I really don't like the idea of losing the ability to use factory mags, let along using non-standard mags...so I'd say no.

I realize that most people in Washington don't understand the situation enough to contemplate what is going to happen. Effective July 1 for me to buy a SCAR 17 (new or used, out of state or in state) I have to take a class to buy the gun, have it registered, and have an "enhanced" background check full meaning TBD at this date.

I have a SCAR 17. I love it. I have plenty of magazines for it.

I want to get another EAR (evil assault rifle) before July 1 and buying a new SCAR isn't in the cards. A .308 AR lower is in the cards. I have plenty of .223 stuff that I'm shedding in my conversion to .308 to cover a Handl lower.

So, my question is to anyone who has done the conversion, did they like/regret it? Remember I've decided that my options are SCAR 17 and .308 AR and two different mag sets OR SCAR 17 and .308 AR with one mag set and want to know from people who've done this whether its worked for them (or not).

If I had the money I'd get a second SCAR and be all SCAR all the time. I don't. I could also suck it up at wait to see what happens to the law in a few years. I don't particularly feel like doing that at this moment. Selling my SCAR isn't what I want (worst case I just have two different mag systems for my .308 rifles).

What I plan on doing is buying the .308 lower and having the Sigforum brain trust advise me about HANDL/Stryker adapters members have had experience with. I appreciate all the responses but like Smudge says, we are going to bend over in July and I'm not going to take it. I'm thinking about all my options and making lemonade as best I can.

Thanks everyone, and anyone with an SCAR adapter, please let me know what your thoughts are!

I think the big question is, if you already have plenty of SCAR mags, why buy a SR25 compatible mag for the SCAR? What is the issue with having two sets of mags if you now also buy a .308 lower and SR25 mags? Is there a limit on the total number of mags that you can have?

Another issue to consider is, what do you intend to do with the SCAR mags if you buy a Handl lower? If you buy a Handl lower as well as all of the complete parts to finish it so that you can just swap lowers, that’s pretty expensive. If you just buy the Handl lower and have to swap over all of the parts, you probably won’t be swapping all of that parts back and forth, so either the factory lower or the Handl lower will mostly sit gathering dust.

I think the issue people have a hard time figuring out is what is the real advantage of getting a Handl lower, other than the concept of one set of mags for all of your .308s? If you already have enough mags for the SCAR, why spend any more money on it? I’d be spending the money on other .308 lowers and associated mags.

Look at it another way. Say you have a SCAR and 10 SCAR mags. You buy a .308 AR lower and 10 SR25 mags.

Do nothing else, and you have two guns with 10 mags each that can’t be interchanged.

Buy a Handl lower, and you have the possibility of 20 mags for the SCAR (you’ll have to have a complete lower or swap parts), but you still only have 10 mags for the .308 AR.

It’s not that people don’t understand how you guys in WA are getting screwed, it’s not understanding this plan would buy you anything that’s worth the cost.

I'd put up with two mags and just get your 308 lower and build off it. Those SCAR sr25 lowers seem like such a waste.

I would not switch to the Handl lower. Since you are going to be "stuck" with your current firearms for a long time, think about your long term service/support structure to keep them running.

In the highly unlikely event that your currently unmodified SCAR breaks or malfunctions, you can send it back to FN and they will address it. FN as a company isn't going anywhere.

If you put the Handl lower on it, who will you send it to? FN won't touch it with the Handl lower. I wouldn't trust Handl to be around in 5+ more years, and even if they would try to help you out I wouldn't trust sending them my rifle to diagnose a problem anyway.

I don't see what sharing mags really saves you, especially when you think about the risk it imposes to keeping your 17S running in the long term, since the aftermarket lower comes at the price of lost FN factory support.

If I were in your shoes I would:
Keep the stock SCAR lower
Purchase a few more OEM 17S mags if needed
Purchase .308 AR10 lower
Purchase SR25 mags for that lower

I would also strongly consider keeping an AR15 lower and associated .223/5.56 mags. AR15 lowers and mags are very cheap right now, so you likely won't make much money selling, and you never know when you may want or need a 5.56 based rifle in the future.

Personally I think having a bunch of FN mags is better than the cross compatibility. Unless your sitting on 50 AR10 mags that is.

