The SCAR 17 is a rifle that I’ve had a lot of interest in. It’s chambered in my favorite rifle caliber, 7.62x51mm, and has several evolutionary improvements over the venerable AR platform. What I don’t like about the rifle is the cost. Everything about the SCAR 17 is expensive. The rifle is expensive, the ammunition is expensive, and the magazines are expensive. Instead of setting up the SCAR 17 to use widely available cheap SR-25 magazines Fabrique Nationale (FN) decided to use a proprietary magazines so supplies are extremely limited and when you can find magazines they’re in the $50.00 range. Fortunately Handl Defense has developed a solution for the magazines by developing a SCAR 17 lower receiver that accepts standard SR-25 magazines:
Handl Defense has developed an aftermarket aluminium lower receiver for the FN SCAR 17 to replace the factory polymer lower. Their SCAR25 lower (urgh, FN is not going to like their trademark being used in this way) allows the use of SR-25 and M-110 compatible magazines made by Magpul, XS , DPMS and POF. They have also made some modifications that compatibility with a greater range of AR-15 grips.
While the solution isn’t ideal it’s certainly a worthy improvement. Recovering the costs of the lower ($300.00) would be accomplished quickly considering PMAG LR20s can be found for under $20.00. On top of that you can actually get PMAG LR20s so you would no longer be relegated to having a fancy rifle with only one magazine.