Post by triggs (FAH) on Jun 12, 2010 14:04:34 GMT -5
Vega Force Company FN Herstal SCAR-H
- Real Steel History
- Overview
- Accessories
- Externals review
- Internals review
- Performance
- Final Thoughts and Upgradeability
Real Steel History
Image from www.wikipedia.com all rights reserved
The Special Forces Combat Assault Rifle, or SCAR, is a modular rifle made by Fabrique Nationale de Herstal (FNH) for the U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) to satisfy the requirements of the SCAR competition. This family of rifles consist of two main types. The SCAR-L, for light, is chambered in the 5.56x45mm NATO cartridge and the SCAR-H, for heavy, fires 7.62x51mm NATO. Both are available in Long Barrel and Close Quarters Combat (CQC) variants. The FN SCAR system completed low rate initial production testing in June 2007. After some delays, the first rifles began being issued to operational units in April 2009, and a battalion of the US 75th Ranger Regiment will be the first large unit deployed into combat with 600 of the rifles in 2009. (taken from www.wikipedia.org )
Overview
They say people have mid-life crisis’s. Well I recently had one in airsoft, I simply could not find a rifle I was interested in. As a squad Designated Marksman (DM) or scout sniper I just could not find a rifle that interested me. L96’s, M24’s, I’ve seen them all and never really liked bolt-actions. Then I started seeing the FNH SCAR-L on local fields. I liked the look and feel, and started researching. I found there was a 7.62 SCAR-H style available. So my search commenced for a SCAR-H.
These days the SCAR is becoming more and more commonly manufactured, with companies like DBOY, AGM, Classic Army (CA), ARES, and of course Vega Force Company/GB-Tech (VFC). However, only three of those; CA, ARES, and VFC make SCAR-H’s. Since the CA and VFC are close in price I went with the VFC because of its praises for realism and quality.
Accessories
As far as accessories, VFC USA doesn’t go very far. Both the SCAR-L and SCAR-H include a hard case specifically formed for the SCAR. As you can see there is a lot of space, but not to worry, that space is for additional accessories, such as the newly released EGLM grenade launcher. Unfortunately as stated, it has room, too much room in fact. Upon unpacking and lifting the case I could hear the rifle bouncing around inside. Not something I would want to sling my rifle around in all the time, especially with its price tag.
The only other included accessory is of course the magazine. The magazine itself is a standard high capacity magazine, holding around 450 BB’s. The downside is, both it and the magwell are VFC SCAR-H proprietary. This means CA and ARES SCAR-H magazines will not fit the VFC SCAR-H. Fortunately, there are VFC made 160 round mid capacity magazines available, which is a definitely plus for those that are MILSIM players or just dislike the noise from a high-cap.
Externals review
VFC is considered one of the best manufacturers of AEG externals and the SCAR-H is no exception. The body is flawless and mimics the real FN SCAR-H in almost every way.
While there are quite a few manufacturers of SCAR’s VFC and ARES are the only two to model the Generation 3 model. This is an easily distinguishable feature; On Gen.2 SCAR’s the stock extends three positions, and the cheek rest extends two positions. On the Gen.3 SCAR however, the stock extends six positions, and the cheek rest extends three positions. In addition, the cheek rest is more streamlined, and the stock more curved on the Gen. 3 for comfort.
Dude! No wires! Yup, that’s right, unlike any other AEG SCAR out there the VFC has no wires running to and from the stock. This means nothing can get caught when the stock is in the folded position. And yup that’s right, a SCAR’s stock also folds, allowing for a very short rifle in a Close Quarters Combat (CQC) environment.
Unlike a standard AR the SCAR, per requirements, is completely ambidextrous, meaning it can be used by a right or left hand dominant person. The selector switch, magazine release, and even the charging handle can easily be switched for use with either hand.
I purchased the US version of the VFC so mine did not include the nice aluminum silencer extension or the full trademarks. While this does detract from the full look and value, it’s still an extremely realistic build.
