Replicas of Famous Firearms, Part 2: Take a Pass on ISSC

In part one of our tests of eight 22 LR firearms that resemble famous battle rifles, we examined the Carl Walther HK MP5 A5, the Chiappa Arms M1 Carbine, the Carl Walther Colt M4, and GSG’s StG44. Now we’ll review the second set, which includes Anschütz’s MSR RX22 SCAR along with the very similar ISSC SCAR, the Walther Arms HK416 D145RS, and Smith & Wesson’s M&P 15-22. As in part one, we wanted to see which rifles were truest to the original arms while being practical and fun.

Our test group consisted of men and women shooters of varying stature, experience and skill. They evaluated the guns for fit, finish, reliability, ease of use, practical accuracy, and fun. For the plinking evaluation, we shot outdoors at a 12-by-18-inch oval steel gong placed 50 yards from the firing line. Some testing days were hot and some were cold, so we think we have a good idea how these rifles will perform in everyday conditions.

Formal accuracy testing was performed at Boyert Shooting Center (Boyert.com) in Katy, Texas, where we fired five five-round groups at 25 yards from a bench. Because we expect these rifles to be purchased and used as fun plinkers, we tested using three different kinds of economy bulk ammunition: Aguila 40-grain round nose, Federal 36-grain round nose, and Winchester white box 40-grain hollow points. None of these loads would qualify as expensive target loads, so it is likely that each rifle would be more accurate with a preferred target load. While each rifle showed ammunition preferences for reliability and accuracy, velocities were reasonably consistent across the different rifles for each brand of ammunition.

By the time we completed testing, each of these rifles had been stress-tested with several hundreds of rounds put through each of them without cleaning. Since 22s tend to be shot a lot, this testing protocol was consistent with a heavy shooting day at the range for family and friends or a moderate training day. Let us see which rifles proved to be reliable and fun while also being true to the original firearms.

22 LR Range Data

Anschütz MSR RX22 22LR, $800-$1000

GUN TESTS GRADE: C

The Anschütz RX22 is not what we usually think of when we think Anschütz. Not a classic target rifle, the Anschütz RX22 is a 22 LR replica of the FN SCAR. In service in approximately 20 countries, the SCAR (Special Operations Forces Combat Assault Rifle) was designed in response to a 2004 Special Operations Command (SOCOM) competition for a modular assault-rifle platform with advanced ergonomics that could fire both the 5.56 NATO and 7.62 NATO cartridges. Built in South Carolina, FN created two variants: the MK16 SCAR-L (light in 5.56) and MK17 SCAR-H (heavy in 7.62). The SCAR-H can be converted to use either caliber with a variety of barrel lengths. Weighing between 6.7 and 8.2 pounds (depending upon configuration), the SCAR is a piston-driven gas-operated short-recoil, select-fire weapon. The stock can be folded to the right side due to the piston-driven design. The brass deflector on the right side of the receiver locks the stock in place. The two-part receiver has an aluminum upper and a polymer lower. The SCAR has Picatinny rails at the 12, 3, 6 and 9 o’clock positions, with the top rail extending the full length of the action. The rail can accept any MIL-STD-1913 optic or accessory. The rifle comes with an M16 compatible pistol grip and an extendable buttstock.

The magazine well is flared, and there is raised fencing around the safety and magazine release. The SCAR uses a proprietary 30-round magazine that is not M16/STANAG compatible. The SCAR-L was initially deployed in 2009 by the U.S. Army’s 75th Ranger Regiment. The SCAR-L only saw service for a year and was cancelled, primarily for financial reasons. Several variants of the SCAR-H remain in limited service with U.S. Special Forces. While not a movie star like some of the rifles in our previous article, the SCAR is featured in several video games and was therefore of interest to the gamers in our testing group. Other testers were looking forward to trying out the clone of one of the most modern assault rifles on the market.

