I love the SCAR. I’m not saying it’s the greatest rifle ever; I’m not even saying it’s better than a quality AR-15. I love the SCAR because of its cultural cache. In my youth, it was the rifle associated with Special Operations. It’s peak GWOT drip. Every video game of the era featured the SCAR. With that in mind, do I like the FN ARKA?
FN’s new ARKA ditches the classic SCAR look. Say what you will about the Ugg boot stock, but I liked it, I liked it a lot. The ARKA is further proof that it all comes back to the world of AR-15s. I’m not a giant AR fanboy who goes to every post out there saying just get an AR, but even I admit it’s the kind.
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It’s lightweight, it’s accurate, it’s endlessly modular, and it works! Every other rifle platform takes a hefty dose of inspiration from the AR-15 and tries to be just a hair better. The original SCAR even copied the ergonomics of the AR lower receiver. The ARKA is taking the AR-15 inspiration and adding a dose of SCAR to it.
This oversimplifies the gun, but the ARKA is an SCAR upper on an AR-15 lower. Is that entirely accurate? No.
Features and Specifications
The ARKA uses a standard AR stock and pistol grip, but doesn’t have the buffer or buffer spring in the receiver extension, so folding stocks are still possible. We still get the SCAR/AR receiver design with ambidextrous controls and a familiar layout.
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The upper houses a short-stroke gas piston system, which the SCAR is known for. The forward charging handle is gone and replaced with an ambidextrous AR-style charging handle. We still have the adjustable gas system taken from the SCAR, and the optic’s rail sits higher than the standard AR-15.
Barrel Lengths and Performance
The ARKA comes in 5.56, and with either a 14.5-inch or 11.25-inch barrel, with handguards to match each barrel length. Will it evolve into other sizes and calibers? Potentially, but as of now, it’s just a 5.56 gun.
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The 11.25-inch version makes sense with a short-stroke gas piston. Short strokes and short barrels are a natural combination. Plus, when suppressed, there is less gas to the face, a cooler internal operating temperature, and a less maintenance-heavy design.
The 14.5-inch version is fine, but it doesn’t seem even remotely necessary. It’s just a front-heavy M4 at some point unless sustained full-auto or over-the-beach capability is part of the mission profile
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With that said, it seems like they figured out reliable short-barreled AR reliability years ago. Plus, adjustable gas blocks can make suppressed short-barreled shooting a lot nicer.
The ARKA – What Else?
The name is odd, but according to FN, it comes from the French word for bow, arc. How the two align, I’m not sure. It’s at least easy to say, and much like SCAR.
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Sadly, as of this writing, the ARKA is intended for military and law enforcement sales rather than sales to the general public. With FN just releasing a SCAR Gen 2, I doubt we’ll see the ARKA on the civilian side anytime soon.