FN SCAR-17 Magazines
Factory FN • Mk 17 / SCAR-H / SCAR 17S • 7.62×51mm NATO • 20-Round
The FN SCAR-17 — designated Mk 17 Mod 0 in US military service and SCAR 17S in its civilian semi-auto form — is the modern benchmark battle rifle of US Special Operations Command. Developed for SOCOM's SCAR program, adopted in 2009, and in active service today with US Navy SEALs, Army Special Forces, and the Tier 1 SOF units of 40+ allied nations. Keep Shooting carries factory FN SCAR-17 magazines — the proprietary 20-round double-stack magazines manufactured by FN Herstal and FN America — in black and FDE (flat dark earth) to match the two factory SCAR 17S finish configurations. Not FAL, not M14, not AR-10 — SCAR-specific factory production only.
About FN SCAR-17 Magazines at Keep Shooting
Keep Shooting carries factory FN SCAR-17 magazines in both black and FDE (flat dark earth) finishes — the 20-round proprietary double-stack magazines manufactured by FN Herstal in Belgium and FN America in Columbia, South Carolina for the SCAR-17 platform. For the broader FN magazine lineup, see our parent FN Magazines category.
The FN SCAR (Special Operations Forces Combat Assault Rifle) is the product of the US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) SCAR program, initiated in 2003 to develop a modular next-generation battle rifle system to replace the aging M4A1 (5.56mm) and Mk 14 Enhanced Battle Rifle (7.62mm) in US SOF service. The program requirements specified a single rifle family with parts commonality across two calibers, improved reliability over the direct-impingement AR-15/M16 platform, full-length Picatinny rail integration, and field-swappable barrels. FN Herstal won the contract in 2004, beating out proposals from HK, Robinson Armament, Colt, and others. The resulting weapon system entered US SOCOM service in 2009 after five years of refinement, field evaluation, and combat testing with deployed SOF units.
The SCAR family includes two primary variants. SCAR-L (Light) — designated Mk 16 Mod 0 in US military service — is the 5.56×45mm NATO variant, intended as the M4A1 replacement for general SOF use. USSOCOM cancelled procurement of the Mk 16 in 2010, citing insufficient capability improvement over the existing M4A1 to justify the cost-per-rifle of the replacement. SCAR-H (Heavy) — designated Mk 17 Mod 0 — is the 7.62×51mm NATO variant, designed to replace the Mk 14 EBR and the M14-based Designated Marksman Rifles. The Mk 17 survived the 2010 procurement revision and remains in active US SOCOM service today. A SCAR-SSR / Mk 20 Mod 0 sniper-support variant, with a heavier 20-inch precision barrel and a non-folding precision stock, was adopted in 2013 as the Mk 20. A further variant, the SCAR 20S, is the civilian semi-auto form of the Mk 20.
The SCAR 17S is the civilian semi-automatic version of the Mk 17, introduced in 2009 simultaneously with the SOCOM fielding decision. The 17S uses a 16.25-inch cold-hammer-forged chrome-lined barrel (reduced from the Mk 17's standard 13-inch military barrel for civilian NFA compliance), a short-stroke gas piston action with four-position adjustable gas regulator, a monolithic extruded- aluminum upper receiver with full-length integrated Picatinny rail, a polymer lower receiver with integrated pistol grip, a side-folding polymer stock with telescoping length-of-pull adjustment, and an ambidextrous charging handle that can be mounted on either the left or right side of the upper receiver. The 17S is one of only a handful of commercially- available civilian rifles that are functionally identical to the in-service SOF-issue weapon, differing only in semi-auto-only fire control (no select-fire capability) and a civilian- legal barrel length. The rifle is produced at FN America's Columbia, South Carolina facility — the same factory that produces military-contract M16A4s, M249 SAWs, and M240B general- purpose machine guns for the US Armed Forces.
The SCAR-17 magazine is a proprietary 20-round double-stack design that is unique to the SCAR-17 / Mk 17 / SCAR 20 family. The magazine body is a machined polymer composite with a steel feed-lip insert, reinforced follower, stainless-steel compression spring, and polymer floorplate. Magazine body geometry, catch-slot positioning, feed-lip angle, and follower design are all SCAR-specific — the magazine will not function in an FN FAL (despite shared 7.62×51mm chambering), in an M14 / M1A, in a Knight's Armament SR-25 / AR-10 pattern rifle, or in an HK G3 / PTR-91. Conversely, FAL, M14, and AR-10-pattern magazines will not fit a SCAR-17. If you own a SCAR-17, the factory FN magazine is the single legitimate option — there is no cross-compatible substitute from any other 7.62×51mm platform's magazine inventory.