One of the disadvantages to a standard M4 or M16 is the length of the upper rail for the mounting of accessories such as; scopes, aimpoints, AN/PEQ’s, and the like. So when FNH designed the rail system they included a fully railed upper receiver. VFC has done an excellent copy with theirs. Supposedly the upper is made from 6015 milled aluminum; however, testing that can be a real challenge. As far as from just looks, it’s very close, with a very similar colored anodizing, though arguably a bit over bronze colored in certain lighting conditions. The top rail is even numbered on the odd numbers for easy replacing of accessories if stored or taken off. Rail covers are recommended for unused portions as they have extremely sharp corners.
VFC is considered an innovator in features, and this is possibly the most useful and “tacticool” feature of any rifle. Yup, your eyes are not lying to you. The SCAR has a working bolt catch. This can be a nice advantage when trying to adjust the hopup wheel, that and when you smack the release, the aluminum upper makes a very nice, head turning, clank.
Moving up, we come to the barrel. VFC chose to model the CQC variant. Unlike their SCAR-L which comes with both the CQC and standard length barrel, the SCAR-H comes with CQC barrel and a silencer, though it is not included in the US retail release.
One of the other innovations in the VFC SCAR series is the inclusion of a built-in tool stored in the gasblock. The first use of which is a nice hopup adjustment tool. With gloves on, or even with bare fingers, it is difficult to access the hopup, due to the size of the shell ejection port. The tool however, makes it very simple to adjust. The downside is the tool easily slips around in the gasblock housing, and can just as easily fall out while on the field. I found a quick piece of electrical tape or Teflon tape made enough friction to keep it in place. My fears also came true when simply reviewing the rifle. The gasblock contains a small ball bearing and spring that “lock” in the tool, unfortunately I lost those in under 20 minutes, and you can guarantee you will never find them on the field.
The iron sights are faithfully replicated like every other part of the externals. The SCAR-H features front and rear flip-up types and are convenient if you choose to mount any sort of optics, if one fails you can simply take it off and use the Backup Iron Sights (BUIS). As far as clarity for iron sights, I wasn’t a huge fan of the stick type. In CQC it can be a problem when sighting in for close quarters and quick reaction shooting.
Internals review
So, the externals were great, what about the inside? After all looks aren’t going to save you on the field right?
Unfortunately, due to the design of the stock, there’s not much room for a battery. Like all SCAR’s, the VFC SCAR-H is wired to the rear. Simply pop out a locking pin and pull off the stock pad to expose the wires. There’s really not much room inside the stock as stated. My 9.6v 1500mAh was a tight squeeze, and only allowed the use of five of the six positions once installed. I was extremely happy with the fuse as the size is much larger and did not blow on 9.6v like many clone fuses do. As you can see from the picture it’s similar to an automotive fuse, so replacement should be just as easy. My biggest complaint with the stock is simply the design of the cotter pin and stock pad. If you’re doing a quick change on the field, be very careful not to lose the pin or the cotter pin or you will loose the stock pad as well.
The AEG breaks down identical to a real SCAR. Simply unscrew three star screws along either side of the upper receiver, pop out the front pin on the lower receiver, and the barrel and lower assembly slide out, pull straight down on the stock and the stock pulls out, finally simply pull the recoil rod through the hole where the stock was and that’s about all there is to field stripping a SCAR, airsoft or real. Now you remember that gas block tool I mentioned earlier? Well, it also includes the star shaped screwdriver needed. As you can see from the picture below, just pull the hopup adjustment half off and you have the tools needed to breakdown everything on the field.
The front barrel assembly comes apart fairly easily. There are two 1.5mm allen screws on either side of the hopup. Unscrew those and you can slide the assembly out. As you can see the hopup is not a standard M4 hopup, instead it is a VFC SCAR specific variant. Both the VFC SCAR-L and SCAR-H use this design so if it breaks you’re in luck for replacements. The bucking is a generic VFC, and gives excellent accuracy and range. The barrel is also of excellent quality; with the length being around 343mm for the CQC variant, it appears to have a pretty consistent 6.04mm bore, giving the CQC SCAR-H superb range and accuracy for the barrel length.
