Self Defense

FN SCAR 15P 300 BLK

By: Dave Bahde

Been dreaming of a SCAR SBR? The factory short-barreled 15P will get you VERY close

Having tested every single SCAR variant, including models that were never offered to the public, it has proven a reliable, lightweight system, and extremely effective system time and time again. Over the years of owning the SCAR 16S, 17S, and 20S, each platform has been a rock-solid performer. My rather heavily accessorized 17S was one of my favorite 308 carbines of all time. Early testing of the SCAR Light with a short barrel was also class a favorite of mine, making for a compact and reliable 5.56mm system. I often considered picking up a 10-inch barrel and turning my 16 into an SBR, but unfortunately, I have yet to pull the trigger on that project. With the introduction of the SCAR 15P in 300 BLK, it has become as easy as a visit to your nearest FN dealer. Since the pistol-brace issue has now been settled, you can start with a brace-equipped short-barrel pistol and SBR it down the road if you so choose; with NFA forms now taking days instead of years, the process is quick and relatively easy. Either way, the new SCAR 15P provides you with a very handy platform — which is especially attractive if you are a fan of the system in general.

SCAR 15P

Available in both 5.56mm and 300BLK (tested), the 15P retains all the SCAR features, only with a short 7.5-inch barrel. While the 5.56mm and 300 BLK 7.5” 15P barrels can be interchanged, the 15P will not accept SCAR 16 barrels. Complete barrel assemblies are currently available in both calibers at $1429.00 each, and the 15P can be purchased with or without the folding SB Tactical brace. Given the entire rear of the pistol is a Picatinny rail, it can accommodate a number of pistol braces or stocks on the market (adding a stock requires completion of the appropriate NFA paperwork and is subject to local laws as well). My test pistol was equipped with the SB brace, and while it works, it is not my favorite. If you find yourself shouldering it, the plastic arm has some noticeable deflection; workable but annoying.

Up front, the bottom Picatinny accessory rail is integral to the barrel, and there are two side rails on the forend portion of the upper receiver. The charging handle (both straight and angled are included) is both ambidextrous and non-reciprocating. The barrel is hammer forged and topped with a three-pronged flash hider and is threaded to either 5/8 x 24 for 300 BLK or 1/2 x 28 for 5.56mm. The top rail is continuous and will accept any Picatinny-based optics/mounts and/or iron sights.

Moving to the controls, the magazine release and safety selector are ambidextrous, while the bolt release is found only on the left side and is similar to your typical AR component. The trigger is OEM FN, but all indications are that the Geissele Super SCAR fits and works without issue. The SCAR 15P ships in a very nice compact zippered nylon case, and our 300 BLK included one 30-round Magpul 300BLK magazine.

At the rear, you’ll find a Picatinny interface for accessory attachment — to which we added an SB Tactical (www.sb-tactical) FS1912A folding pistol brace to the SCAR 15P for testing — and the factory-provided Magpul RSA QD sling mount. At the rear of the aluminum upper receiver are dual HK-style sling loops on either side.

Range Time

Our test pistol was equipped with a Steiner DRS1X Red Dot Sight. Designed for CQB, the DRS1X allows the choice of three different reticles: a single dot, a dot with stadia lines, a dot with stadia lines with a second dot for close work. There are seven illumination levels (four day/ three night), and the reticle can be made clearly visible in bright sunlight. It is powered by two AA batteries, but it will also operate on one battery. There is a 13-hour automatic shutoff and a 2,000+ hour run time when both batteries are used. The DRS1X lined up with the installed Magpul BUIS, as well as a couple of my magnifiers. The window provided a good view of the dot, and all three reticles were quickly picked up upon presentation. Using the “close dot” while practicing some building clearing, it was dead on at very close range using both the subsonic and supersonic ammunition. With a $915.99 retail price, it’s not inexpensive, but it sits among the top-tier combat sights offered these days.

Since its inception, the SCAR platform has been one of the easiest semi-auto rifles to field strip, and that fact still stands today. Taking a SCAR down to the point you see here is a 10-15 second proposition.

Accuracy was excellent using the Sig Sauer 205 grain Tipped Duty Subsonic, producing a clustered group at 25 yards. Designed to expand reliably at lower velocities, it is an excellent self-defense round when used in a short-barreled platform. This ammunition ran reliably on the unsuppressed setting without a suppressor, which is not always possible with subsonic ammunition. Another favorite is the Wilson Combat Lehigh Defense 198-grain CF load. Having done extensive gelatin testing out of similar SBRs, it runs well and has impressive expansion with proper penetration. Some of my 220-grain subsonic from Remington would not cycle, but it would run both the Sig Sauer 220-grain Tactical Rifle OTM as well as 220-grain from Doubletap Ammunition. All of the supersonic ammunition ran reliably, yet some of the hotter stuff was pretty harsh — especially on the unsuppressed setting. Accuracy was solid, mostly under an inch for five shots at 50 yards.

I am a big fan of short-barreled 300 BLK pistols/SBRs when running subsonic ammunition, supersonic not so much; it tends to be overly harsh and, for obvious reasons, does not suppress as well as the subsonic. Loaded with the correct subsonic ammunition, this 15P is just about perfect for home or vehicle defense. 300 BLK, as it was designed, provides proven ballistics at short ranges without the blast, noise, and flash associated with 5.56mm rifles of the same length.

The SCAR 15P ships in its own very nice compact soft case, but if a higher level of concealment is what you’re after, this pistol fits in an Elite Survival Systems (www.elitesurvival.com) Stealth SBR Backpack like it was specifically built for it.

Working inside, outside, and around vehicles is the sweet spot for these types of firearms. Folding into a very compact package, the 15P can be easily housed inside a vehicle, in various safes, or in other tight storage areas. Given the SCAR can be fired with the brace in the folded position, tight working environments become less of an issue. The supplied SB brace worked fine as a brace, but their stronger aluminum-strut model would be my preference. Better yet, fill out the NFA paperwork to make it an SBR and add any number of excellent stocks, including the FNH SCAR SC … my last Form 2 for an SBR took only three days to approve.

Another SCAR attribute — whether it be the small platform 5.56mm, 300 BLK, or its bigger brother, the 17 series — is its inherent downrange precision. The 15P did its best work with Sig Sauer 205 grain Tipped Duty Subsonic, printing this 0.75” five-shot group at 50 yards.

Equipped with an RDS, suppressed if you can, pretty much anyone in the family can put the SCAR 15P to work in the home; light, soft shooting, and maneuverable, this platform is an outstanding choice. If more energy is needed, drop in supersonic ammunition, and you have a very solid 100-meter defensive firearm.

Final Thoughts

Having been an avid SCAR fan since its introduction, this was a fun pistol for me to test. If you, too, are a hardcore SCAR fan, this is the ticket for a short-barreled version without the NFA stamp or as an ideal starting point for an SBR. With a retail of $3699.00, it is certainly at the higher end of the pistol/carbine price scale, but honestly, everything is getting pretty pricey these days. This SCAR 15P proved to be as reliable as the rest of the SCAR family, and other than the plastic brace strut, it’s pretty well-equipped right out of the case. If you are on the lookout for a top-tier 5.56mm or 300 BLK pistol, especially as a SCAR fan, the 15P should be at the top of your list. See it at your nearest FN dealer, or for more information, contact FN America; Tel.: (703) 288-3500; Web: www.fnamerica.com