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Thread: The Robinson Armament XCR-M, SCAR Killer?

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    Business Member Rep Wolverine .303's Avatar
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    The Robinson Armament XCR-M, SCAR Killer?

    A Nifty article out of the US regarding the well known ( in Canada anyway! ) Robinson Armament XCR-M platform! Take a read and let us know what ya think!

    Link to the article --> https://gatdaily.com/the-robinson-ar...eid=540811a4b7


    The Robinson Armament XCR-M, Part 1. SCAR Killer?


    As we mature we tend to make better informed life decisions. We base them more on sound research instead of spur of the moment feelings. This shows true in my search for the ultimate 308 rifle. Several years ago I was asked “If I could only have one gun what would I choose?”

    It took me a while to come up with my answer. Being a Glock fan boy, most would assume I would choose a Glock, however they would be wrong.

    My choice was the SCAR 17. Why the SCAR 17? It has the capability to handle up close situations, and still take game at long distances. It is light, very maneuverable and it is chambered in the very available .308WIN


    If you asked me that same question today my answer would be a little different. Since I was a kid I have been interested in long range shooting. I spent summers with my grandfather. We went shooting at least once every week. His friends would have him load up some rounds for their guns, we would take them to the range where I would shoot them. Grandpa and I would go back to the reloading bench, tweak the load and head back to the range for more trigger time.

    I became obsessed with accuracy at long distance. I am a highly competitive person and thought maybe I could test my skills against others. I started looking into the Professional Rifle Series. I tinkered with building a couple rifles. I built a rifle for a friend out of a Remington 700 action that could equal any other competitors rifle. For my own personal use I struggled with what I should build for myself to compete with.

    A few months ago a close friend suggested I should take a look at what Robinson Armament Co has to offer. I had never heard of them, so I checked all of my local gun stores. No one carried their rifles. While at the range I took note of what others were shooting, no Robinson Armament. I asked my buddy again if he was sure it was Robinson Armament he was referring me to.

    He pointed me to the internet and explained they had built a rifle for the military’s modular rifle competition that resulted in the SCAR. I had a computer in front of me, so I wasted no time drooling over the options Robinson Armament’s website offered.

    Robinson Armament is a small firearms manufacturer based in Utah . They have a handful of dealers around the country, but after shopping on their website I realized it would be easier to order what I want directly from them.

    I am glad the more mature me was placing the order, so I could get exactly what I needed. Taking a look through their website I was able to build my rifle without any hassle. I choose it chambered in .308 win, barrel length 18.6″ heavy profile, and an olive drab and black finish.

    While waiting for my rifle to arrive I watched every video and written review I could find. The reviews were older and pretty mixed. From what I gathered I could expect a rifle that was very capable of shooting a 1” group at 100 yards. One reviewer said it may not like the cheaper ammunition but worked great with most other ammo. Based on the customer service reviews I have no problem spending a few thousand on their rifle sight unseen. Guns are manufactured by machines and humans and it is natural to have a hiccup every now and then. It’s the response of the company that matters most.

    My plan for this rifle was to set it up as a designated marksman rifle capable of engaging various targets out to 800 yards. The Precision Rifle Series has a gas gun series with a tactical division. If this gun can consistently achieve 1″ or better groups at 100 yards, I will put it to the test on the competition circuit. Looking through the equipment used by the competitors mine would be the only Robinson Arms used in the tactical division. Most of the rifles are GA Precision, Seekins, and a few competitors shoot LWRC, some pretty stiff competition.

    Before I invest in top tier optics, extra mags, ammunition and match fee’s I have some pretty tough tests that I want to run the gun trough. Basically, I want to make sure it would perform accurately and flawlessly in real world conditions, rain, heat, cold, wet, dirty, and dry.

    I have had numerous new firearms, I typically don’t bother with break in procedures, but this gun is different. I want the upmost reliability and accuracy possible. I need it to engage targets at the muzzle and all the way out to 800 yards without the need to take follow-up shots. I also need it to run 200 to 300 shots consistently without being cleaned.