Pulling out the gearbox is somewhat similar to a standard AR, but also somewhat more difficult. VFC used a standard version two gearbox, even in the larger SCAR-H. The advantage of course is the availability of parts. The downside is, some parts become proprietary as well as the inherent weakness of the version two gearbox design. To pull the gearbox out, take out a screw from the magwell, the motor and grip, and the screw from the rear of the gearbox, and finally disassemble the selector switches. Be very careful not to loose any of the parts. Unlike a typical AR there is no trigger pin, so no need to hammer at the faux one. You are then free to pull the gearbox from the lower body.
I was extremely impressed with the externals. Unfortunately, I cannot say the same of the internals. The motor is of a generic label, in fact it has none. I was extremely disappointed with it, as it fried itself within 400 rounds. Perhaps a lemon, but with the overall internal quality I can’t say I was surprised.
So now we see the heart of the beast. Sadly it’s one of the largest disappointments. As noted because it is a standard version two, upgrades abound for this gearbox. Unfortunately the quality does not. Upon opening the gearbox I was extremely disappointed in what I saw.
I was quite surprised that VFC did not choose to use a high strength SR-25 gearbox, given that the room inside would easily allow for the use of one. The gearbox itself is made of a cast metal and the quality is somewhat questionable itself. The texture is somewhat odd, and unlike any clone or original I’ve seen. From initial impressions it appears to be made from a pressure formed metal powder similar to the process G&G uses in their hopups. Not something that will handle high FPS well, not that that has been a strong point of the version two design anyways.
The gears are VFC’s own self shimming gears. Or rather the spur and sector gear are. The bevel gear is not and the shimming was atrocious, in all honesty the gear flopped around more than most clones I’ve worked on. The other gears turned well, and after a proper shimming, so did the bevel gear.
The spring guide and bushings were a huge letdown. With the quality in externals I much expected to see good quality metal parts in these two crucial areas. Unlike some clones the VFC does not even include a spring guide with a bearing. Instead it’s a sub-par plastic guide with a nut sitting inside, the same kind seen in early Jing Gong (JG) or similar clone models. The bushings are also plastic, something even most clones have moved away from. This definitely areas of improvement upon purchase before use.
Moving to the spring I was generally pleased. The spring was of decent quality, and felt in the range of an M110-M120, though initial FPS tests were low for such a spring.
As seen from the pictures the piston and tappet plate are made from a clear poly carbonate. Without further testing it’s hard to say if they will hold up, but the quality seems to be able to hold up to basic testing. I was pleasantly surprised and pleased to see the removal of the second tooth on the piston. They say it removes stress overall, and while this may or may not be true, the inclusion of such features is at least “cool.” Unfortunately, VFC has again skimped in this area. While the piston head is good quality aluminum, the spacer is plastic, and does not include a bearing.
The cylinder is of decent quality, but is only chrome plated. The cylinder head is made of more plastic, but it did make a good seal. The airnozzle is obviously a proprietary piece. It looks very similar to an M4, except being elongated and almost twice as long. Upon testing everything gave a very consistent, 100% compression, so I was fairly happy in this area.
The wiring was another a huge disappointment. The quality is about the same as any stock clone possibly less, with very thin wiring, 18-20 gauge at best. It works well enough, but definitely an area of improvement if using anything larger than a 9.6v battery.
Performance
FPS: 349FPS~
Range: 130-150ft
As far as performance I was extremely pleased with VFC. The SCAR-H shoots right on my state’s CQC FPS limits. Even with an unpopular low FPS, the SCAR still put rounds downrange with excellent accuracy, more than good enough for woodland combat. The stock tightbore is certainly a contributing factor to the consistency of the rifle.
