7-HFs I would also like to note that the PMAGS would not drop free without modification.
Winner- ACR, it worked with every AR-15 magazine I threw at it without incident. FN missed the boat on this one.
Stock
ACR- The stock is very clever; it has a 2 position cheek rest, a 6 position folding and telescoping stock and the stock also locks to the side without physically having to snap into the receiver. There is also a hidden water tight compartment in the stock for spare batteries.
SCAR- Has a 2 position cheek rest, 6 position folding and telescoping stock, locks securely to the case deflector when folded. It’s no frills but easy to use. It also has a small storage area in the stock that will fit 2 CR123 Batteries but it is not water tight.
Winner- ACR, simply put the stock design is just better (thank you Magpul) and it feels a little more solid than the SCAR. I also wanted to add that both rifles are capable of firing from the folded position.
Charging handle
ACR- Has a non-reciprocating charging handle, which is nice but makes me wonder about its ability to work as a forward assist or the ability to recover from a hard jam. The good news is it has a very short length of travel when chambering a round, about 4.5 inches
SCAR- Again no frills, it’s directly connected to the bolt assembly and is reciprocating. Has a 5 inch length of travel when chambering a round.
Winner- SCAR, while I really like that the ACR’s charging handle is non-reciprocating, the SCAR’s charging handle is no frills and no nonsense. I know it’s going to work when I need it.
Ease of Disassembly
ACR- The whole rifle comes completely apart with the removal of 4 pins. You can’t get much easier than that.
SCAR- Breaks down with the removal of 1 pin but the rifle only comes apart so far, the barrel and receiver can only be separated with tools.
Winner- ACR, the whole gun comes apart with no tools, including the barrel, nothing more to say.
Sights
ACR- the ACR comes with Magpul flip up front and rear sights, they are functional but extremely bulky; they cover up a large amount of the sight picture and will be replaced ASAP. They are also made of plastic which I do not like.
SCAR- Again no frills but very functional, they are made of metal and do the job. They also have adjustments for windage and elevation which is a very nice feature that you rarely see in flip up sights.
Winner- SCAR, the Magpul flip up sights are just plain craptacular.
Flash Hider
ACR- The Enhanced version comes with an AAC Blackout flash hider, which gets the job done but will throw up dust when shooting in the prone position, not a deal breaker but it’s something to think about.
SCAR- Comes with a Flash suppressing compensator which I believe is manufactured by Primary Weapons. While it does throw a large amount of sound back to the shooter it reduces the felt recoil by at least 50%, a few times I actually thought the SCAR misfired because the recoil was so low. It allowed me to stay on target for follow up shots. It also has a semi closed bottom which does not seem to kick up too much dust, but it is a compensator so it does still vent a large amount of gas to the sides.
Winner- SCAR, the amount of recoil reduction still shocks me every time I shoot this thing. I may even buy an extra FN Flash suppressing compensator and put it on the ACR.
Controls
ACR- Has completely ambidextrous controls, which for a lefty like me is a huge plus. However for some reason I found myself stumbling over the controls a few times. I tried to take out the empty magazine with the bolt release more than once. I know it’s just a training issue, but I thought it was worth mentioning. All the controls are within reach and are activated with relative ease. The safety selector has a positive click on and off which is contrary to what I’ve been told.
SCAR- Has all ambidextrous controls, minus the bolt release. All the controls feel sturdy and positive, but an ambidextrous bolt release would be nice.
Winner- ACR, maybe I would have a different opinion if I didn’t shoot left handed but for a combat rifle I think it is a great asset to be able to accommodate all shooters.
Trigger
ACR- 6.5 Pounds, has a clean break, feels much like a standard AR15.
SCAR- 6.25 Pounds, has a clean break, feels much like a standard AR15.
Winner- Tie, the ACR feels slightly smoother but has a longer length of pull that the SCAR, Both have decent triggers out of the box, especially for combat rifles.
Barrel
ACR- Twist rate 1 in 9*, stamped on the barrel, hammer forged, not chrome lined, the barrel can be swapped out minutes and it does have a Melonite coating which is a wear resistant coating. However the barrel has a very heavy profile which does make the ACR a little front heavy.
SCAR- Twist rate 1 in 7, stamped on the barrel, hammer forged, chrome lined, light profile.
Winner- SCAR, the barrel is lighter and is chrome lined; it also comes in a 1 in 7 twist by default, which is a nice feature to have when you want to fire heavier loads. Having said that, not having a chrome lined barrel is not a deal breaker, but I honestly have no idea how the ACR barrel is going to wear. The good news is the ACR barrel only takes a few minutes to swap out if there is ever an issue.
