FNH USA Announces AR-15 Sales

[sig1473]

If anyone has time, sit back and enjoy reading this 19 page wonder from M4Carbine. If these guys are excited, then yeah it is kind of a big deal with FN releasing an AR. Colt is the only manufacturer who owns the TDP as FN just pays royalties to every M4/M16 they make to Colt. I'm not a Colt fanboy(own only 1) but they are the only "true" mil-spec AR out there. Facts are facts.
Is FN preparing to release their own AR?

 

[kawtech87]

If anyone has time, sit back and enjoy reading this 19 page wonder from M4Carbine. If these guys are excited, then yeah it is kind of a big deal with FN releasing an AR. Colt is the only manufacturer who owns the TDP as FN just pays royalties to every M4/M16 they make to Colt. I'm not a Colt fanboy(own only 1) but they are the only "true" mil-spec AR out there. Facts are facts.
Is FN preparing to release their own AR?

After reading through a few posts in that thread, it seems I was right. Just another run of the mill AR.

Here is what a poster on that forum named C4IGrant had to say after handling them at SHOT Show:

I looked them over.

1. Castle nut isn't staked.
2. RE isn't 7075.
3. Car buffer
4. The one gun I looked at had misaligned barrel extension and feed ramps.
5. Selector is the same one DD uses.
6. FCG is unknown to me. Trigger had a lot creep and was heavy.
7. Gas key was staked fine.


Fit and finish looked fine. This a cheap AR that isn't built as well as a BCM or Colt. If that is ok with you, cool. Make no mistake about what you are getting though.

Sounds like a whole lotta meh to me.

 

[sig1473]

After reading through a few posts in that thread, it seems I was right. Just another run of the mill AR.

Here is what a poster on that forum named C4IGrant had to say after handling them at SHOT Show:

I looked them over.

1. Castle nut isn't staked.
2. RE isn't 7075.
3. Car buffer
4. The one gun I looked at had misaligned barrel extension and feed ramps.
5. Selector is the same one DD uses.
6. FCG is unknown to me. Trigger had a lot creep and was heavy.
7. Gas key was staked fine.


Fit and finish looked fine. This a cheap AR that isn't built as well as a BCM or Colt. If that is ok with you, cool. Make no mistake about what you are getting though.

Sounds like a whole lotta meh to me.

Yep, just read up some more about them. Very disappointing to say the least. I've also read where they are releasing 2 different versions(i.e. bargain beginner series and an upper tier one). Maybe the ones handled at the show were the entry level ones? Thinking about purchasing another AR but more than likely it won't be one of these.

 

[avboiler11]

After reading through a few posts in that thread, it seems I was right. Just another run of the mill AR.

Here is what a poster on that forum named C4IGrant had to say after handling them at SHOT Show:

I looked them over.

1. Castle nut isn't staked.
2. RE isn't 7075.
3. Car buffer
4. The one gun I looked at had misaligned barrel extension and feed ramps.
5. Selector is the same one DD uses.
6. FCG is unknown to me. Trigger had a lot creep and was heavy.
7. Gas key was staked fine.


Fit and finish looked fine. This a cheap AR that isn't built as well as a BCM or Colt. If that is ok with you, cool. Make no mistake about what you are getting though.

Sounds like a whole lotta meh to me.

While he definitely knows what he's talking about, probably worth noting that Grant sells Colt and BCM.

I really don't get the whole "bu bu but it doesn't meet the TDP!" as a way of saying if a rifle is good or not. True, officially, 100% milspec perhaps...but OMFG a carbine buffer and 6061 receiver extension, the huge manatee. I'm sure that makes a big deal to people who actually fight with a fighting rifle in dusty places, or interwebs HSLD ParaForceReconRangerSeals.

 

[in625shooter]

The sarcasm and the attempted lesson on FN's history of manufacturing ARs. Yeah, neither of them were needed. Thanks though!

My point was, what sets these apart from Colt, S&W, DD, WW, PSA, Del-Ton, DSA, DPMS, and the slew of other ARs on the market? True I can see the advantage of FNH having everything made in house to assure QC, and their history of building M16s for the US and other countries gives them ample experience in that regard. But it is still just another plain-Jane AR on the shelf. Mil spec or Mil spec+, has pretty much become the industry standard so they really don't have that leg to stand on either, its just another AR.

I am still having a hard time getting excited over just another AR on the shelves. YMMV have a nice day.

After reading through a few posts in that thread, it seems I was right. Just another run of the mill AR.

Here is what a poster on that forum named C4IGrant had to say after handling them at SHOT Show:

I looked them over.

1. Castle nut isn't staked.
2. RE isn't 7075.
3. Car buffer
4. The one gun I looked at had misaligned barrel extension and feed ramps.
5. Selector is the same one DD uses.
6. FCG is unknown to me. Trigger had a lot creep and was heavy.
7. Gas key was staked fine.


Fit and finish looked fine. This a cheap AR that isn't built as well as a BCM or Colt. If that is ok with you, cool. Make no mistake about what you are getting though.

Sounds like a whole lotta meh to me.