Final Thoughts and Upgradeability
Overall I was less than impressed with the Vega Force SCAR-H. There’s no denying that VFC makes some of the most beautiful rifles in airsoft, the SCAR-H is no exception. Unfortunately, the cost cutting in the internals ruins a perfect rifle. The VFC is definitely one of the nicest wall hangers, but field worthy, mine was not. I could have certainly gotten a lemon; however, VFC quality control is supposed to be one of the best, and mine was disappointing.
The motor fried in under 400 rounds, the plastic spring guide, cheap piston head spacer, plastic bushings, and questionable quality overall simply do not make the rifle worth the $420+ price tag. Given the chance, I would buy from a different company all together.
Upgradability is somewhat limited in certain areas.
As noted it is a version two box, so almost everything is upgradeable. The only exceptions of course are the trigger and air nozzle. This does limit upgrades however, as you cannot use any sort of bore-up kit for a higher FPS. In theory one might also be able to mount a SR25 gearbox and use a standard M4 airnozzle, but I have yet to test the theory.
Of course external upgrades are endless. The massive amount of rail space means you can mount just about anything. EGLM grenade launchers, AN/PEQ-15 boxes, scopes, aimpoints, etc. will all fit the standard 20mm rail.
Externals Score: 9.5/10
An odd score, but my only gripe was the cheap metal used on the bolt catch wore down very quickly, so every now and then the bolt door can come crashing down on a finger. Otherwise everything is flawless.
Internals Score: 4/10
As noted there were so many cheap areas of the gearbox I can’t give it a score higher than a clone. I’ve honestly seen many clones with better quality and quality control.
Overall Score: 6/10
If you’re looking for a nice looking SCAR-H, the VFC is a good choice. It’s by far one of the most realistic looking of the three available. However, out of the box it’s not that field worthy, and could use upgrades for general use, and outright replacement of crucial parts for any sort of conversions, especially for a high FPS rifle. In the end, for the price I found it to be a disappointment.
- Real Steel History
- Overview
- Accessories
- Externals review
- Internals review
- Performance
- Final Thoughts and Upgradeability
Real Steel History
Image from www.wikipedia.com all rights reserved
The Special Forces Combat Assault Rifle, or SCAR, is a modular rifle made by Fabrique Nationale de Herstal (FNH) for the U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) to satisfy the requirements of the SCAR competition. This family of rifles consist of two main types. The SCAR-L, for light, is chambered in the 5.56x45mm NATO cartridge and the SCAR-H, for heavy, fires 7.62x51mm NATO. Both are available in Long Barrel and Close Quarters Combat (CQC) variants. The FN SCAR system completed low rate initial production testing in June 2007. After some delays, the first rifles began being issued to operational units in April 2009, and a battalion of the US 75th Ranger Regiment will be the first large unit deployed into combat with 600 of the rifles in 2009. (taken from www.wikipedia.org )
Overview
They say people have mid-life crisis’s. Well I recently had one in airsoft, I simply could not find a rifle I was interested in. As a squad Designated Marksman (DM) or scout sniper I just could not find a rifle that interested me. L96’s, M24’s, I’ve seen them all and never really liked bolt-actions. Then I started seeing the FNH SCAR-L on local fields. I liked the look and feel, and started researching. I found there was a 7.62 SCAR-H style available. So my search commenced for a SCAR-H.
These days the SCAR is becoming more and more commonly manufactured, with companies like DBOY, AGM, Classic Army (CA), ARES, and of course Vega Force Company/GB-Tech (VFC). However, only three of those; CA, ARES, and VFC make SCAR-H’s. Since the CA and VFC are close in price I went with the VFC because of its praises for realism and quality.