    Everyone you talk to has advice on the best way to break in a barrel. The break-in procedure you want to use depends on the purpose of the gun. Are you building a bench rest gun, a hunting gun, or a designated marksman rifle that must engage multiple targets quickly in any environment? For my break-in procedure I turned to YouTube.

    TiborasaurusRex has an great set of videos on his channel dedicated specifically to long range shooting. He specialized in the type of shooting I will be doing. He consistently gets first round hits out to and over 1800 meters. Robinson Arms also has a recommended break-in procedure for the bolt and gas system which will also be adhered to.

    It took about 7 weeks for my Robinson Armament XCR-M to arrive. I wasted no time in picking it up from Southwick’s Guns in Plainwell, MI.Robinson Armament XCR-M The gun came packaged in a hard case. The owner’s manual is a small very detailed book. Before I even touched the rifle I read it in its entirety. I made sure all the parts were there including the 6.5 Creedmoor barrel I ordered just in case I may want to shoot in the open class.

    The first task was to tear down the gun and give it a good cleaning and make sure it was properly lubricated.

    This was the easiest rifle to disassemble. No pushing on the pins like an AR-15, no trying to push in a button while lifting off a cheap metal cover like an AK. No, it was just simply pushing a button. The piston system pulls right out leaving easy access to the chamber. The Robinson XCR-M looks like a cross between an AR-15, AK-47 and an FAL. They took the best parts of each design and put it into this gun.

    The XCR-M is heavier than the SCAR, it is an all metal gun. Solidly built, it has an adjustable length butt stock that locks in place and folds out of the way. The upper is completely one piece so you have plenty of uninterrupted available rail space for whatever optics you choose to install. I ordered mine with the M-LOK upper as I already have several M-LOK accessories.

    Not knowing exactly how this gun would perform I was reluctant to put a lot of money into optics and a mount, so I went with an excellent quality scope that I could get my hands on cheap. The SWFA Super Sniper with a fixed 20x magnification. Not ideal for competition due to small field of view but perfect for seeing what accuracy the rifle was capable of. I also installed a Harris bi-pod to keep it steady. The rings I had were not quite tall enough to mount the scope, so I had to go with a riser until my new permanent mount arrived.

    With everything installed this gun looks impressive . It feels like you’re looking at a Ferrari. Sleek, smooth, and ready to do work. I think I could stare at it all day.

    I picked up several different brands of ammunition to test. A good friend and competitive shooter Ben Harrington gave me a couple boxes of ammo, a shooting mat, and the shooting bags he used in competition. Ben has competed in the long-range precision discipline and has since moved on to tearing it up in the pistol shooting world. His tips and equipment will make it easier to get the best possible groups that my Robinson Armament XCR-M is capable of.

    My first impressions… this gun is AWESOME. It feels good, the bolt is the smoothest I have ever felt on a semi auto, it has a long sleek profile, easy to clean and it fits me like a glove. Now the only question is how does it shoot? Will it meet my expectations? Is it worth the money? We will find out soon.


    - .303
    Phone: (204) 748-2454
    E-mail: sales@wolverinesupplies.com
    www.wolverinesupplies.com

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    CGN Ultra frequent flyer Mark-II's Avatar
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    The AR-15 is difficult to disassemble?

    Glock fanboys.....

    the 'how it shoots' part is the best question left unanswered, however
    Schrödinger's Gat - The logical paradox which posits that a firearm, stored safe in the home, is at the same time On The Streets

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    Business Member Rep Wolverine .303's Avatar
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    Is it though......



    Robinson Armament XCR-M Part 2: Zeroed In.

    XCR-M Break In Procedure
    Depending on who you talk to, using the proper break in procedure will greatly increase the accuracy of your firearm. There is a little controversy about the “proper” break in procedure one should use.

    Basically it comes down to how you want to use your gun. My plan for the Robinson Armament XCR-M is to make accurate shots at various distances without needing to constantly clean it between shots. I need it to maintain optimum accuracy for 175 to 200 rounds. For this type of shooting the Cu Equilibrium or Copper equilibrium procedure makes the most sense.

