I bought a Scorpion right after they first came into the US in 2016. I shot it, stamped it, spent some money on it (HBI K conversion, trigger, etc), and then didn't shoot it much. Five years later I've decided to turn some attention to it and some issues keep getting under my skin.

This morning I shot 70ish rounds through it just to verify zero while I was at the range with another rifle. I had more ammo, but was frustrated with the gun and just decided to not waste anymore time on it. At the end of the range session the stock pin had worked itself halfway out of the hinge and it had 4 rounds fail to feed on 147gr Lawman. Something that I have seen others have mentioned and I have to agree with, is that the recoil impulse isn't comfortable. No matter where I set the length on the stock it seemed to hit my cheekbone and shoulder in just the right spot to be annoying. I'm not recoil sensitive (old milsurps and 12ga are just fine), but this gun just has a weird punch when I shoot it. After this morning I'm seriously considering pulling it from NFA and selling as a pistol. I'm of the mindset of not throwing money at a problem and cutting my losses in everything else in life. I'm about there now with the Scorpion. Should I give this thing another shot?

Edit to add-
It's not all bad. With the K conversion this thing is tiny for a shoulder fired weapon, PMAGs for the gun are cheap and hold 35 rounds, and I have enough subsonic 9mm to keep it fed. Despite the "good" qualities, I don't know that those can outweigh the bad.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: bryanZ06,

I haven't shot the scorpion, but that was me with my old blowback AR and my Ruger PC Carbine (although the Ruger was at least reliable). I gave up on straight-blowback carbines and built a CMMG RDB gun. Night and day better. I'd ditch the Scorpion and give the CMMG, an MPX, or an MP5 variant a look.

If you decide to go the MP5 route, def get one with a welded optics rail. Otherwise they're a PITA to mount a red dot.

what is the pita on an mp5 in the factory (railess) config? b&t mount and optic and gtg.

I enjoy shooting every rifle I own.

I've neither handled nor shot a Scorpion. Shot a few PCCs here and there. I ended up buying a Wilson Combat 9mm SBR that uses Glock magazines. Great gun, should have bought one sooner.

My Wilson AR9G review

The MP5 route would be fun, and as a child of the 80's it really does speak to me. I shot a full auto version quite a few years ago and really enjoyed it.

Right now selling the Scorpion seems to be the direction that I'm leaning towards. Another stock (ACR or Safety Harbor KES) might fix the problem with a different shape, but there's more money spent on it.

We have had a lot of prior threads about recoil on these 9mm type guns and various arguments on which is the softest shooting. I have probably all of them and none of the recoil impulses bother me, but they clearly do others. And the blow back guns are the worst by every bodies assessment. But there is a massive price gap between the CZ and the best on the recoil front(generally argued as the HK). Like if you bought normally you got the CZ in the $800-900 range and the current rate on the HK SP5 is like $4k. And that $4k doesn't get you a brace or a rail or mags that are 3x the CZ ones. If you think the situation is salvageable with a small accessory change I'd certainly try that. But there are certainly others who have reached the conclusion they can't stand it and moved on.

I don't like my Steyr RFR 22lr rifle, but like their "traditional" bolt action rifles.

However, I love my CZ Scorpion. I recently put together an AR 9mm build (as I spent my younger years living with an M16) but for now, I currently prefer the CZ.

I guess God made us all different to keep it interesting.

You shouldn't have any troubles unloading it right now and trying something else.

If you hate it, sell it. The market is decent for that right now.

I have a micro and SBR’d it and put a Manticore Tactical collapsible stock and I love the thing. But everyone is built different so we all feel guns a little different than everyone else. If I hated mine I’d absolutely sell it though.

Spent a month riding the fence on the CZ or a AK-V. Bought the AK-V and have not looked back!

Ruger 10/22.
Just meh. I’ll take all my tube fed .22s over the Ruger any day.
Got one because they were cheap and everyone raves about them.
Meh!

quote:

Originally posted by hrcjon:
We have had a lot of prior threads about recoil on these 9mm type guns and various arguments on which is the softest shooting. I have probably all of them and none of the recoil impulses bother me, but they clearly do others. And the blow back guns are the worst by every bodies assessment. But there is a massive price gap between the CZ and the best on the recoil front(generally argued as the HK). Like if you bought normally you got the CZ in the $800-900 range and the current rate on the HK SP5 is like $4k. And that $4k doesn't get you a brace or a rail or mags that are 3x the CZ ones. If you think the situation is salvageable with a small accessory change I'd certainly try that. But there are certainly others who have reached the conclusion they can't stand it and moved on.