Made in Austria, the Anschütz RX22 is practically a twin of the SCAR. With a smooth black finish and black furniture, the RX22 at 6.9 pounds was even the same weight as the MK16 SCAR-L. Like the SCAR, the buttstock folds to the right, extends, and includes an adjustable comb. Despite all this flexibility, not one tester found this rifle to be comfortable with the provided pop-up open sights. Additionally, the rubber buttpad kept falling off the rifle.

The sights were interesting. When folded, they looked like standard three-dot pistol sights. When raised up, they had a front post and a rear peep sight. The front post was adjustable for elevation, and the rear sight was adjustable for windage. The rifle might be more comfortable with a scope, but we tested each of the rifles as they came out of the box with open sights.

While the ejection port is on the right-hand side, the bolt handle can be installed on either side of the action. This was a popular feature with our testers who preferred to use their left hand to rack the bolt. One of the testers found the bolt difficult to pull all the way back.

The 22-round magazines (available several places for $30) loaded very easily and dropped freely. The magazine release is ambidextrous. The bolt locks back when empty and stays locked after you drop the magazine. This is a nice feature in a rimfire because it reduces the amount of dry firing (which can theoretically damage the chamber or firing pin over time). The safety lever indicates Fire in the up position. Some of the testers found it a little difficult to flick the safety up to Fire, but placing the rifle on Safe was very easy. The two-stage trigger is user adjustable and averaged a light 4.7 pounds. However, the RX22’s trigger showed that weight isn’t everything because it had a gritty take-up, spongy release, and lots of overtravel.

To clean the rifle, the user must turn the rifle over, remove two screws and their bolts, and then remove the grip section. At this point the action, chamber, and barrel can be cleaned from the breech with a flexible rod or cleaning rope. Anschütz does not recommend any further disassembly to clean the rifle.

Regarding the stock, none of the testers found it easy to get a consistent cheek weld. Our more petite shooters thought the rifle was a little too heavy to keep steady during for extended off-hand shooting. The 16.5-inch barrel is made by Anschütz, so we would expect it to be accurate. Despite the lackluster trigger, in formal accuracy testing the RX22 proved fairly accurate with ammunition it liked. While the Winchester 32-grain hollow points averaged a mediocre 1.5 inches, both of the 40-grain roundnoses averaged 1.0 inches. The Federal was incredibly consistent, with all groups within 0.1 inch in size. When plinking, the rifle usually hit the 50-yard gong, but the trigger threw off a few rounds. Some testers thought that the RX22 would likely be a tack driver with match ammo and a cleaner trigger.

The RX22 was adequately reliable. We experienced one failure to feed with the Winchester and one failure to fire with the Aguila. Since we observed a good firing-pin indentation, the failure to fire was almost certainly an ammunition failure and not a failure of the rifle. Because no other failures occurred, the testers expressed no significant concerns regarding the Anschütz’s reliability. However, we are concerned about the Anschütz’s availability. The Anschütz did not stay on the market very long and is no longer available brand new. When new, the RX22 had a MSRP of $900. You can sometimes find them used for $800-$1000.

Our Team Said: While the RX22 rifle was accurate, other rifles in the test performed as well or better. The trigger was sub-par, the buttpad kept falling off, and no tester was able to get comfortable with the rifle and its open sights. None of the testers thought the RX22 was worth the money and said they would look elsewhere.

ISSC MK22 ISSC211000 22 LR, $270

GUN TESTS GRADE: F

If you’re looking for a SCAR and the RX22 doesn’t suit your fancy, another company imports a SCAR replica in 22 LR. Let’s see what our testers thought of it.

The ISSC MK22 appears to be a clone of the Anschütz RX22. With an MSRP of $665, the MK22 could be found at CDNN Sports (CDNNSports.com) on sale for $300. The rifle has the same weight, configuration and controls as the RX22. While our rifle at first seemed to have the same black finish as the RX22, the ISSC MK22 finish quickly started to bubble and peel off in multiple locations.