    Copper Equilibrium

    To achieve Cu equilibrium you fire single shots with a cleaning between each shot for the first five rounds. When I say clean I mean only removing the carbon. I do not use a copper solvent during this procedure. We repeat but only cleaning after every 5 shots. I do that 6 times. Now we bump it to 10 shots between cleaning for 8 repetitions. Finally cleaning after 15 shots for 3 repetitions.

    As the copper builds up the shot groups get tighter. you will notice the group size and bullet speed stabilize. This is called the sweet spot and the best time to find what ammunition your gun likes best.

    Robinson Armament has their own break in procedures for the XCR-M. The manual says to open the gas system up and fire 40 rounds down range. Not wanting to use my expensive test ammo for the first part of the break in I bought two boxes of Armscor 308 to send down range.

    Timeline
    Day 1 consisted of firing 40 rounds with the gas system opened up. I followed the Cu equilibrium procedure perfectly. I did not use a target as I was not worried about group size. A milk jug at the bottom of the berm sufficed. The XCR-M handled the Armscor very well. Recoil was very manageable even with the gas system opened up.

    Day 2 I concentrated on dialing in the gun, optic, and ammo to get the best groups. I was not quite half way through the Cu equilibrium procedure but decided to use my test ammo anyway. I figured if I got good groups now, they would get even better once I arrived at the sweet spot.

    The plan for testing started with open sights, then through my scope at 25 yards to make sure everything was working properly before hitting the 100 and 200 yard ranges. Next I wanted to shoot several brands of ammo to see what worked the best. The final test was to shoot a group, remove the barrel, re-install the barrel and re-shoot the group.

    The Robinson Armament XCR-M is a modular rifle with the ability to quickly perform caliber changes. I have had rifles in the past (LMT) with this capability and was wondering if the XCR-M would perform as well in this test. Robinson Armament says I should expect the group to move about 1″ right or left after reinstalling the barrel.

    Ammo Testing
    XCR-M groupingI picked up several brands for my testing ammunition because I wanted to see how the rifle would function with a wide variety of rounds. My selection included Remington 168gr Matchking BTHP, Armscor, Hornady Black 168gr A-MAX, Lapua Scenar 155gr HPBT, and some military surplus all chambered in .308 win. I had watched several older reviews and was expecting accuracy to be about 1 minute of angle (moa).

    Day 2 was a perfect day for testing ammo, it was cloudy, cooler, very little wind, and very few people at the range. I set up on the 100 yard range,used a bi-pod, and sandbags to stabilize the rifle. My best groups of the day were with the Lapua 155gr. Not surprising as Lapua brand ammunition is a known precision performer, with a price to match. In my circle of friends very few would be willing to pay $75 to $90 a box for 308 Win. After seeing the results I am definitely considering this round for competition.

    The Lapua loads were averaging 5/8 moa. This impressed, since I expected maybe 3/4 moa at best. I know its match grade ammunition but this in not a bolt gun, it is not a GA Precision or a Seekins Precision Rifle; It is a Robinson Armament XCR-M gas piston gun. It was not just a one group fluke either. I shot 6 groups that consistently averaged 5/8 moa out of an 18.6″ Heavy profile barrel with the Lapua 155gr BTHP ammunition.

    Ammo Performance

    The Hornady, Remington and Armscor performance did not disappoint either. Remington and Hornady both averaged 3/4 moa. Armscor came in 4th with an average of 1 moa. I did not get any group data on the surplus ammo as I had some feeding and extraction issues. I thought it might need to oil the gun a bit, but before I did that I fired some more of the Armscor through it with no feeding issues.

    Robinson Armament says I should have no issues cycling steel or surplus ammo once the rifle is completely broken in. I am not worried as I don’t plan on shooting anything but match grade ammunition.

    Holding Zero
    The next test I wanted to perform was to see how well the gun held its zero after removing and reinstalling the barrel. Robinson Armament says their rifles will maintain accuracy within 1 moa. It took a little effort to remove the barrel the first time as the screw was pretty tight. Once the Allen screw was loosened enough the barrel and gas system slides right out. I slid the 6.5 Creedmoor barrel in its place and torqued the Allen screw to the required specifications.

