Ever since the SCAR-SC, affectionately known as the Baby SCAR, was announced, U.S. customers have clamored for details, timelines, and availability of both a pistol variant and the unique compact SCAR-SC folding stock. And the wait is now over. The Baby SCAR is available as the FN SCAR 15P, a sexy, compact gun that includes many of the features required in a capable defensive carbine. But this pistol also has a few trails that need to be flushed out before you decide to pull the trigger. Let’s take a look.

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TFB REVIEW: FN SCAR 15P – The Civilian SCAR-SC

The SCAR-L and SCAR-H are quickly approaching their 20th commercial birthdays, both of which have seen success in combat and a large, devout following from U.S. consumers. And it is easy to see why; a monolithic aluminum upper receiver paired with a smooth-shooting gas piston system, ambidextrous controls, non-reciprocating charging handles, and an overall simplistic design make the SCAR platform a winner. Add in the Hollywood sex appeal of nearly every Special Operations television series or movie from the last two decades and the SCAR stands out in a sea of M4, MK18, or M16 issued rifles.

FN America announced the FN SCAR 15P just before the 2023 SHOT Show in Las Vegas, which was also preceded by the ATF Pistol Stabilizing Brace Final Rule that essentially required an NFA application and approval of any firearm that used a stock-like device. The unfortunate timing meant that potential buyers of the SCAR 15P were forced into owning a true pistol (there’s no buffer tube to play with) or filing NFA Form 1 paperwork and waiting months for approval to attach a stock to the Picatinny rail mounted on the rear of the gun. Neither of those options is without their concerns, especially if you live in an area that prohibits ownership of NFA items.

As an alternative, the SCAR 15P comes equipped with a mounting point for a single-point sling that is used to push the gun forward under tension as a means of stabilization. The method basically works, as long as you plan on using a non-magnified optic and retraining your muscle memory for reloads, malfunction drills, and other normal carbine manipulations. Let’s be honest, without a stock, carbines are a hard sell for anything but range toys. And there is nothing wrong with range toys. Look for the PDW SCAR-SC stocks to be available as soon as possible. Until then, the current SCAR carbine stocks are completely compatible with the SCAR 15P.

We also need to have a serious talk about ballistics, lethality, and bullet design.

Personal Defense Weapons (PDWs) chambered in centerfire cartridges have spiked in popularity in the past decade. From the perspective of military and law enforcement customers, short-barreled carbines shooting intermediate cartridges offer compact platforms once dominated by the submachine gun, while retaining much of the power found in a full-length rifle. The key to this formula has come from, at least in part, modern cartridge design evolution.

Bullet composition and manufacturing processes have been a driving force in small arms development for many years, increasing terminal performance at lower velocities. One result is the ability to shorten barrel lengths for 5.56mm chambered guns that traditionally were limited to carbine-length or rifle-length barrels – the old adage of ‘speed kills’ holds true for lighter projectiles. However, even with short barrel (lower velocity) optimized bullets, there is the side effect of excess unburned powder that is just wasted as flash and sound.

In terms of the 5.56×45 cartridge, the sweet spot between effective terminal performance and a compact barrel length lands somewhere around 11-12.5″. I’ll give the MK18 10.3″ a bit of leeway since it has a proven track record since just before the start of the Global War on Terror. Otherwise, for a barrel length of less than eleven inches, I am forced to conclude that a cartridge change is required to maintain lethality. The 5.56mm round is just not built for ultra-short barrels.

We can argue about everything from 300BLK to 7.62×39 in a subsequent editorial if you’d like. But did I make it in before the ‘I wouldn’t want to be shot with a 7.5″ barrel 5.56mm’ crowd? While I agree, science tells us that there are better cartridge choices.

Let’s take a look at the SCAR 15P numbers.

FN SCAR 15P – Specifications:

Based on the same concept as the SCAR SC, it is a piston-driven 5.56 NATO-caliber platform in a more compact variant than the SCAR 16S. At under 20 inches long, it is packable, and it is the smallest SCAR ever made.