Granted this is on the military side but just my observation from working on them as a USAF CATM instructor for a minute. The M 16 A2 that the USAF adopted in the early 1990's (USAF had standard M16's AF never issued the M16a1 FYI) Most all of the A2s were FN rifles. When the M4 push came out they were all Colt The FN's were night and day ahead of the Colt M4's in terms of we had minimal QC problems. On the Colts as early as 4 years ago over 10% (out of 1.400 new rifles) were having issues with the burst cam and trigger returns right out of the box. All of those and several others had to have the lowers striped and new springs, cams etc installed. Yes mass produced or issued equipment your going to have some issues but the numbers were way high for the Colts and what they were making from the GOV lowest bidder or not. Colt became a four letter word because of that.

I've used Colt M4's at my civilian work are night and day difference from the military Colts I saw before I retired.

So Colt can make a good product but someone was asleep at the wheel when my unit gout a mass shipment in.

 

[kawtech87]

I never anywhere in any of my posts imply that the FN would be an inferior product. In fact I am sure that what the poster I quoted from M4Carbine.net handled at SHOT were probably FN preproduction models or maybe even mock up rifles that were never intended to be fired, just slapped together for show. I have been to large events with lots of manufacturers with lots of product on the shelves and this happens more often than many would admit. They slap something together in a hurry just to have something sitting on the shelves and it in no way is an accurate representation of the final product.


I still just personally can't get excited about another plain-Jane AR coming to market. Military pedigree or not it is still just another AR in my eyes.

 

[in625shooter]

I never anywhere in any of my posts imply that the FN would be an inferior product. In fact I am sure that what the poster I quoted from M4Carbine.net handled at SHOT were probably FN preproduction models or maybe even mock up rifles that were never intended to be fired, just slapped together for show. I have been to large events with lots of manufacturers with lots of product on the shelves and this happens more often than many would admit. They slap something together in a hurry just to have something sitting on the shelves and it in no way is an accurate representation of the final product.


I still just personally can't get excited about another plain-Jane AR coming to market. Military pedigree or not it is still just another AR in my eyes.

kawtech, I just quoted your list you relayed. You stated that was the consensus from the M4 forum. Just adding my experience working with both Colt and FN's. Funny how some don't realize how much involvement FN had in military issue arms, only makes sense they push civilian sales.

Now if FN USA would just bring the Winchester line in full production. Using M4's/M16s on the work side I can say I am bored with any new AR 15/tactical rifle. Like shooting just for fun in the off time anymore.

 

[kawtech87]

kawtech, I just quoted your list you relayed. You stated that was the consensus from the M4 forum. Just adding my experience working with both Colt and FN's. Funny how some don't realize how much involvement FN had in military issue arms, only makes sense they push civilian sales.

Now if FN USA would just bring the Winchester line in full production. Using M4's/M16s on the work side I can say I am bored with any new AR 15/tactical rifle. Like shooting just for fun in the off time anymore.

My post was more a response to Avboiler11 than it was to you. I did get the sense from reading through the thread on M4carbine.net that they were very excited about FN's ARs at first but disappointed when the got the first hand report from what seems like several posters on there who attended SHOT. The guy I quoted just seemed like the most detailed in his list of what HE thought was "wrong" with the rifle. I do agree about Winchester though. I would love to see a quality lever gun back on the market at a reasonable price. Marlin just isn't what it used to be and I don't care for the Puma rifles. Mossberg's 464s are impossible to find but have a decent rep from those who do have them. Thanks for your insight on the FN rifles, and thank you very much for your service.


Personally I am happy with my mostly Civi spec Windham Weaponry SRC. It does what I want it to for a decent priced AR.

 

[Dirtball]

Last I saw Winchester was now a Japanese company. Has that changed?

 

[in625shooter]

Last I saw Winchester was now a Japanese company. Has that changed?

Unless I am out dated (there's my disclaimer so don't order me drawn and quartered) FN USA had ownership and close them in 2006. There are limited models of Winchesters being manufactured (model 70, 1894 etc) I believe they are manufactured in the same plant in Japan as some of the Browning models. The USRA and Browning had very close ties (sort of the whole Mitsubishi/Dodge shared lots of similar parts) Again I could be wrong. The main problem was FN took over Winchester FN was primarily a Military LE producer thus that's the contract they were chasing. While sporting arms are a great seller here it's still a drop in the bucket compared to a military contract so the mean counters didn't see worthiness in it unfortunately.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Thread resurrection because of new FNH ARs for 2015:

FNH USA - Distinct Advantage :: FN15? MOE® SLG

FNH USA - Distinct Advantage :: FN15? Patrol Carbine

FNH USA - Distinct Advantage :: FN15? Sporting

 

[printcraft]

I heard that if the are OD green they are rare and therefore worth more money.

 

[j706]

Another rifle on my "wanna have" list. I think a 20" A4 version would be a nice one to have.

 

[cop car]

FN needs to stop doing this and start making enough fivesevens to fill the market needs (Read, A LOT). How can this company allow their handguns to be on constant back order for 6 or more damn years, IN A ROW. Dear FN, get your **** together.

 

[drillsgt]

Another rifle on my "wanna have" list. I think a 20" A4 version would be a nice one to have.

I agree, i'm liking that MOE version.