    The Hornady Match 6.5 Creedmoor gave me even better groups than the Lapua in .308win. I averaged 3/8 moa with the Hornady 6.5 Creedmoor 140gr ELD Match. I only brought one box of ammunition as my main focus was on accuracy of the 308. Next I rapid fired 10 rounds as quickly as I could making sure I saw the cross-hairs on my target between each trigger pull. My rapid fire group opened up to 1.25moa. Not bad for rapid fire shots.

    With barrels swapped again, I shot two groups of Hornady Black 308 to test group shift. Robinson Armament nailed it when they said 1 moa. My groups were exactly 1moa to the left.

    End of Day
    I capped the day off by taking one shot at a 6″ steel target at 200yds. That sweet sound of ringing steel and a quick glace through the spotting scope confirmed that this is my new favorite gun. Dead center hit told me its time to put the gun away. You should always end a shooting session with a positive experience.

    The Robinson Armament XCR-M exceeded all of my expectations on the range. Older reviews had me curious about its capabilities but just like wine gets better with age so does Robinson Armament.

    - .303
    Phone: (204) 748-2454
    E-mail: sales@wolverinesupplies.com
    www.wolverinesupplies.com

  4. #4
    CGN Regular anton520b's Avatar
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    Part 3

    Robinson Armament XCR-M In a Nutshell
    By Mike Westra - September 25, 2018

    As I mentioned in a previous article I had never heard of Robinson Armament before this year. After a little research I am glad I finally got my hands on one. The Robinson Armament XCR was developed in 2006 to meet the requirements of The United States Special Operations Command SCAR Contract. At the time SOCOM wanted a family of Special Operations Forces Combat Assault Rifles, the so-called SCAR, designed around two different calibers but featuring high commonality of parts and identical ergonomics. The winner of that contract went on to be commonly know as the SCAR.

    The XCR is a completely original design. Robinson Armament borrowed ideas from the best rifles and improved on them. The action is a lot like an AK, easy to operate and a very reliable gas piston system. The grip and feed system are very much like the AR-15. If you are used to running an AR-15 or one of its variants magazine changes will be intuitive. Add the quick change barrel and you can have a reliable rifle in a plethora of calibers that seems to conform to you. Speaking of barrels, Robinson armament fired a full power round through a barrel which was obstructed with several squib loads and came out smiling. It can even shoot while full of water.

    Take down is performed by the push of a small button on the upper portion of the receiver. Upon disassembly the first thing you will notice is a very robust three lug bolt and ejector. The barrels are chrome lined and easily swapped out with the turn of just one screw.
    I have AR-15’s, bolt guns and AK-47’s, knowing this my wife asks why I need another rifle. In her mind the XCR can fill the roles of most of my other guns. She is right. If I could only have one gun the XCR-M would be at the top of my list. It is portable and accurate. It is chambered calibers capable of penetrating light masonry, wood, and level 3 body armor. It can be used for hunting, survival, and excels in the designated marksman rifle category which is the role I chose for my XCR.

    The XCR-M is very popular in Canada where it is unrestricted unlike the AR-15. Canadian residents can own and enjoy shooting their XCR’s just like us Americans. The 3-Gun crowd is giving the XCR glowing reviews in reliability. They are saying the XCR is more reliable than the AR-15 platforms being used. My XCR-M will be put to the test in the Precision Rifle Series next year and should yield some pretty impressive results.

    Recent tests at the range proved Robinson Armaments quality and accuracy have only gotten better as the company aged and grew. My best shot groups in .308 win were 5/8moa using factory loaded Lapua Scenar 155gr HPBT. That’s pretty impressive for any gun let alone a semi-auto gas gun. For more information about the range testing see the article titled “Robinson Armament XCR-M: Zeroed In“.

    The Robinson Arms XCR-M weighs between 9 and 10 pounds. That is average for most battle rifles. Take a close look at one and you will see why its in that 9 to 10lb category. The main body of the XCR is one piece aluminium monolithic rail and receiver. The stock is adjustable and fold-able made from aluminum. With a quick turn of the adjustment screw the stock stays in position with no play. The XCR comes standard with flip up sights. I chose to mount a scope on mine as I want expect it to hit targets consistently out to 800m.