Our testers had the same complaints about the rifle’s comfort with open sights. While the buttpad stayed on the rifle, the base plate of the pistol grip came off a couple of times. Interestingly, while the RX22 would fire without the magazine, the ISSC MK22 would not fire without a magazine. Some of the testers thought this was a good feature in a training rifle. The magazines are identical for both rifles. They are easy to load, drop freely, and hold the bolt open when empty. Some of our testers found the magazine difficult to reload as it would not also seat or lock in very well.

The bolt on our example was mounted on the left side. Some of our testers liked that because it allowed the off hand to manipulate the bolt without altering the firing grip. You can transfer the bolt handle to the other side if that is your preference. The safety was easier to use on the MK22 than the RX22. The trigger on the ISSC was actually judged to be superior to the Anschütz. While slightly heavier at 5.9 pounds and demonstrating the same spongy release and excessive overtravel, the two-stage trigger was easier to use, with much lighter take-up.

Formal accuracy testing proved to be a great challenge. The ISSC MK22 frequently experienced failures to feed and extract. Since we had the same results with three different magazines and all three brands of ammo, the testers concluded that the fault was with our rifle. The fact that none of the magazines would seat or lock up securely might indicate an issue with the magazine interface on our particular rifle. However, further research indicated that these problems are common with the model. In fact, the only brand of ammo we were able to get to work consistently enough to reliably test was the Federal 40-grain roundnose. We eventually squeezed out three groups that averaged a solid 0.9 inch. Two other groups were larger, but were disqualified due to functional difficulties. We only got two groups out of the Winchester 36-grain hollow points: one was 1.71 inches and the other was 0.82 inches. We never were able to produce a group out of our rifle with the Aguila 40-grain roundnose. Bottom line is that our example of the ISSC MK22 was not able to meet our testing protocols.

Our Team Said: Despite hope that we would find a quality SCAR replica, our testers found very little to like about the ISSC MK22. There were problems with the fit (pistol grip), finish, and reliability. The ISSC MK22 got one tester so angry that she said she would not pay a dollar for it. The frustration was real and prevented anyone from having any fun with the rifle. If a rifle like this isn’t fun, then it simply is not worth buying.

Walther Arms HK416 D145RS 578.03.01 22 LR, $583

GUN TESTS GRADE: B

Our next rifle mimics the Heckler & Koch HK416 (M27). While similar to the AR-15 in appearance, not everything is cross compatible between the two rifles. In particular, there are some significant differences found within the upper receiver of the HK416. Rather than using Eugene Stoner’s direct-gas-impingement system, the HK416 was designed from the outset to use a proprietary short-stroke gas-piston system derived from the one used in the company’s G36 assault rifle. (The G36 was accepted by the German army in 1997 as a replacement for the G3 main battle rifle.) While many piston systems have proven to be unreliable in the AR platform, the HK system has shown itself to be robust. Used in more than 25 countries, the HK416 has been the standard assault rifle for the Norwegian armed forces since 2008. Reliability has been good with proper maintenance and ammunition in locations as diverse as Norway and Afghanistan. One issue that cropped up on the earlier rifles was U.S.-sized pin holes being slightly too large for European-spec pins. This issue was corrected. The few remaining problems could mostly be attributed to improper field maintenance and “environmentally friendly” types of ammunition. NATO-standard ammunition doesn’t seem to be causing issues. The HK416 was famously used by the Navy SEALs during the bin Laden raid. In 2017, the HK416 was selected by the French to replace their FAMAS rifle. In late 2017, the U.S. Marine Corps selected the HK416 to be the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle to be issued to every infantry squad in the Corps. With this increasing usage across the world, it is only natural that a 22 LR replica of the M27 could become a popular item.

