I have two 416's assigned to me. I have a 10in and a 14.5 inch. They both run like a dream.
I went to Germany for the HK armorers course reciently and during the 416 class I admitted that it was the first time that I had taken the handguard off of a 416. I had been issued my 10 inch 10 months prior and the gas piston system is under the hand guards.... so I had NEVER cleaned my operating system!
I did not purposefully ignore it, I guess it was just muscle memory from the M-4A1 and NOT removing the RIS/RAS.
So I had fired thousands of rounds (5-10,000) and deployed to sandy places twice in 10 months and the only stoppages that I ever had on my weapon were magazine related.
Reaper, REF the 417: You are correct that current PROTOTYPES that are hand built are STUPID expensive! Each of these weapons is hand made to ensure the capability of redesigning the production line if any major ergonomic issues arise during developmental testing with the selected users.
Once that gun goes into full production, we are thinking that it will be only 20-30% of the cost of the weapon now.
My last MK-11 from Crane cost me $10,000.00 anyway, so what is really expensive?!
Ah Reed Knight and KAC...... we could talk for days, but in the end the conventional boys have no SASS capability currently and despite the XM-110's "issues" I believe that it will eventually work itself out. I hope that soldiers don't have to die to make that happen.
SCAR: I have friends and former co-workers that shot it at the down select for Crane. They said that it was the ONLY game in town (there was no HK submission). I was on the phone daily with them while they were in Cali for the "over the beach BS" and they continued to praise the "gun that was running circles around everything else out here". They could not tell me which gun it was but they said that from the first day that they started shooting that there was a single weapon that stood out above the rest.
I concur with the "manprint" (ergonomics) issues of the SCAR but much like the AK-47.....that bitch will run for days.
Good discussion guys. Thanks for letting me play.