[N9149U]

I read that the .mil had contracts for 16's & 17's and cancelled the 16 contract in part because the 17 can be converted to a 16. How is that done? The magwell would seem to be a problem?

 

[SeaMac]

Not knowing for certain, but I would think FN developed a mag well adapter for the conversion kit. I have search the interwebs and found very little on the subject.

 

[Yewtaw Kid]

This from another post. Thanks Cetane! They use a different trigger module

 

[Fnpurist]

yea I think there is a piece of polymer that goes in the back of the magwell. In the scars in the war on terror thread there was a pic recently of one

 

[Fnpurist]

yetaw beat me to it

 

[SeaMac]

That looks like a Mk16 CQB w/10" bbl not Mk17 CQB w/13" bbl but I can see an additional piece of polymer in the forward trigger area.

This from another post. Thanks Cetane! They use a different trigger module

 

[Yewtaw Kid]

That looks like a Mk16 CQB w/10" bbl not Mk17 CQB w/13" bbl but I can see an additional piece of polymer in the forward trigger area.

From Cetane "The length of the ejection port. The 5.56 is way smaller than the .308. The distance from trigger to mag hole. And the extra piece of plastic in the trigger hole"

 

[N9149U]

The 16 was cancelled because it didnt provide a significant improvement over the M4 for the money. SOCOM gets M4s for free from the Army. No reason to spend its own $, especially now that its budget crunch time.
Rick

My personal sentiment as well about the 16. I have enough AR's.

 

[SeaMac]

The only difference I can see is the extra plastic but it makes sense, thanks.

From Cetane "The length of the ejection port. The 5.56 is way smaller than the .308. The distance from trigger to mag hole. And the extra piece of plastic in the trigger hole"

 

[Talhoffer]

I read that the .mil had contracts for 16's & 17's and cancelled the 16 contract in part because the 17 can be converted to a 16. How is that done? The magwell would seem to be a problem?

To convert the MK17 to 5.56mm it consists of a kit, this is what the kit contains.

Kit, Conversion, 5.56 mm, MK 17 MOD 0
1 Unique 5.56 mm Conversion Bolt Carrier
2 Drive Rod Index
3 Unique 5.56 mm Conversion Return Spring
Assembly
4 MK 16 MOD 0 Bolt Assembly
5 Unique 5.56 mm Conversion Firing Pin
6 Unique 5.56 mm Conversion Trigger Module
7 Magazine, 30 round, 5.56 mm, MK 16 MOD 0

 

[SeaMac]

Certainly not a simple conversion is it? Thanks for the clarification Tal!

To convert the MK17 to 5.56mm it consists of a kit, this is what the kit contains.

Kit, Conversion, 5.56 mm, MK 17 MOD 0
1 Unique 5.56 mm Conversion Bolt Carrier
2 Drive Rod Index
3 Unique 5.56 mm Conversion Return Spring
Assembly
4 MK 16 MOD 0 Bolt Assembly
5 Unique 5.56 mm Conversion Firing Pin
6 Unique 5.56 mm Conversion Trigger Module
7 Magazine, 30 round, 5.56 mm, MK 16 MOD 0

 

[Brady]

To convert the MK17 to 5.56mm it consists of a kit, this is what the kit contains.

Kit, Conversion, 5.56 mm, MK 17 MOD 0
1 Unique 5.56 mm Conversion Bolt Carrier
2 Drive Rod Index
3 Unique 5.56 mm Conversion Return Spring
Assembly
4 MK 16 MOD 0 Bolt Assembly
5 Unique 5.56 mm Conversion Firing Pin
6 Unique 5.56 mm Conversion Trigger Module
7 Magazine, 30 round, 5.56 mm, MK 16 MOD 0

I wonder how much that costs them vs a complete Mk16.

 

[N9149U]

Certainly not a simple conversion is it? Thanks for the clarification Tal!

Or practical IMO. I didn't understand it when I read it and still don't.

 

[infidel/crusader]

Would still love to have that conversion kit.

 

[Fourth Horseman]

Would still love to have that conversion kit.

Maybe for the gee-wiz factor, but I'm not giving up my 16S until they pry it from my dead hands.

 

[goretro77]

Maybe for the gee-wiz factor, but I'm not giving up my 16S until they pry it from my dead hands.

Yes, I love my 16S.
Love my 17S but the 16S is no slouch, its a fine firearm and to me its way better than any AR just based on the layout of the weapon's controls.

 

[Cadpack]

The 16 was cancelled because it didnt provide a significant improvement over the M4 for the money. SOCOM gets M4s for free from the Army. No reason to spend its own $, especially now that its budget crunch time.

A rifle could be 2x better and half the cost and they could still say it didn't provide enough improvement over the M4... "for the money". Which is exactly what SOCOM's PR did by saying it was "limited funds" without explaining the 15% budget cut and personnel increase that were approved in 2009.

Doesn't make sense for SOCOM to set the requirements, approve the entire family including the Mk16 a few months before and then turn around and say it wasn't better than an M4. But politics tends to worm its way even into the military and its easier to phrase it so people who don't know the details will blame FN. Meanwhile FN can protest but will back down because anything that puts the blame back on SOCOM would jeapordize the contract.

 

[Hellfire]

I wonder how much that costs them vs a complete Mk16.

Probably costs more with government pricing.

 

[redleg155]

I have Scar17 to 16 conversions in stock. Price $2400. Probably far less than the guvmint pays. Plus my conversion kit is simpler as it only contains one part.

1. Scar 16 rifle w/magazine.

Step one. Remove rail panels from Scar 17. Place them on new Scar 16. Conversion complete.

 

[scarfaceman]

I have Scar17 to 16 conversions in stock. Price $2400. Probably far less than the guvmint pays. Plus my conversion kit is simpler as it only contains one part.

1. Scar 16 rifle w/magazine.

Step one. Remove rail panels from Scar 17. Place them on new Scar 16. Conversion complete.

I like your quick conversion. Still curious what the ccost savings are doing it the hard way. Unless savings are over $1500, I would prefer to have two ready weapons instead of one with a kit. Unless of course you are on a mitsry mission needing to carry less weight.