Like many other military replicas, our HK416D in 22 LR is manufactured by Carl Walther of Germany. It arrived in a sturdy cardboard box and came with two 20-round polymer magazines. The 416D is a typical blowback action rather than the piston found in the M27. While a little scarce, they are still in production and are available new for around $350 at a variety of stores, including Guncommanders.com. Accessories are available at many places and are reasonably priced. Even though the HK website states that the 416D only weighs 5.7 pounds, we found that our example actually weighed 6.5 pounds. This is about half a pound lighter than the M27. The M4-style barrel is 16.1 inches long compared to the M27’s 16.5 inches and is tipped with a birdcage flash hider. The HK416D has a retractable stock that allows an overall length between 30.2 and 34.5 inches. This is also a little shorter than an M27. The reduced weight and size makes this rifle friendlier to smaller shooters, though some of our shooters thought the rifle was a little too front heavy for their taste. While the buttstock is made of a sturdy polymer, many of our testers did not think the adjustment mechanism was intuitive. They preferred the standard CAR-style collapsible stock found on other rifles. The stock did provide a comfortable non-slip butt pad and a very good cheek weld.

The 416D pistol grip was a hard plastic and had a handy compartment with a cover that securely latched. While it could hold batteries, we would probably keep a rope-style cleaning kit and small bottle of solvent in the pistol grip. The forearm was aluminum and came with quad Picatinny rails. The rifle had multiple places to attach a sling.

Finish on the firearm was even and has held up fairly well to heavy usage. The receiver splits at the rear, which allows for cleaning the barrel from the breech. Because 22 LR is often dirty ammunition, this is a definite plus for the 416D. We recommend you follow the manufacturer’s instructions regarding lubrication. Too much oil can cause as many problems as insufficient oil.

The magazine well is flared, and the magazine-release button on the right side is easy to manipulate. The left-sided bolt release is non-functional, which limits the rifle somewhat as a training tool. The standard aluminum dust cover closes with a positive click and remains closed until the AR-style bolt-charging handle is pulled back. The brass deflector and bolt forward assist appear to be decorative. The left-sided safety is metal and had two positions. These positions were marked Safe (in white) and Fire (in red) and use the standard H&K pictographs. The safety had a positive click and feel when used.

The sights are metal and very similar to the classic HK setup, with very sturdy ears protecting the front post and a rotating drum for the rear sight. The rear-drum sight did not have the normal V slot, and the apertures only changed sizes and not elevation. Most testers found the sights very easy to use, though one user almost lined up on one of the protective wings instead of the front post during rapid-fire drills.

The single-stage trigger was a disappointment, averaging 8.5 pounds with a long and gritty take-up and a lot of over-travel. We were concerned that the trigger might affect accuracy.

At the range, testers looked forward to shooting the HK since it looked so much like the new Marine M27. In fact, the rifle looked so much like a M27 that other shooters on the firing line were surprised that the 416D was the 22 LR version and not in 5.56 NATO. The 20-round magazines were easy to load, with finger-assist buttons on either side of the magazine. The magazines were compact enough that shooting from the bench was slightly less difficult than a standard AR. Magazine changes were easy and they dropped freely, but the fake bolt release meant that the shooter had to pull the charging handle to load the rifle. This slowed things down and disturbed the shooting position.

The sights were clear, fast, and precise with the smaller apertures. The controls worked well and had a very positive feel to them, even with gloves. The HK regularly hit the 50-yard gong, but it required extra attention due to the poor trigger.

In formal accuracy testing, the 416D did not fare well. In fact, the 416D ended up being one of the least accurate rifles in our test. The Federal 40-grain RN ammunition averaged the worst with 1.4-inch groups. The Winchester 36-grain HP load was only slightly behind, with an average of 1.3-inch groups, though the best group of 1.0 inch showed the rifle had some promise. The Aguila 40-grain RN was very consistent and performed the best, averaging 1.1-inch groups. For all ammo brands, it was common that many of the groups had a cluster with a shot or two that substantially opened up the groups. We suspect that the groups would have improved with a better trigger. If we owned the rifle, we would invest in a superior trigger. On the plus side, the 416D was refreshingly reliable with all three types of ammunition tested. In fact, we experienced no failures to function during either the evaluation shoots or the accuracy testing. This is unusually reliable performance for a semi-auto rimfire.

