HK 416, kinda heavy

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goggles_pizzano

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I was fondeling one of these at a shop on the weekend. Seems like a nice piece of kit, if a bit too pricey. But, why is it so damn heavy? Is that the piston upper? Or is it just built like a 1989 300E Mercedes, aka, the Panzer Tank.
 
I handled a 416 that the SQ tactic team has and it didn't find it all that heavy. Rather well balanced. But it does have quite a bit more metal then a standard M4. Rail, piston system.
 
It's mainly the barrel profile.

Oh all of these new designs, the SCARs have the best barrel profile when it comes to weight. A 16" SCAR is better balanced than a 10.5" 416.
 
vagrant said:
a combination of the full rail system and piston assembly makes it heavier
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I'm sorry, but that is a moot point. A piston assembly does not add significant weight to the upper, just like the carbon build-up in a direct impingement upper does not add significant weight. The premise that piston uppers are heavier is because of the piston assembly is complete and utter bullocks.
 
It's not bollocks, it does depend on what type of piston it has as to whether it's a problem though. One of the reasons AR-15s are so good for target shooting is the lack of a gas piston moving above the barrel, plus the additional mass gives you more recoil, depending on design.

This is why I like the Para TTR/Z-M system because it still uses direct gas impingement and they've chopped the back half off the carrier to keep the mass the same. So it solves the problem of carbon build-up in the upper without negatively affecting the other characteristics of the rifle.

Also I think the FN SCAR could well be the most overrated rifle in history, I can understand why you might want one as a collector but if you're buying it to shoot it, try one first. They just aren't that special.
 
My old 10" 416 upper was definitely a beast. Very heavy for such a short carbine. Easily comparable to a 16" 6920.

This weight was directly attributed to the barrel profile, piston and the quad rail.

Even now my 16" DI carbine with a DD RIS rail seems lighter.

Add to that a light...maybe a VG, some optics and BUIS and you have a hefty little gun.

Weight was a contributing factor for selling it.

HK-1.jpg
 
so where can u buy one of these bad boys, and also, just out of n00b curiosity, could i just buy an upper, fit it onto a lover receiver of some other make and have it work just as well or am i limited to shelling out 4K for the entire thing because as much of a kit monkey i am, that's really REALLY steep.
 
JTF said:
so where can u buy one of these bad boys, and also, just out of n00b curiosity, could i just buy an upper, fit it onto a lover receiver of some other make and have it work just as well or am i limited to shelling out 4K for the entire thing because as much of a kit monkey i am, that's really REALLY steep.
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The HK416 uppers are fairly rare, but one or two do occasionally surface in any given year. But to answer your question, yes - with the HK416 you can fit it onto any lower. Expect to shell out upwards of $6k plus your lower build (by comparison, the HK MR223 is a bargain at $4k for the entire unit).
 
JTF said:
so where can u buy one of these bad boys, and also, just out of n00b curiosity, could i just buy an upper, fit it onto a lover receiver of some other make and have it work just as well or am i limited to shelling out 4K for the entire thing because as much of a kit monkey i am, that's really REALLY steep.
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The MR223 upper is NOT compatible with any AR15 lower. The holes are in different places, so they wont align.

The HK416 upper will fit onto a normal Mil-spec AR15 lower, HOWEVER, in Canada, these are even more rare and probably more expensive than the MR223 is.

You have to buy the whole gun.... For that much money, do yourself a favor and buy a SIG, or even a Robarms XCR + ammo and optics, or something.

ETA

beat by blaxsun
 
F22_RaptoR said:
The MR223 upper is NOT compatible with any AR15 lower. The holes are in different places, so they wont align.
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Yes, although when I compared them the front pin was the same; only the rear was offset. Not that it makes a difference: standard AR lowers will not work on the HK MR223. Honestly, though - you're getting an HK lower with the HK MR223 - so you'd be hard pressed to find another lower with the same build quality (with maybe 1 or 2 exceptions).

You have to buy the whole gun.... For that much money, do yourself a favor and buy a SIG, or even a Robarms XCR + ammo and optics, or something.
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For the same money I'd buy an HK MR223 over a Swiss Arms; the Robarms XCR is in a different class altogether (in terms of price and build), although I've recently read a lot of good reviews and feedback on it.

beat by blaxsun
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:)
 
To confuse the situation even more there's a MR556 and MR556A1. Apparently the MR556A1 is compatible with standard AR lowers.

I don't think people should expect to save much money from the American assembled guns.
 
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