Accessories
As far as accessories, VFC USA doesn’t go very far. Both the SCAR-L and SCAR-H include a hard case specifically formed for the SCAR. As you can see there is a lot of space, but not to worry, that space is for additional accessories, such as the newly released EGLM grenade launcher. Unfortunately as stated, it has room, too much room in fact. Upon unpacking and lifting the case I could hear the rifle bouncing around inside. Not something I would want to sling my rifle around in all the time, especially with its price tag.
The only other included accessory is of course the magazine. The magazine itself is a standard high capacity magazine, holding around 450 BB’s. The downside is, both it and the magwell are VFC SCAR-H proprietary. This means CA and ARES SCAR-H magazines will not fit the VFC SCAR-H. Fortunately, there are VFC made 160 round mid capacity magazines available, which is a definitely plus for those that are MILSIM players or just dislike the noise from a high-cap.
Externals review
VFC is considered one of the best manufacturers of AEG externals and the SCAR-H is no exception. The body is flawless and mimics the real FN SCAR-H in almost every way.
While there are quite a few manufacturers of SCAR’s VFC and ARES are the only two to model the Generation 3 model. This is an easily distinguishable feature; On Gen.2 SCAR’s the stock extends three positions, and the cheek rest extends two positions. On the Gen.3 SCAR however, the stock extends six positions, and the cheek rest extends three positions. In addition, the cheek rest is more streamlined, and the stock more curved on the Gen. 3 for comfort.
Dude! No wires! Yup, that’s right, unlike any other AEG SCAR out there the VFC has no wires running to and from the stock. This means nothing can get caught when the stock is in the folded position. And yup that’s right, a SCAR’s stock also folds, allowing for a very short rifle in a Close Quarters Combat (CQC) environment.
Unlike a standard AR the SCAR, per requirements, is completely ambidextrous, meaning it can be used by a right or left hand dominant person. The selector switch, magazine release, and even the charging handle can easily be switched for use with either hand.
I purchased the US version of the VFC so mine did not include the nice aluminum silencer extension or the full trademarks. While this does detract from the full look and value, it’s still an extremely realistic build.
One of the disadvantages to a standard M4 or M16 is the length of the upper rail for the mounting of accessories such as; scopes, aimpoints, AN/PEQ’s, and the like. So when FNH designed the rail system they included a fully railed upper receiver. VFC has done an excellent copy with theirs. Supposedly the upper is made from 6015 milled aluminum; however, testing that can be a real challenge. As far as from just looks, it’s very close, with a very similar colored anodizing, though arguably a bit over bronze colored in certain lighting conditions. The top rail is even numbered on the odd numbers for easy replacing of accessories if stored or taken off. Rail covers are recommended for unused portions as they have extremely sharp corners.
VFC is considered an innovator in features, and this is possibly the most useful and “tacticool” feature of any rifle. Yup, your eyes are not lying to you. The SCAR has a working bolt catch. This can be a nice advantage when trying to adjust the hopup wheel, that and when you smack the release, the aluminum upper makes a very nice, head turning, clank.
Moving up, we come to the barrel. VFC chose to model the CQC variant. Unlike their SCAR-L which comes with both the CQC and standard length barrel, the SCAR-H comes with CQC barrel and a silencer, though it is not included in the US retail release.
One of the other innovations in the VFC SCAR series is the inclusion of a built-in tool stored in the gasblock. The first use of which is a nice hopup adjustment tool. With gloves on, or even with bare fingers, it is difficult to access the hopup, due to the size of the shell ejection port. The tool however, makes it very simple to adjust. The downside is the tool easily slips around in the gasblock housing, and can just as easily fall out while on the field. I found a quick piece of electrical tape or Teflon tape made enough friction to keep it in place. My fears also came true when simply reviewing the rifle. The gasblock contains a small ball bearing and spring that “lock” in the tool, unfortunately I lost those in under 20 minutes, and you can guarantee you will never find them on the field.