* Bushmasters web site says that the ACR is available in 1 in 7 twist but when I ordered my rifle it was not listed as an option.
Sling points
ACR- Has 7 total sling points, 3 on the stock, 2 in front of the mag well, and 2 on the handguards.
SCAR- Has 6 total sling points, 1 on the stock, 3 at the rear of the upper receiver, and 2 up front.
Winner- ACR, while both rifles have a ton of sling points the placement of the ACR’s sling points were actually thought out and are in useable positions.
Gas System
ACR- Has an adjustable 2 position gas system, one for suppressed and one for normal operation.
SCAR- Has an adjustable 2 position gas system, one for suppressed and one for normal operation.
Winner- SCAR, Both systems work well and are easy to clean but I noticed that the ACR gave off a lot more heat after a few mag dumps, So much in fact that I could feel the heat through the handguards.
Recoil
ACR- About the same as a standard AR15, but it does seem to direct much of the recoil straight back which I believe makes it slightly more manageable than an AR15.
SCAR- Almost none, as I’ve said it has a flash suppressing compensator which minimalizes felt recoil.
Winner- SCAR, there is almost no recoil to speak of.
Accuracy
ACR- I was only able to shoot out to 50 yards so I can’t make a fair comparison, but I would say that the ACR is slightly more accurate than my high end AR-15 rifles.
SCAR- I was only able to shoot out to 50 yards so I can’t make a fair comparison, but I would say that the SCAR is slightly more accurate than my high end AR-15 rifles.
Winner- Tie, both rifles are surprisingly accurate for combat rifles. On a side note I was able to line in both rifles with only 5 rounds each which was a surprise.
Reliability
ACR- Out of the box, 400 rounds no issues, no jams, and no problems of any kind.
SCAR- Out of the box, 400 rounds no issues, no jams, and no problems of any kind.
Winner- Tie, I know I know “the SCAR is battle tested” blah blah blah, you’re right but for this test they were put head to head right out of the box so I can only go on the data I collected. Both rifles functioned flawlessly.
Price
ACR- An average of $2,200*
SCAR- An average of $2,400*
* I took all the current prices I could find and averaged them together.
Winner- ACR, Out of the box the ACR was ready to rock and roll; I had to spend an additional $200 to get the SCAR up to speed. I don’t really want to delve too far into the price argument. Yes I know both rifles are overpriced but so are most of the good things in life. Price is relative, are there cheaper rifles that can get the job done? Absolutely.
Additional thoughts
I did manage to take both guns on a short run and gun.
ACR- Is a little harder to keep on target and transition to the next target because of its balance and the fact that it is a little front heavy. Again not a deal breaker but worth mentioning.
SCAR- Is very controllable, it’s nicely balanced and transitions to new targets easily; which makes follow up shots a breeze.
Winner- SCAR, it just felt better while shooting over obstacles and engaging targets. It boils down to recoil and balance.
Conclusion
When I started writing this review I really wanted to pick a clear winner. I wanted to definitively say, one rifle was better than the other. I asked myself if I had to choose between the two, which one would I grab in a pinch? Even now I have to say I’m torn, maybe they are both winners. Being a gun guy I know we have a tendency to take sides but perhaps this is one of those times where it’s ok not to. It’s alright to say you really like both rifles. In the case of the ACR vs. the SCAR, I believe it comes down to personal preference. Both rifles have great features and either would make a great addition to the gun safe.
The age old question, which rifle is better? Over the past few years there have been countless articles and opinions on both the ACR and the SCAR. However in this day and age it’s hard to sort through the opinions of the “keyboard Commandos” and actual shooters. Based on what I have read they both seem like great rifles. I thought it was time to find out for myself what all the hype was about. So last weekend I finally had a chance to put the Bushmaster ACR Enhanced and the FN SCAR 16S in a head to head showdown. Remember, I’m not a professional and I don’t even play one on TV, I’m just a guy who likes guns.
Finish
ACR- Has an extremely even finish across all parts. No issues or defects. Has an overall flat finish.
SCAR- Has an extremely even finish across all parts. No issues or defects. Has an overall satin / flat finish.
Winner- ACR, I personally prefer the flat look of the ACR.
Weight
ACR- 8.3 Pounds Stock, 9.5 as tested*
SCAR- 7.3 Pounds Stock, 9.3 as tested*
Winner- SCAR, even with all the extra add-on’s the SCAR still came it at a lower weight than the ACR.
*Remember the two rifles tested had slightly different accessories. The Scar had a forward grip and extended front rail which added to the overall weight.
Grip
ACR- Out of the Box the ACR Grip is awesome, the grip angle is great and the texture is fantastic. It also came with a built in water tight storage compartment for 2 CR123 batteries.