Our Team Said: Overall, the testers enjoyed shooting the Walther Arms adaptation of the HK 416D. While not the optimal training tool we had hoped for, we found the 416D to be compact, easy to use, and reliable. Indeed, the favorite word to describe the 416D was “solid.” With an improved trigger, we might have raised the score to an “A.” We can certainly recommend buying the 416D if you want a M27 replica. However, the poor trigger and mediocre accuracy prevented us from falling in love with the rifle.

Smith & Wesson M&P 15-22 22 LR, $500

GUN TESTS GRADE: A (BEST BUY)

The last rifle we are testing is a replica of the U.S. M4 service carbine. The M4 is a shorter and lighter member of the M16 family of rifles first developed 60 years ago. The increasing mechanization of the U.S. armed forces and the deployment of forces in urban areas drove the demand for a more compact primary infantry weapon. Officially adopted in 1994, the M4 saw heavy usage during peacekeeping and anti-terrorist conflicts and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. By 2005, the M4 was the primary weapon for all forward-deployed Army forces. By 2015, the M4 was designated the primary weapon for the U.S. Marine Corps. The M4 carbine keeps the same 5.56 NATO chambering and magazine of the M16 rifle but has a telescoping stock and a 14.5-inch barrel with a shortened version of the direct impingement gas operating system developed by Eugene Stoner. The shorter DIG system tended to exhibit reliability issues in earlier carbines. As a result, the M4 was modified with two small ramps at the bottom of the chamber to improve feeding. The barrel includes a stepped section for the attachment of a M203 grenade launcher. A mature design, the M4 has been deployed in several variants to military and police in more than 60 countries. The M4 has a three-position selector for Safe, Semi-auto, and three-round burst fire. The M4A1 selector allows the user to select Safe, Semi-auto, or Full-auto modes. Almost all versions of the M4 have a flattop receiver allowing the use of optics and other accessories.

As the M4 is select fire and has a sub-16-inch barrel, ownership is regulated by the National Firearms Act (NFA) and requires a tax stamp for civilian ownership. Therefore, most civilian offerings are actually “M4 style” semi-automatic carbines with 16-inch barrels. Costing from $500 and up, the M4-style rifle has proven to be just as popular with civilians as it has been with most troops and police. It makes sense that a less expensive 22 LR replica would be a very desirable for fun and training purposes.

The M&P (Military & Police) 15-22 replica M4 in 22 LR is built in the USA by Smith & Wesson of Springfield, Massachusetts. The M&P 15-22 is a simple blowback-operated action, as opposed to the direct impingement gas system found on the M4. The rifle has a 16.5-inch barrel and weighs a featherweight 5.4 pounds. This is due to the black polymer upper and lower receivers. This material choice should not be an issue with the low-pressure 22 LR. In fact, the polymer may actually be an advantage due to ease of maintenance and a reduced risk of corrosion. We do recommend that some care be taken when selecting gun cleaners and lubricants to ensure they are polymer friendly. The sturdy receivers break down for cleaning in a similar manner to a standard M4. The upper receiver has a flattop Picatinny rail and integral brass deflector but no dust cover or forward assist. The lower receiver is clearly marked with the Smith & Wesson M&P logo. Our sample has the older quad-rail edition fore end, but you can get brand-new rifles with the even lighter Magpul M-Lok handguard for as little as $329 (BudsGunShop.com). We are less enthusiastic about polymer for the quad rail. While we did not experience any issues with the material choice, we do recommend the user be careful not to over-tighten accessories on the quad rail. We can see the replacement Magpul M-lok handguard being an improvement in both longevity and reduced weight.

The M&P 15-22 uses a proprietary polymer magazine available in standard 25- and reduced 10-round capacities. Interestingly, the 10-round magazine comes in a standard-length body and a short-body version (which might be handy for shooting off a bench). The magazines are easily found and reasonably priced. The rifle comes with a standard six-position collapsible buttstock and finger-groove pistol grip. The M&P 15-22 controls closely mimic the M4 with a right-sided magazine release and left-sided two-position safety lever and bolt release. In fact, the M&P 15-22 is the only AR clone in our testing that has a functioning bolt release. This is a big plus if you want to use it for training purposes. All the controls were easily accessed while wearing gloves. The safety selector will only go on Safe when the rifle is cocked.