The iron sights are faithfully replicated like every other part of the externals. The SCAR-H features front and rear flip-up types and are convenient if you choose to mount any sort of optics, if one fails you can simply take it off and use the Backup Iron Sights (BUIS). As far as clarity for iron sights, I wasn’t a huge fan of the stick type. In CQC it can be a problem when sighting in for close quarters and quick reaction shooting.
Internals review
So, the externals were great, what about the inside? After all looks aren’t going to save you on the field right?
Unfortunately, due to the design of the stock, there’s not much room for a battery. Like all SCAR’s, the VFC SCAR-H is wired to the rear. Simply pop out a locking pin and pull off the stock pad to expose the wires. There’s really not much room inside the stock as stated. My 9.6v 1500mAh was a tight squeeze, and only allowed the use of five of the six positions once installed. I was extremely happy with the fuse as the size is much larger and did not blow on 9.6v like many clone fuses do. As you can see from the picture it’s similar to an automotive fuse, so replacement should be just as easy. My biggest complaint with the stock is simply the design of the cotter pin and stock pad. If you’re doing a quick change on the field, be very careful not to lose the pin or the cotter pin or you will loose the stock pad as well.
The AEG breaks down identical to a real SCAR. Simply unscrew three star screws along either side of the upper receiver, pop out the front pin on the lower receiver, and the barrel and lower assembly slide out, pull straight down on the stock and the stock pulls out, finally simply pull the recoil rod through the hole where the stock was and that’s about all there is to field stripping a SCAR, airsoft or real. Now you remember that gas block tool I mentioned earlier? Well, it also includes the star shaped screwdriver needed. As you can see from the picture below, just pull the hopup adjustment half off and you have the tools needed to breakdown everything on the field.
The front barrel assembly comes apart fairly easily. There are two 1.5mm allen screws on either side of the hopup. Unscrew those and you can slide the assembly out. As you can see the hopup is not a standard M4 hopup, instead it is a VFC SCAR specific variant. Both the VFC SCAR-L and SCAR-H use this design so if it breaks you’re in luck for replacements. The bucking is a generic VFC, and gives excellent accuracy and range. The barrel is also of excellent quality; with the length being around 343mm for the CQC variant, it appears to have a pretty consistent 6.04mm bore, giving the CQC SCAR-H superb range and accuracy for the barrel length.
Pulling out the gearbox is somewhat similar to a standard AR, but also somewhat more difficult. VFC used a standard version two gearbox, even in the larger SCAR-H. The advantage of course is the availability of parts. The downside is, some parts become proprietary as well as the inherent weakness of the version two gearbox design. To pull the gearbox out, take out a screw from the magwell, the motor and grip, and the screw from the rear of the gearbox, and finally disassemble the selector switches. Be very careful not to loose any of the parts. Unlike a typical AR there is no trigger pin, so no need to hammer at the faux one. You are then free to pull the gearbox from the lower body.
I was extremely impressed with the externals. Unfortunately, I cannot say the same of the internals. The motor is of a generic label, in fact it has none. I was extremely disappointed with it, as it fried itself within 400 rounds. Perhaps a lemon, but with the overall internal quality I can’t say I was surprised.
So now we see the heart of the beast. Sadly it’s one of the largest disappointments. As noted because it is a standard version two, upgrades abound for this gearbox. Unfortunately the quality does not. Upon opening the gearbox I was extremely disappointed in what I saw.
I was quite surprised that VFC did not choose to use a high strength SR-25 gearbox, given that the room inside would easily allow for the use of one. The gearbox itself is made of a cast metal and the quality is somewhat questionable itself. The texture is somewhat odd, and unlike any clone or original I’ve seen. From initial impressions it appears to be made from a pressure formed metal powder similar to the process G&G uses in their hopups. Not something that will handle high FPS well, not that that has been a strong point of the version two design anyways.
The gears are VFC’s own self shimming gears. Or rather the spur and sector gear are. The bevel gear is not and the shimming was atrocious, in all honesty the gear flopped around more than most clones I’ve worked on. The other gears turned well, and after a proper shimming, so did the bevel gear.