The factory FN SCAR-17 magazine is available in two color configurations to match the two factory SCAR 17S finish options. Black magazines match the original 2009-production SCAR 17S black-anodized upper and black polymer lower — the dominant finish throughout the platform's civilian production history. FDE (Flat Dark Earth) magazines match the FDE finish option FN introduced in the early 2010s and expanded through the platform's production cycle — FDE-finished uppers, lowers, and stocks paired with matching FDE magazines. Both magazine finishes are functionally identical; the finish choice is purely aesthetic coordination with the rifle's factory finish. SCAR 17S owners with a mixed-finish rifle (black upper, FDE stock, or similar combinations) sometimes stock both colors for visual variation — but mechanically, either magazine will feed either rifle finish identically.
Why factory FN magazines? The SCAR-17 magazine market is the best-controlled aftermarket magazine market in modern US semi-auto rifle production. Because the magazine pattern is proprietary to the SCAR platform and the platform itself has relatively low civilian-market volume (FN America produces roughly 15,000 SCAR 17S rifles per year vs. 500,000+ AR-15 rifles from the entire US industry), the aftermarket magazine ecosystem is thin. A few third-party manufacturers have attempted SCAR-17 magazines over the years; most have been pulled from market after reliability failures in sustained use. FN factory magazines — produced to the original engineering specification in Herstal, Belgium and Columbia, South Carolina — are the industry reference standard and the only magazines FN will warranty for use in the 17S. For a rifle that costs $3,500+ at dealer pricing and serves as a designated- marksman / precision-rifle / SOF-authentic platform, the factory-magazine premium is absolutely worth paying over commodity aftermarket alternatives.
The SCAR-17 civilian market is a concentrated segment of the semi-auto rifle world. Veterans of Naval Special Warfare, US Army Special Forces, and USSOCOM SOF units who carried the Mk 17 in deployed service form the largest identifiable buyer cohort — veterans wanting to own the civilian equivalent of their service weapon. Precision-rifle and competition shooters value the SCAR-17 as a 7.62×51mm platform with better ergonomics, faster follow-up shots, and cleaner iron-sight return-to-zero than the AR-10 pattern alternatives. Designated- marksman-rifle enthusiasts configure the platform with match-grade optics, suppressors (the SCAR-17 is particularly well-suited to suppressed use due to its adjustable gas system), and precision ammunition for 600–800 yard field use. And a significant collector cohort — both for early first-generation 2009–2012 production and for the FDE- finished early-2010s runs — values the platform as a piece of post-GWOT US military firearm history. All of these buyers need factory FN magazine inventory as a practical matter.
FN Herstal (Fabrique Nationale d'Herstal, Liège, Belgium, founded 1889) and its US subsidiary FN America (Columbia, South Carolina, operating since 1977) are among the most important military-firearm manufacturers in the modern Western world. FN's catalog includes the M16A4 (FN America is the primary M16A4 contract producer for the US military), the M249 SAW (Squad Automatic Weapon, the standard US military 5.56mm light machine gun since 1985), the M240B (general- purpose 7.62mm machine gun, US military standard since 1991), the M2A1 (current-production Browning .50 caliber heavy machine gun), the Five-seveN pistol, the P90 PDW, and the Browning Hi Power (produced by FN from 1935 to 2017). The SCAR is FN's most commercially successful post-2000 military rifle platform. For FN's broader accessory and firearm catalog context, see the FN Magazines parent category.
Keep Shooting ships all SCAR-17 magazines from our Pennsylvania warehouse with free shipping on orders over $49.95 and hassle-free returns. The 20-round SCAR-17 magazine will not ship to California, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Hawaii, Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Illinois, Vermont, or Washington DC due to state-level magazine-capacity restrictions (state rules vary — verify before ordering). Whether you're a former SOF operator building your service-weapon civilian analog, a precision-rifle competitor stocking match-use magazine inventory, a designated-marksman-rifle enthusiast assembling a 600-yard field platform, or a collector sourcing factory-correct FDE-finish magazines for an early-2010s production 17S, every SCAR-17 magazine in our catalog is factory FN production from Herstal or Columbia — the only magazines that will feed a $3,500 rifle to the reliability standard that rifle deserves.
Frequently Asked Questions — SCAR-17 Magazines
Keep Shooting carries a wide selection of SCAR-17 Magazines products from trusted brands. Browse our catalog to see the full range, and use the filters on the left to narrow by brand, price, or product type.
Yes! All orders over $49.95 qualify for free shipping, including SCAR-17 Magazines products. Orders typically ship within 1–2 business days.
Keep Shooting offers hassle-free returns on SCAR-17 Magazines products. If you're not completely satisfied, contact our customer service team for a return authorization. All products must be in original, unused condition.
If you need help choosing the right SCAR-17 Magazines product, our team is available to assist. Check individual product descriptions for detailed specifications, or contact us directly and we'll help you find the best fit for your needs.