So, dumb question here: If your local funstore has a layaway program, what is the date of purchase? Do you do the 4473 when you initiate the purchase or when the layaway is complete?

If the date is at the beginning (and it probably isn't) then maybe you could swing the gun and show it "purchased" before the july 1 date.

Sorry, I don't have info on the adapter, I went with AR 10's

Mark

quote:

Originally posted by Brett B:
I would not switch to the Handl lower. Since you are going to be "stuck" with your current firearms for a long time, think about your long term service/support structure to keep them running.

If I needed the service I would just switch back to stock. The "lower" isn't the firearm for a SCAR.

But I appreciate the replies. The consensus is that magazine compatibility isn't that big a thing that I appreciate the thoughts that. That makes be feel better about this.

If anyone has a different opinion I'd love to hear it.

I can't speak for the stupidity of this recent law, but given what you have outlined I would spend every available dollar on actual firearms. A handl lower is in general the same price as 5-8 ar lowers. Maybe 2-4 for AR10 lowers. The unregistered parts don't seem to be a problem under this new law, so why expend max funds on them at this point?

Yeah, I agree with hrcjon. Get weapons, in this case AR lowers of some variety. S&W makes a pretty good AR10 and has a good warranty.

Then again I did this before the 2016 election, expected to get raped by the Leftists when HRC took office. Glocks and AR15s and a lot of magazines and ammo.

RHINOWSO stand by, eventually any inventory of guns, mags and ammo will pay off. I learned my lesson in the 1994 ban. I was shooting competitively then and the rules had not yet been adjusted to deal with the 10 rd. limit. SO I really, really needed a full size G17 mag. Was $130. Of course $19 today. But eventually...

quote:

Originally posted by mark_a:
So, dumb question here: If your local funstore has a layaway program, what is the date of purchase? Do you do the 4473 when you initiate the purchase or when the layaway is complete?

If the date is at the beginning (and it probably isn't) then maybe you could swing the gun and show it "purchased" before the july 1 date.

It's something I'm looking into also. Supposedly, legally, it's July 1st. I sort of assume it's going to be anything at all between here and then, honestly, but I'm going to have to take them at their word. *sigh*

Lowsmith, whatever you end up doing, good luck on all of it, man.

Thanks Smudge!

Along the lines of get what you can now I got a 9mm AR lower and a AR-15 lower that I'm going to make into pistols with braces (.300 BO for the AR-15). Because, well, fuck them. I'll get the .308 AR too. And maybe a second AR 9mm lower and 10/22. Because everyone knows the real carnage inflicted by 10/22s every day.

Yeah, that's another one I need to snag that somehow just has never made it into my collection is a 10/22. I know, heresy, lol. But yeah, a 10/22 "assault rifle" and probably one of the new Ruger PC carbines because Glock mags. Also looking at maybe a Kel-Tec Sub2000 for the same reason. Anything that feeds from a USGI NATO magazine or a Glock 9mm mag, I'm taking a look at. A few piles of mags and the ammo to keep them going and that's going to have to be that for me.

In this situation, you need to do weapons & magazines simultaneously, but don't neglect ammo (and then spare parts).

After weapons and mags restrictions, ammo is the next chokepoint in the gun control nuts playbook, especially if their weapon / mag play has failed, been overturned on appeal, or is shockingly ineffective at curbing 'violence'.

My general recommendation is buy a case of something each month (in addition to what you shoot, so your stash is always growing.) 9MM, 556, 22LR, 12ga, whatever. If that is too much for you, do it quarterly so the bulk purchase saves money with cheaper shipping.

quote:

Originally posted by Dwill104:
What’s the Handl lower cost v.s. how many SCAR 17 factory mags, that are KNOWN to work, can you buy for that cost? In addition to the cost of the lower, you have to transfer all of the lower parts over from the factory lower, unless you pay more to get a Handl with a full set of internals. Just doesn’t make economic sense to me.

The concept of SR-25 mag lowers started, and took off, in the early days when factory Scar 17 mags were scarce and at least $75 a pop when you could find them. Now, they are easy to find for $40 each, or lower. What benefit are you looking to get using a Handl lower instead of the factory SCAR lower?

I have to agree with the above. By theme you pay for the new lower you can buy a lifetime supply of SCAR magazines.