The spring guide and bushings were a huge letdown. With the quality in externals I much expected to see good quality metal parts in these two crucial areas. Unlike some clones the VFC does not even include a spring guide with a bearing. Instead it’s a sub-par plastic guide with a nut sitting inside, the same kind seen in early Jing Gong (JG) or similar clone models. The bushings are also plastic, something even most clones have moved away from. This definitely areas of improvement upon purchase before use.
Moving to the spring I was generally pleased. The spring was of decent quality, and felt in the range of an M110-M120, though initial FPS tests were low for such a spring.
As seen from the pictures the piston and tappet plate are made from a clear poly carbonate. Without further testing it’s hard to say if they will hold up, but the quality seems to be able to hold up to basic testing. I was pleasantly surprised and pleased to see the removal of the second tooth on the piston. They say it removes stress overall, and while this may or may not be true, the inclusion of such features is at least “cool.” Unfortunately, VFC has again skimped in this area. While the piston head is good quality aluminum, the spacer is plastic, and does not include a bearing.
The cylinder is of decent quality, but is only chrome plated. The cylinder head is made of more plastic, but it did make a good seal. The airnozzle is obviously a proprietary piece. It looks very similar to an M4, except being elongated and almost twice as long. Upon testing everything gave a very consistent, 100% compression, so I was fairly happy in this area.
The wiring was another a huge disappointment. The quality is about the same as any stock clone possibly less, with very thin wiring, 18-20 gauge at best. It works well enough, but definitely an area of improvement if using anything larger than a 9.6v battery.
Performance
FPS: 349FPS~
Range: 130-150ft
As far as performance I was extremely pleased with VFC. The SCAR-H shoots right on my state’s CQC FPS limits. Even with an unpopular low FPS, the SCAR still put rounds downrange with excellent accuracy, more than good enough for woodland combat. The stock tightbore is certainly a contributing factor to the consistency of the rifle.
Final Thoughts and Upgradeability
Overall I was less than impressed with the Vega Force SCAR-H. There’s no denying that VFC makes some of the most beautiful rifles in airsoft, the SCAR-H is no exception. Unfortunately, the cost cutting in the internals ruins a perfect rifle. The VFC is definitely one of the nicest wall hangers, but field worthy, mine was not. I could have certainly gotten a lemon; however, VFC quality control is supposed to be one of the best, and mine was disappointing.
The motor fried in under 400 rounds, the plastic spring guide, cheap piston head spacer, plastic bushings, and questionable quality overall simply do not make the rifle worth the $420+ price tag. Given the chance, I would buy from a different company all together.
Upgradability is somewhat limited in certain areas.
As noted it is a version two box, so almost everything is upgradeable. The only exceptions of course are the trigger and air nozzle. This does limit upgrades however, as you cannot use any sort of bore-up kit for a higher FPS. In theory one might also be able to mount a SR25 gearbox and use a standard M4 airnozzle, but I have yet to test the theory.
Of course external upgrades are endless. The massive amount of rail space means you can mount just about anything. EGLM grenade launchers, AN/PEQ-15 boxes, scopes, aimpoints, etc. will all fit the standard 20mm rail.
Externals Score: 9.5/10
An odd score, but my only gripe was the cheap metal used on the bolt catch wore down very quickly, so every now and then the bolt door can come crashing down on a finger. Otherwise everything is flawless.
Internals Score: 4/10
As noted there were so many cheap areas of the gearbox I can’t give it a score higher than a clone. I’ve honestly seen many clones with better quality and quality control.
Overall Score: 6/10
If you’re looking for a nice looking SCAR-H, the VFC is a good choice. It’s by far one of the most realistic looking of the three available. However, out of the box it’s not that field worthy, and could use upgrades for general use, and outright replacement of crucial parts for any sort of conversions, especially for a high FPS rifle. In the end, for the price I found it to be a disappointment.