The flattop receiver came with removable back-up iron sights providing a 15.75-inch sight radius. The front-post sight is well protected by two ears and is adjustable for elevation. The well-protected rear peep sight had two apertures that are easily flipped. They are click adjustable for both elevation and windage. The sights were easy to use and should hold up well to rough service by shooters of all ages. The M&P 15-22 uses a standard AR-15 trigger group in a slightly enlarged housing. The rifle came with a serviceable single-stage trigger that had minimal take-up, a crisp release, and little overtravel. The trigger released at an average of 6.3 pounds.

As most of the testing panel had shot AR-15s before, they felt very familiar with the Smith & Wesson. Even the one tester with minimal AR experience found the controls intuitive. All the testers thought that the M&P 15-22 looked authentic. ARs have become so commonplace that nobody really noticed yet another one on the firing line. The testers thought the magazines were sturdy, but the thumb assists on either side of the magazine were a little small for easy loading. The magazines go into the well easily and latch with a positive click. The bolt is held open by the magazine when the rifle is empty. The experienced rimfire shooters like this because it should reduce wear on the firing pin and the chamber’s edge due to dry firing.

The bolt stays open when the magazine is released. The magazines dropped freely. Because the bolt release is functional, the testers thought the M&P 15-22 was the best rifle for use as a training tool for magazine changes. The testers found the rifle easy to use in the cold with gloves. All our testers found the rifle easy to use from the standing position. The Smith & Wesson was easily the favorite of our younger and more petite shooters due to its balance, very light weight, and adjustable buttstock.

Practical accuracy with the M&P was excellent, with all testers scoring easy hits on the 50-foot gong using the peep sights. We shot more than 500 rounds through the rifle in both hot and cold conditions. Our testers experienced only one functional issue, a failure to eject very early in the evaluation process, during all of our testing.

While there have been substantiated claims of issues with early models of this rifle firing in an out-of-battery condition, we saw no evidence of that happening with our sample. At the time of this writing, Smith & Wesson has not issued any recalls for this product. Our advice is to always wear eye and ear protection and have any firearm exhibiting unsafe behavior seen by the manufacturer or a competent gunsmith.

The M&P 15-22 was easily the best rifle in our formal 25-yard accuracy testing. The Federal 40-grain RN was the “worst,” with a very consistent 1.0-inch average-size group. The Aguila 40-grain RN had the smallest group of the test at 0.5 inches and averaged 0.9-inch groups. The Winchester 36-grain HP tied for second smallest group in the test at 0.6 inches and the smallest average of 0.8-inch groups. The M&P 15-22 was remarkably consistent in accuracy testing, with the only flyers being called upon breaking the shot. The rifle is so accurate that installation of an AR-15 match trigger might be worth the investment. Our chronograph results indicated that the M&P velocities were a little lower for the Aguila and Federal ammunition than for the other rifles. The velocity differences were not considered a significant issue for this application.

Our Team Said: While not as exotic or as historically interesting as some of the other rifles, our testers really enjoyed shooting the Smith & Wesson M&P 15-22. Compact and lightweight, the rifle was comfortable for all our shooters to handle in a variety of positions, was very reliable, and was consistently accurate. Well balanced, the M&P 15-22 was easily the favorite of our most petite shooter. Our more experienced AR shooters said that the M&P 15-22 was the only rifle that could be considered a fully capable training tool. Half the price of a civilian M4 and shooting inexpensive 22 LR ammunition, this is a major selling point and a great help for economically improving one’s shooting skills. As tested, we can fully recommend the Smith & Wesson M&P 15-22 as a realistic and reliable trainer and an accurate plinker that anyone can enjoy.

Written and photographed by David Tannahill, using evaluations from Gun Tests team testers.