SCAR- Out of the Box it has a standard AR15 grip, functional but lacking, replaced with Magpul MIAD.
Winner- ACR, I liked the fact that Bushmaster got it right straight from the factory. Not having to spend the extra money on an upgraded grip was a plus.
Handguards
ACR- Not bad out of the box, however the bottom rail needs some improvement. The bottom rail system doesn’t start for 2 inches, so there is a 2 inch gap from the lower receiver to the first picatinny rail, which for someone like me who uses a forward grip as more of a hand stop; it forces you to place any accessories 2 inches out from the receiver. Minor issue but it was noticeable.
SCAR- I felt that the SCAR handguard was far too short so I installed an aftermarket rail extension, which did help but in my opinion they need to come that way from the factory.
Winner- Tie, Both rifles need slight adjustments to the handguards.
Magazines
ACR- Uses standard AR15 magazines, tested with Magpul PMAGS and USGI magazines without issue.
SCAR- Uses standard AR15 magazines, Tested fine with USGI magazines however will not accept PMAGS without modification. In fact I found that you could damage your rifle by using standard unmodified PMAGS. Here is the link describing the issue and solution. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIFuVd7-HFs I would also like to note that the PMAGS would not drop free without modification.
Winner- ACR, it worked with every AR-15 magazine I threw at it without incident. FN missed the boat on this one.
Stock
ACR- The stock is very clever; it has a 2 position cheek rest, a 6 position folding and telescoping stock and the stock also locks to the side without physically having to snap into the receiver. There is also a hidden water tight compartment in the stock for spare batteries.
SCAR- Has a 2 position cheek rest, 6 position folding and telescoping stock, locks securely to the case deflector when folded. It’s no frills but easy to use. It also has a small storage area in the stock that will fit 2 CR123 Batteries but it is not water tight.
Winner- ACR, simply put the stock design is just better (thank you Magpul) and it feels a little more solid than the SCAR. I also wanted to add that both rifles are capable of firing from the folded position.
Charging handle
ACR- Has a non-reciprocating charging handle, which is nice but makes me wonder about its ability to work as a forward assist or the ability to recover from a hard jam. The good news is it has a very short length of travel when chambering a round, about 4.5 inches
SCAR- Again no frills, it’s directly connected to the bolt assembly and is reciprocating. Has a 5 inch length of travel when chambering a round.
Winner- SCAR, while I really like that the ACR’s charging handle is non-reciprocating, the SCAR’s charging handle is no frills and no nonsense. I know it’s going to work when I need it.
Ease of Disassembly
ACR- The whole rifle comes completely apart with the removal of 4 pins. You can’t get much easier than that.
SCAR- Breaks down with the removal of 1 pin but the rifle only comes apart so far, the barrel and receiver can only be separated with tools.
Winner- ACR, the whole gun comes apart with no tools, including the barrel, nothing more to say.
Sights
ACR- the ACR comes with Magpul flip up front and rear sights, they are functional but extremely bulky; they cover up a large amount of the sight picture and will be replaced ASAP. They are also made of plastic which I do not like.
SCAR- Again no frills but very functional, they are made of metal and do the job. They also have adjustments for windage and elevation which is a very nice feature that you rarely see in flip up sights.
Winner- SCAR, the Magpul flip up sights are just plain craptacular.
Flash Hider
ACR- The Enhanced version comes with an AAC Blackout flash hider, which gets the job done but will throw up dust when shooting in the prone position, not a deal breaker but it’s something to think about.
SCAR- Comes with a Flash suppressing compensator which I believe is manufactured by Primary Weapons. While it does throw a large amount of sound back to the shooter it reduces the felt recoil by at least 50%, a few times I actually thought the SCAR misfired because the recoil was so low. It allowed me to stay on target for follow up shots. It also has a semi closed bottom which does not seem to kick up too much dust, but it is a compensator so it does still vent a large amount of gas to the sides.
Winner- SCAR, the amount of recoil reduction still shocks me every time I shoot this thing. I may even buy an extra FN Flash suppressing compensator and put it on the ACR.
Controls
ACR- Has completely ambidextrous controls, which for a lefty like me is a huge plus. However for some reason I found myself stumbling over the controls a few times. I tried to take out the empty magazine with the bolt release more than once. I know it’s just a training issue, but I thought it was worth mentioning. All the controls are within reach and are activated with relative ease. The safety selector has a positive click on and off which is contrary to what I’ve been told.
SCAR- Has all ambidextrous controls, minus the bolt release. All the controls feel sturdy and positive, but an ambidextrous bolt release would be nice.
