[tktm]

I like the weight and balance of the MR762, but before I shell out the cash I would like to know what key features separate it from the herd of other .308's.
Usually that's a question that is readily answerable with other HK weapons like the P7 series, VP70z, HK90 series, but it has not yet jumped out at me with the MR762. Some insight would be appreciated.

Thanks
TKTM

 

[dwillHK]

Other than the HK name, there really aren't many unique features on the MR762 that don't exist on somewhere on some other rifle. It's a battle tested design with a very smooth piston driven operation.

 

[hkshooterusp]

The stupid high price?

I think the twist off butt plate storage is unique. The pistol grip water proof storage is cool.
While an impressive piece I dont see why, outside it's name, the silly thing is so expensive. $4k bragging rights? C'mon.
For over $1k less I'll take the SCAR. It's a lot lighter.

 

[hkshooterusp]

Other than the HK name, there really aren't many unique features on the MR762 that don't exist on somewhere on some other rifle. It's a battle tested design with a very smooth piston driven operation.

Whats battle tested about it? The idea behind the gun?

 

[dwillHK]

Whats battle tested about it? The idea behind the gun?

It's the same piston design used in the HK416, which has been used in combat. Also, I believe some militaries are using them in small quantities, like the Germans adopting it as the G28.

I was trying not to get into the MR vs. SCAR/REPR/LMT etc. debate because that just gets down a lot to personal opinion and every one has their own feelings on the money question. I will say that just pulling the bolt back, the MR action seems a lot smoother and slicker than either my SCAR 17S or my REPR.

 

[bordercop]

I would like to know what key features separate it from the herd of other .308's.

It's been dipped into the HKool-Aid. :100000:

"From the herd of other .308's" is a rather broad question. What do you include in the herd. It's a completely different animal than my bolt action precision rifle.

Do you compare it to all Semi-automatic rifles?

Is this yet another Piston vs. DI debate, or are we just comparing piston weapons?

 

[hkshooterusp]

I can respect your opinions about the gun but will also say getting butterflies in my belly over a smooth action isn't worth $4k.

Lots of people will tell you Glock makes the best pistol on the planet but the action on those feels like it's full of sand. The action of just about any decent 1911 feels smoother than Glock OR HK but that don't make them worth more or mean they are better pistols than either the Glock or HK.

I was finally able to look over the first MR762 I've ever seen with my own eyes Friday. Nice. Rogust, HEAVY, smooth, says HK on the side. After looking it over I had to ask myself what HK was thinking by ditching the original roller guns, in this case the G3. They say the G3 was expensive to produce and was outdated technology. So now they have a gun thats heavier than the G3 (seems like it to me, I havent actually checked published weight) and takes multitudes of machine work and man hours to produce. In the G3 they had a gun that was made of lesser expensive stampings and in my minds eye had to cost less to produce, expecially in large numbers, and was lighter. All the while doing exactly the same thing their new, four times more expensive machined and over engineered product does.
Personally I don't see any substantial military force adopting the thing for general troop issue, especially in this world economy. All other things aside, it's simply to expensive.

I'm no SCAR fanboy by any means but I see it becoming the Glock of the rifle world. Gritty, ugly as hell, light, reliable. The MR762/417 is pretty, smooth, heavy. Reliable? I can't imagine not but who knows yet. But it's cost alone will probably be a deterent to anyone considering equiping an army with it.

 

[tktm]

It's been dipped into the HKool-Aid. :100000:

"From the herd of other .308's" is a rather broad question. What do you include in the herd. It's a completely different animal than my bolt action precision rifle.

Do you compare it to all Semi-automatic rifles?

Is this yet another Piston vs. DI debate, or are we just comparing piston weapons?

Take it as broad as possible; as a semi auto .308 does MR762 have some inherent aspect that DISTINGUISHES itself from other .308's in a way similar rifles don't?.

Since you mention bolt actions, a narrower version of the question would be: does the MR762 have an advantage over a Remington .308LTR that some other semiauto .308 does not? But again, my question is broader than just the bolt action question.

Another way to think of it are there any new patents on the rifle?; is there some un-patentable aspect inherent to the quality and function that distinguishes the rifle from the herd?

Of course the question may also be answered from a personal perspective; I already have some input from my wife, assuming available cash flow, she would not pay 3K for a SCAR 17 because she does like the cheek weld; on the other hand she liked the MR762, so paying 4K is not impossible. In a similar light, if you have a MR762 and it in someway compares to your "bolt action precision rifle" in some way that other .308s have not, I would find that sort of quantitative input valuable.

 

[preten2b]

This does need narrowed down a bit. From where I type, I'd like to see the thread deal with comparisons to other piston guns. The weight and price points would be more similar. DI guns have the price and weight advantage, and can be subtly more accurate even before enhancements (see LES BAER).

I have a REPR because I was ready to buy long before HK rumors of availability could come true. Having one (20"), I liked the price better, non-reciprocating handle, furniture, trigger, and accuracy. Always the one who can make more room in the safe, I'd like to hear from MR762 /417 owners about advantages they would call out.

 

[bordercop]

Comparing to other piston systems, then?

