By: Tin Man
Imagery By Will and Kilo 210
A remiss deed it is to fix the unbroken. However, given that, in the firearms world, the paradigm is to do nothing but to cheat whenever possible, fixing that which is not broken is more likely to be considered an “upgrade” than heresy.
Take, for example, the FN SCAR platform.
Chambered in both 5.56 and 7.62×51, it is considered by some as the epitome of assault rifles. Special operations units the world over (to include some domestic SOCOM elements) use it because they trust it.
It is administratively an M4, but operationally an AK-47. It takes the best of all worlds and combines them into a piston-driven system with just enough modularity to fit the user’s end needs. And, just like any other weapon, it can use “upgrades” from time to time.
Anyone who has used a SCAR in either 5.56 or 7.62×51 knows that if they run the weapon using a 16 inch barrel, nearly 10 inches of barrel will protrude from the front of the factory rail system. This not only makes for a very awkward appearance and purchase of the forearm, but also fails to capitalize on a very essential element – the ability to accessorize with mission specific lights, foregrips, bipods, lasers, etc.
To remedy this, Kinetic Development Group created the MREX, which is a foregrip extension that shrouds the barrel, both protecting it and allowing for the placement of accessories depending on the mission.
To top it off, the MREX implements Magpul’s MLOK throughout (Non M-LOK versions available).
Weighing in at just under four ounces, the free-floating MREX attaches to the SCAR in a rather painless method which is easily done after watching the instructional video below.
Once on, and after using a recommended healthy serving of Locktite in some form or another, it isn’t going anywhere.
The Kinetic Development Group MREX doesn’t interfere with any functioning of the weapon such as barrel changes, nor does it affect the accuracy of the weapon in any way.
The Kinetic Development Group MREX allows the user to place M-LOK covers (check out the Black Sheep Warrior ones here) or a foregrip closer to the muzzle. This in turn, assists in stabilizing the weapon depending on the end users preference. Just be careful to wear gloves as the SCAR’s gas block gets very toasty regardless!
A feature I really liked on the KDG MREX, was the lower hight of the top picatinny rail. It sits about a ½ inch lower than the weapon’s receiver – this allows the user to place a weapon-mounted light, PEQ 15, etc. on top of the rail without interfering with any optics placed on top of the weapon.
Whoever designed this obviously has experience running long guns!
I have a special appreciation for simple fixes to complex problems, and the KDG MREX is such a fix. The MREX also allows continued access to the gas-regulation switch system, providing no obstacles for those who need to suppress the weapon.
And as if this weren’t enough, it comes in Black or Flat Dark Earth so that you can match it to your SCAR.
Kinetic Development Group has made the MREX available in 4.9” or 6.5”, dependant on your barrel length or personal preference. The one reviewed here is 6.5”, and is perfectly fit for what I will be doing.
As you’ll seein some of my images (Above) I’ve turned it into an special purpose rifle. With a bipod and a Vortex 6.5-20x zoom, this rifle can bring bad karma to bad guys at 500 yards, but is also just as happy at a tenth that distance.
In the following picture, the “circle” is one inch in diameter. The distance is 100 yards. With the MREX, the SCAR is still a sub-MOA weapon. The head shots to the right were “hostage shots” taken at 200 yards… in a 15 mph southern Arizona cross-wind. The MREX didn’t affect the accuracy of the weapon in any way whatsoever.
Again, the FN SCAR is a phenomenal weapon. And any phenomenal weapon warrants phenomenal upgrades. The MREX is just that – an improvement that lets the end user cheat just a little while capturing the hearts of those who run it on a rifle while in foreign combat or on domestic police patrol.
And after all,
All is fair in love and war.
Get yours here! https://kineticdg.com
Special thanks to Will and Kilo 210 for providing supporting imagery and further testing the Kinetic Group MREX.
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The Kinetic Development Group MREX in action:
