NRA Gun of the Week: ARES Defense SCR Rifle

by
posted on December 12, 2015
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
The ARES Defense Sport Configurable Rifle (SCR) is a semi-automatic rifle that employs many of the virtues of the AR-15 platform and takes AR-pattern magazines, but does not have any of the "features" that are frequently singled out by anti-gunners. That means the SCR is legal in all 50 states.

In essence, ARES took the front half of the AR bolt and mated it with a tail, as is commonly used in self-loading shotgun designs. Instead of an AR buffer tube, the tail on the back of the firing pin matches up with a recoil-spring and cup assembly that would be familiar to any semi-auto shotgun owner. Also, the lower receiver has been reconfigured to match up with the standard rifle stock. The fore-end is a slim and svelte Magpul, available for both carbine and rifle lengths. The upper reciever has a standard Picatinny rail. The SCR ships with a 5-round magazine, but higher capacity aftermarket magazines are available.

For more information on ARES Defense and the SCR, visit aresdefense.com.

Specifications:
Manufacturer: ARES Defense
Model: SCR
Action: gas-operated, semi-automatic, center-fire rifle
Caliber: .223 Rem./5.56 mm
Upper Receiver: flat-top, aluminum
Lower Receiver: aluminum
Barrel:18”
Handguard: Magpul MOE
Stock: synthetic, sporter-contour
Trigger: 6-lbs., 2-ozs.
Sights: none
Overall Length: 39”
Weight: 5.7 lbs.
Twist: 1:9” RH
Accessories: owner’s manual, 5-round detachable magazine
MSRP: $989

To learn more about the SCR, please enjoy the following:
ARES Defense SCR: Legal in All 50 States 
ARES Defense Mission Configurable Rifle

Latest

Federal Premium 7Mm Backcountry Artv 1
Federal Premium 7Mm Backcountry Artv 1

Behind Federal's 7 mm Backcountry Cartridge

In 2025, Federal Ammunition introduced its new 7 mm Backcountry cartridge, which operates at higher pressures than any previous commercial ammunition offering.

New for 2026: Beretta 94X Performance

The latest step in the evolution of Beretta's 90 series of handguns is the 94X Performance, a handgun that the company calls “the ultimate evolution of the Beretta competition pistol for IPSC and USPSA.”

Review: Spandau Arms RL

The Remington Model 700 lives on in the form of this RL bolt-action rifle produced in Turkey by Huglu and imported into the U.S. by Spandau Arms.

NRA Outstanding Achievement Youth Award Applications Open

The NRA is accepting applications for the 2027 NRA Outstanding Achievement Youth Award from junior shooting sports participants who demonstrate active involvement in their communities and in shooting sports.

The (Not So) Gray Man: Tips to Avoid Tacti-Cool & Blend into the Background

Being a true "gray man" is not flashy. It won’t get you followers or likes or nods from across the room. What it will get you is something far more valuable in the real world: freedom of movement. Reduced attention. Lower probability of being selected, targeted or remembered.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.