Winner- ACR, maybe I would have a different opinion if I didn’t shoot left handed but for a combat rifle I think it is a great asset to be able to accommodate all shooters.
Trigger
ACR- 6.5 Pounds, has a clean break, feels much like a standard AR15.
SCAR- 6.25 Pounds, has a clean break, feels much like a standard AR15.
Winner- Tie, the ACR feels slightly smoother but has a longer length of pull that the SCAR, Both have decent triggers out of the box, especially for combat rifles.
Barrel
ACR- Twist rate 1 in 9*, stamped on the barrel, hammer forged, not chrome lined, the barrel can be swapped out minutes and it does have a Melonite coating which is a wear resistant coating. However the barrel has a very heavy profile which does make the ACR a little front heavy.
SCAR- Twist rate 1 in 7, stamped on the barrel, hammer forged, chrome lined, light profile.
Winner- SCAR, the barrel is lighter and is chrome lined; it also comes in a 1 in 7 twist by default, which is a nice feature to have when you want to fire heavier loads. Having said that, not having a chrome lined barrel is not a deal breaker, but I honestly have no idea how the ACR barrel is going to wear. The good news is the ACR barrel only takes a few minutes to swap out if there is ever an issue.
* Bushmasters web site says that the ACR is available in 1 in 7 twist but when I ordered my rifle it was not listed as an option.
Sling points
ACR- Has 7 total sling points, 3 on the stock, 2 in front of the mag well, and 2 on the handguards.
SCAR- Has 6 total sling points, 1 on the stock, 3 at the rear of the upper receiver, and 2 up front.
Winner- ACR, while both rifles have a ton of sling points the placement of the ACR’s sling points were actually thought out and are in useable positions.
Gas System
ACR- Has an adjustable 2 position gas system, one for suppressed and one for normal operation.
SCAR- Has an adjustable 2 position gas system, one for suppressed and one for normal operation.
Winner- SCAR, Both systems work well and are easy to clean but I noticed that the ACR gave off a lot more heat after a few mag dumps, So much in fact that I could feel the heat through the handguards.
Recoil
ACR- About the same as a standard AR15, but it does seem to direct much of the recoil straight back which I believe makes it slightly more manageable than an AR15.
SCAR- Almost none, as I’ve said it has a flash suppressing compensator which minimalizes felt recoil.
Winner- SCAR, there is almost no recoil to speak of.
Accuracy
ACR- I was only able to shoot out to 50 yards so I can’t make a fair comparison, but I would say that the ACR is slightly more accurate than my high end AR-15 rifles.
SCAR- I was only able to shoot out to 50 yards so I can’t make a fair comparison, but I would say that the SCAR is slightly more accurate than my high end AR-15 rifles.
Winner- Tie, both rifles are surprisingly accurate for combat rifles. On a side note I was able to line in both rifles with only 5 rounds each which was a surprise.
Reliability
ACR- Out of the box, 400 rounds no issues, no jams, and no problems of any kind.
SCAR- Out of the box, 400 rounds no issues, no jams, and no problems of any kind.
Winner- Tie, I know I know “the SCAR is battle tested” blah blah blah, you’re right but for this test they were put head to head right out of the box so I can only go on the data I collected. Both rifles functioned flawlessly.
Price
ACR- An average of $2,200*
SCAR- An average of $2,400*
* I took all the current prices I could find and averaged them together.
Winner- ACR, Out of the box the ACR was ready to rock and roll; I had to spend an additional $200 to get the SCAR up to speed. I don’t really want to delve too far into the price argument. Yes I know both rifles are overpriced but so are most of the good things in life. Price is relative, are there cheaper rifles that can get the job done? Absolutely.
Additional thoughts
I did manage to take both guns on a short run and gun.
ACR- Is a little harder to keep on target and transition to the next target because of its balance and the fact that it is a little front heavy. Again not a deal breaker but worth mentioning.
SCAR- Is very controllable, it’s nicely balanced and transitions to new targets easily; which makes follow up shots a breeze.
Winner- SCAR, it just felt better while shooting over obstacles and engaging targets. It boils down to recoil and balance.
Conclusion
When I started writing this review I really wanted to pick a clear winner. I wanted to definitively say, one rifle was better than the other. I asked myself if I had to choose between the two, which one would I grab in a pinch? Even now I have to say I’m torn, maybe they are both winners. Being a gun guy I know we have a tendency to take sides but perhaps this is one of those times where it’s ok not to. It’s alright to say you really like both rifles. In the case of the ACR vs. the SCAR, I believe it comes down to personal preference. Both rifles have great features and either would make a great addition to the gun safe.
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