I'm definitely not going to buy an SP5 at current pricing. At $4k I'd be looking for a 553 from JDI. If I sell it I'm content to wait things out. The current situation with prices being through the roof and inventory being non-existent on everything is what had me taking a new interest in it.

Considering my options, I guess I should do some research on the Dan Haga/ACR or a Lage folding stock setup to see if that might be a fix. Since it is an NFA gun I'm giving it a little more of a chance than I would otherwise.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: bryanZ06,

Try a reptilia stock, it’s an adapter and a Zhukov stock blended together. You can find black ones for $150 or so and FDE for I think $165 from their site. It has a higher cheek piece And more inline stock position and thicker buttpad and I find it a lot more comfortable than the factory stock.

It’s not going to turn it into an Mp5 but it’s worth trying if it makes the gun more fun to shoot,and if it’s stamped already you don’t have to use a tailhook brace on it or any of that sort of thing.

With some time to think it over, I think my issue is that my cheek falls on the stock right at the angle in the factory stock. I’m going give one of the straight across the top stocks a shot. The Reptilia Link mentioned above looks like it might be the ticket.

I bought one in 2016 as well and did not really care for it. It looked cool and shot accurately and without any issues, it it just wasn't for me. I didn't care for the breakdown process nor the recoil. I traded it for a Sig MPX that I've been much happier with

Reptilia Link is on the way. I’ll post an update once it comes in and I have a chance to get to the range.

quote:

Originally posted by bryanZ06:
I bought a Scorpion right after they first came into the US in 2016. I shot it, stamped it, spent some money on it (HBI K conversion, trigger, etc), and then didn't shoot it much. Five years later I've decided to turn some attention to it and some issues keep getting under my skin.

My journey with the Scorpion kinda mirrors yours "I shot it, stamped it, spent some money on it" but I didn't do a K conversion, I actually added the carbine hand guard to cover my suppressor.
Mine had also been sitting in the safe for a while and I guess I forgot how "jarring" that heavy bolt makes it. I probably should have taken it out again before I put a Franklin Armory Binary Trigger in it, which multiplied the uncomfortable recoil.
Funny thing is I don't remember it being bothersome to begin with ... but maybe it was a subconscious thing.

I have to say, my MP5 clones are all a lot smoother and with what I now have invested the Scorpion I could have bought SiG MPX ... of course not at today's prices, but a year and a half ago.

I've had several stocks on mine as I had my stamp long before I got a factory 922r kit. In that time and while it wasn't called the "Reptilia" I'm pretty sure I had a Zhukov on it at one time ... I guess I'll have to go look through my box of extra's ... I'd hate to spend another $150+ on a stock I've already tried, but then the big draw for me on the 922r kit is that the stock was designed for it and many of the other aftermarket stocks are just lacking ... something.

The Marlin levers with the impossible to load sidegate

quote:

Originally posted by bryanZ06:
I bought a Scorpion right after they first came into the US in 2016. I shot it, stamped it, spent some money on it…

…After this morning I'm seriously considering pulling it from NFA and selling as a pistol.

Wow!

I had a similar beginning, but different ending to my story.

Bought the Scorpion EVO 3 S1 right after they first came into the US in 2016.
I stamped it, shot it, spent some money on it (but not that much)…

…After this morning I still love it.
Very fun gun to shoot.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: kimber1911,

Yes, though honestly I'm not sure about my amount of actual "want" in trying to like it.

It's the 10/22 that was cited earlier by another member. I have two, neither of which I bought. Both were given to me by Ruger as rewards guns for pimping the hell out of their product over a couple of calendar years' worth of sales. So right away I had zero personal resources tied to acquiring either gun. In essence they weren't 'want' guns; they were 'I have to choose something' guns. Bad omen right there.

They shoot well enough, but little flaws and manufacturing quirks really dampen any possibility for enthusiasm, at least for me. Middling assembly quality at best; one has a sticky mag release mechanism, #2 OTOH has a balky bolt hold-open and seriously crookedly mounted sights (the sights on the one with the sticky mag release is only mildly crooked). #1's takedown mechanism is also a bit more abrasive in operation; not sure it's really a function/operation demerit, but it does add to the feeling of cheapness and chintzy.

The other thing that didn't help were the other 22 rifles that I already owned. I infinitely prefer bolt 22s over semi-autos. And when it does come down to semis, I would always choose my Browning SA-22, CZ 512 (since moved on) or even my M&P 15-22 (also moved on from as well). Funny how I decided to part ways with two that I liked but kept the very Rugers that I really have no real attachment to or desire for.

That said, my nephews loved the heck out of using them when they were younger lads. Subconsciously (or maybe not) it's likely why I kept them. I'll more than likely give one to each of them at some point, since they appreciated them far more than I ever have.