The SCAR platform is beautifully simplistic. The monolithic upper makes for a stable base for support hand placement and provides a basic amount of real estate for lights and accessories. The barrel is free-floated for accuracy and the NRCH beats the AR-15 charging handle system in terms of ergonomics and speed. Traditionalists will appreciate the Picatinny rails, while MLOK fans will be disappointed.

The complete package includes a well-made zippered case, although personally, I wouldn’t list it under the primary features category. If you live in a part of the republic that still remains free, a standard 30-round magazine is included.

One of the points of contention for the SCAR system has always been the use of suppressors. The manual clearly states that using the wrong suppressor can void warranty claims for damage. Although this isn’t a black-and-white decision – the intent of the warranty statement is to avoid intentional misuse and negligence. FN America does not officially recommend a suppressor manufacturer as being safe, nor does it list any suppressor manufacturer or model to avoid on the SCAR. The result leaves consumers like me slightly confused. My suggestion is if you decide to run a suppressor on your SCAR that isn’t recognized as an “industry standard” model or design, pick up the phone and call FN customer service.

The heart of the issue is excess gas flow and increased bolt speed. Using a high blowback suppressor will force more gas into the short-stroke gas piston system, speeding up cyclic rates and potentially causing excessive wear and damage to the upper receiver or internal parts.

The SCAR includes a two-position gas regulator that can help to restrict extra gas from entering the system. Simply rotate the regulator counterclockwise from the 12 o’clock (standard) position to the 10 o’clock (suppressed) position.

As for which suppressors are “safe,” the standard guidance has always been to select “mil-spec” suppressors such as the SureFire SOCOM RC2 since they have been tested and approved by the U.S. military for use on the SCAR. My educated assumption is that low blowback, forward venting suppressors are also a good choice since they are specifically designed to avoid adding more gas into either a short-stroke gas piston or a direct impingement system. Official disclaimer: follow the manufacturer’s guidance on adding a suppressor to your gun but your focus should be on maintaining bolt speed as close to unsuppressed levels as possible.

The gas regulator and piston on the FN SCAR are designed to keep excess carbon from accumulating on the bolt carrier assembly. Most of the carbon buildup is blown out of the vent hole in the front of the regulator. It is recommended that the gas regulator be cycled 2-3 times prior to placing it on the required setting. This will ensure the gas regulator is on the right setting and that it continues to move freely. Positions of the gas regulator as viewed from the muzzle end:

1. 12 o’clock setting – For standard operation (Figure 11).
2. 10 o’clock setting – Suppressed operation. Does not guarantee safe and reliable operation with all suppressors (Figure 12).
3. 4 o’clock setting – Disassembly, cleaning, and reassembly (Figure 13).

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Analysis

Honestly, this was a difficult review for me to write. Not because there are mechanical, design, operation, or other concerns that would cause me to not recommend purchasing the SCAR 15P, but I found it hard to get over the 7.5″ barrel length, an attribute I would be critical of in any rifle/pistol chambered for the 5.56x45mm cartridge.

If we were talking about a SCAR 15P chambered in 300BLK, we could have avoided this entire conversation and focused on other design aspects. On the other hand, customers who want a true Baby SCAR clone should settle for nothing less than the 7.5” 5.56×45 barrel. But an ultra-short barrel for a 5.56 gun doesn’t make sense for an operational weapon. If you have no intentions of using this SCAR as a defensive gun, head to the range and enjoy the subsequent fireballs. Although the factory-supplied flash hider is known to be an effective flash hider, even on short barrels. I wouldn’t know, since shooting unsuppressed is simply uncivilized.

My second concern is the price; at almost $4K MSRP, this gun is four times the cost of a well-built AR-15. Granted, the SCAR 15P sports some attractive features over a bland AR. However, $3,699 is a lot of money, especially when you factor in optics.

If this is a fun gun, or a gun that you anticipate using at shorter ranges AND you can handle the price tag, the SCAR 15P is a sexy PDW that will be fun to shoot. I would recommend picking up an aftermarket stock (after your Form 1 is approved) and waiting for the genuine FN collapsable stock to become available sometime next year.

Thanks for reading TFB.

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