I'm not a fan of SCAR's piston design. SCAR uses a non-venting gas block/piston. Meaning that the pressure is contained within the gas block until the bullet leaves the barrel and then the pressure is vented back down into the barrel and out the muzzle. There is less tolerance for pressure variations in an enclosed system like this, and must be balanced more delicately. I haven't heard of any trouble with powder burn rates, and such, but people who have shortened SCAR barrels have had trouble, and suppressors have to be specifically engineered for the gun.

HK's gas block and piston, along with most other piston designs, are designed to vent the gas once the piston reaches the end of it's "push".

ACR could have been a great weapon, if MagPul had kept control over it and done their own manufacturing. Even if they outsourced the manufacture and kept control of the the QC on it. Handing over the design and letting Bushmaster do whatever they wanted with it ruined that rifle. It has had issues and been subjected to recall because of changes made after MagPul let go of it.

HK's piston and push rod system are lighter than a lot of the other systems out there, so it's very close to a DI gun's weight and balance.

I'll leave the DI vs piston debate elsewhere, that horse has been beaten into burger already.

 

[The Stig]

The MR762 has a forward assist. I don't think there is another AR based 7.62 that has that at the moment. I think that's really the only thing that sets it apart, honestly.

Here is my take on H&K, and for the purposes of full disclosure, I own a lot of their products: roller locking guns, handguns, and even some of their newer offerings like the MR556 and a 416 upper. H&K is in the business of making money.

They make money by making what their customers want. To make more money, they also look at ways to cut their costs while charging lots of money for what they make for less. The first of these two goals led to the the 416/MR556, the 417/MR762; while the second goal led to their polymer guns like the UMP and G36. Of course, producing less expensive products also means you have more room for movement when trying to stay competitive on government bids.

The interesting thing is that I believe that when given the choice between the G36 family and the 416 family, more European end users are choosing the later. I nevertheless think that the next generation of firearms will look more like the ARX-180/G36/ACR/SCAR/CZ 805 BREN platforms. H&K is even trying to spice up the G36 by bringing the controls closer to the trigger guard to make it faster and more ergonomic to reload. Somethings, like the AR platform, die hard though.

So, I guess to go back to my original point, not much sets the MR762 apart from the herd. It's kind of like BMW, then Porsche, and now supposedly Bentley and Aston Martin all making SUVs. There is money on the table, they are going to try to get in on the action. People buy SUVs, so let's make an SUV. I may wind up buying an MR762 at some point, but I don't think it's as revolutionary as the SCAR 17. At least I don't need a bigger garage for my MR762.

 

[dwillHK]

The DPMS LR-308 has a forward assist. The LWRC REPR charging handle can be used as a forward assist. The SCAR 17s has a reciprocating bolt handle that can be pushed forward as an assist. I'm sure there are more.

 

[Landpimp]

most AR10 types have the forward assist

The MR762 has a forward assist. I don't think there is another AR based 7.62 that has that at the moment. I think that's really the only thing that sets it apart, honestly.

.

 

[dwillHK]

I think about the only things rare with regards to AR pattern rifles is the ability to put the gun on safe with it uncocked, and the firing pin safety. Not sure if they are unique to the MR, but they are very uncommon in the AR world.

 

[bordercop]

The MR762 has a forward assist. I don't think there is another AR based 7.62 that has that at the moment.

Please don't take this the wrong way, but somebody really needs to get out more. Expand your horizons, a teeny bit? The forward assist has been a standard feature on most ARs and every M16/M4 since the Army started requiring it more than four decades ago. Getting an AR without it is a specialty item, now.

Somethings, like the AR platform, die hard though.

As does the M14. It is still in military use, by the way, in a variety of roles.

 

[The Stig]

Please don't take this the wrong way, but somebody really needs to get out more. Expand your horizons, a teeny bit? The forward assist has been a standard feature on most ARs and every M16/M4 since the Army started requiring it more than four decades ago. Getting an AR without it is a specialty item, now.

I'm well aware virtually all 5.56 ARs have them. I'm used to seeing SR-25/M-110 variants, none of which has a forward charging handle. Nor does the JP Enterprises .308s, nor the LaRue OBRs, nor the LMT MWS, nor the Remington RSASS. Perhaps I'm just used to high end hardware and when thinking of 762 ARs to compare another high end 762 AR to, those were the first to come to mind, but I guess the Armalite AR-10 and the DPMS does have one as well. I don't know anything about those rifles, and would never consider owning one.

I don't consider the charging handle on the REPR to be a separate forward assist, and the SCAR is a different, albeit similar platform -- I stated I was only talking about 7.62 AR platforms.

With all that said, I was trying my best to find something, anything which set the MR762 apart, but I guess there really is nothing.

 

[watergun]

For the price it seems a lot like a LWRC REPER. Piston driven, high price with not so great accuracy. HK is guaranteeing 1.5 MOA, that is a horrible guarantee for the price in my opinion and it's heavy. You could purchase a LMT MWS and get sub MOA performance in a lighter package......just say'n.

 

[tktm]

Thank you all for the input, it has been helpful.
One more comparison I would like to see made is the MR762 vs Sig's 716 patrol rifle.
SIG has lost its reputation for quality rifles in the USA, so does the MR762 have $2K more in quality/design than the SIG716? (my gut tells me yes)