    I put the XCR-M up side by side with the FN SCAR 17. Both rifles are chambered in .308win. Coincidentally the FN was the winner of the SOCOM contract. It is lighter than the XCR, has many of the same features, but to me the XCR-M feels more solid. FN used a lot of polymer to keep weight down which I think makes it feel a little cheaper. One of the greatest features of the XCR is its ability to change calibers easily, unlike the FN. The Robinson Armament XCR-M out shot the SCAR on the 100 and 200yd ranges.

    One thing I would like to see improved on the XCR is their options for triggers.
    The standard trigger works and feels great, however in the marksman role I would like to see a lighter, crisper feel to it. Standard AR-15 triggers do not fit the XCR so the only options are to have a gunsmith modify it or send the gun back to Robinson Armament for an upgrade.

    Don’t expect to walk into your local gun shop and put your hands on one. A quick look on their website shows only 21 dealers in the United States. The closet one to me is a 3 1/2 hour drive each way. The best way to experience Robinson Armament is through their website. Robinson Armament makes customizing and purchasing their firearms easy. They make sure yours does not look like every other gun at the range. The process is just like ordering a car online. You pick the color, barrel length, profile and caliber. They also let you pick your muzzle brake, gas system, and whether you want M-LOK or Key Mod for your forearm. Once all of your options have been selected the production process begins.

    Robinson Armament may be the newer kid on the block but they are quickly making a name for themselves. I can’t wait to get my hands on one of their pistols. Now I just have to decide if I want it in 5.56 or .308. They say XCR stands for “eXchangeable Caliber Rifle” After shooting my XCR-M I say it stands for “eXtremely Capable Rifle”.

  5. #5
    CGN Regular anton520b's Avatar
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    I own one and am still excited every time I pull it out of my vault.
    Just like the author of this article stated "I could just look at it all day" lol.
    Get one and you will know what he meant.

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    CGN frequent flyer WeatherdoG's Avatar
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    I have the baby brother in 6.8 with a 5.56 conversion, and I love it. It's a touch on the heavy side, but not out of line with any other heavy barrel rifle.
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    CGN Regular Arm&Gun's Avatar
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    Honestly it's one of my favourite rifles to shoot. Ergs are the best I've seen on any semi auto. As mentioned in the article, the bolt is super slick, and cleaning is among the easiest I've experienced with the simple takedown. While I don't play around with different calibers yet, the option is there. It's still the most fun I have with a .308. I only shoot steel within a few hundred yards, so I can't speak towards any accuracy. But I liked my .308 so much I got a comp length L model in 762x39 as well. My xcr rifles would be the last rifles I would part with.

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    Just a dude up in Canada that likes guns
    Have Faith. Have Freedom. Have Fun.

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    CGN Regular Arm&Gun's Avatar
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    Some XCR-L pics as well. Their tiger stripe cerakote is one of my favourite factory designs.


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    Not the lightest option out there, but the Cadex brake is one of my favourites for aesthetics.
    **the firearm is unloaded and pointed off to my left**
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    Just a dude up in Canada that likes guns
    Have Faith. Have Freedom. Have Fun.

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    CGN Ultra frequent flyer Still alive's Avatar
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    Dang it guys! I was thinking the M was yesterday’s news and seriously considering trading/ selling mine to fund a Stag-10. Now this article’s got me re-considering!

    I have the older version and it weighs like a pig.
    Es wird nie so heiss gegessen, wie es gekocht wird
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    Check out dssbca.com for info on TAC rifle matches in the Lower Mainland and the Fraser Valley.

  10. #10
    CGN Regular anton520b's Avatar
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    Arm&Gun, that is one breathtaking and stunning looker of a firearm, I have held BCL 102, Stag, many AR-10's, none of those come close to XCR platform,
    it disassembles to the firing pin point in about 6 seconds in my hands or even faster with more experienced handlers, the simplest and most robust mechanism
    of all firearms I have ever tried before. It's nice to see people "flocking" towards inferior cheaper designs, let this gem stay in hands of those few in the know, lol.

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