H&K USA is releasing the gas-piston, MR556A1 upper assembly to the market. Ever since a limited number of HK416 upper receivers showed up for sale on internet websites several years ago, fans have hoped that they would make the MR556A1 upper available for general sale and its finally happened.
The upper receiver kit will include a barreled flat top upper, Free Floating Rail System handguard, bolt carrier assembly, buffer, and buffer spring. The bolt carrier assembly, buffer, and buffer spring are all different than standard US Mil Spec items.
Fortunately, the MR556A1 features the same take down pin geometry as US Mil Spec Carbines so you will be able to plug it right in. Some variants of the civilian model do not share this feature.
Since it’s an upper, you can purchase the assembly as a part to attach to your existing gun so you won’t need ATF approval. However, make sure you are sitting down when you read this next part. The MSRP is reportedly $2195.
Yes, it’s a little dated but the info is still good. Sometimes articles get stuck in limbo and we find them and feed the beast with them.
Doesn’t matter, I’m just reading this now. I just shit my pants.
Over the price or the fact they are doing it?
I’m sure he meant the price! LOL You can buy a whole quality rifle for less than that!
Having shot one, I really think H&K just has their heads up their *** when asking $2195 for outdated technology and nothing special.
Being an H&K addict its a must for me eventually, but being a “civilian” and not the “government”, they cant expect people to drop $2,000 on an upper, retail. This is marketed toward civilians so it should be priced accordingly, for the civilian, not being priced based off of the hype of low production numbers. If production was low they should of waited till they had the numbers to release it so it is more of a feeding frenzy instead of a window shop. I understand the quality and craftsmanship that goes into an H&K but comon lets be serious. I understand importation costs of the pistols, but these are being made right here in the USA! I’ve paid out for most all their pistols and they’ve been worth every penny and more so you bet im getting the 556 regardless. I can only imagine what they charge the government for the 416!?!
It’s at least $1K over priced. For about half of that you can get a piston upper from about 4 other top shelf manufacturers that are easily equal quality to the HK item. The only advantage to the HK product, if I understand it correctly, is that it is a long stroke system vs. most other manufacturers who utilize a short stroke.
I would only pay the $2K+ if the upper came with a billet reciver, match grade stainless barrel, hard chromed carrier internals, top shelf full floating forarm and I’d have to get it in an SBR configuration.
Nope it’s a short stroke piston system. Absolutely nothing special here at all!
An open letter to the gun community from HK’s marketing department: In a world of compromises, some people put the bullets in the magazine backwards…But it doesn’t matter, because our gun is on the cover of the Rainbow Six video games. Look how cool that SEAL coming out of the water looks… If you buy a $2,000 SOCOM, you will be that cool of an operator too. And chicks will dig you.
At HK, we stuck a piston on an AR15, just like a bunch of other companies have done, dating back to about 1969. However ours is better, because we refuse to sell it to civilians. Because you suck, and we hate you.
Our XM8 is the greatest rifle ever developed. It may melt, and it doesn’t fit any accessories known to man, but that is your fault. If you were a real operator, you would love it. Once again, look at Rainbow Six, that G36 sure is cool isn’t it? Yeah, you know you want one.And by the way, check out our new HK45. We decided that humans don’t need to release the magazine with their thumbs. If you were a really manly teutonic operator, you would be able to reach the controls. Plus we’ve fired 100,000,000 rounds through one with zero malfunctions, and that was while it was buried in a lake of molten lava, on the moon. If you don’t believe us, it is because you aren’t a real operator.
By the way, our cheap, mass-produced, stamped sheet metal guns like the G3 and MP5 are the bestest things ever, and totally worth asinine scalpers prices, but note that cheap, mass-produced, stamped sheet metal guns from other countries are commie garbage. Not that it matters, because you’re civilians, so we won’t sell them to you anyway. Because you suck, and we hate you, but we know you’ll be back. We can beat you down like a trailer park wife, but you’ll come back, you always do.
Buy our stuff.
Sincerely
HK Marketing DepartmentHK. Because you suck. And we hate you.
word of advice: grow up.
in a free-market economy, a company has every right to sell whatever it wants to whoever it wants within the confines of domestic and international law.
I believe H&K’s track record speaks for itself. Since they are beginning to produce more firearms in the US (like the civilian 416), perhaps people will stop whining about H&K hating them.
Note: stop disseminating this stupid letter. It only causes others for form preconceived notions about how limited your intelligence is.
I’m actually a huge HK fan. The letter was made by fellow HK lovers who were frustrated by the elitism and exclusion of the civilian market. HK’s have a record that can sell themselves. If the products were crap they would have not been able to charge as much as they do and survive. It’s a joke, don’t take it so seriously.
yeah i saw this “letter” from the horse’s mouth when it first came out. I had the instant face+palm reaction followed by a chuckling sigh…
Ha, this guy obviously has never owned an H&K of any kind…
Or he owns a Glock, tee hee.
HK has always shown the American civilian market disrespect. They could care less about what we want or what we need. The HK416 10.49in upper is available all over the place for about $700 less. With that being said, the HK416’s I’ve used have been good performers. But, that’s just it, they have been good but nothing special. I gaurentee that this upper is not even close to the quality of a $2,000 DGI complete AR. I look at the release and price of this upper as blatant disrespect on the part of HK!
Well stated.
Can you really get an HK416 10″ upper for less? Where?
don’t ask ppl to actually prove it…you’ll find yourself standing in the rain, without an umbrella, extremely disappointed.
$2195? Whatever.
I agree with the B.S. in dealing with HK. I go to a few gun shops that refuse to sell HK products because of their crappy customer service. They expect the shops to buy a ton of their product to sell, then will not support the product after the sell. I would buy a LWRC a long time before I would buy the HK.
I thought H&K specifically designed the MR556 so that the upper receiver group would NOT mate with a standard mil-spec AR-15 lower receiver. Did they change their minds in the end? I love the MR556 (despite the ridiculous price) but I don’t think I could bring myself to buy an AR-15 type rifle that isn’t fully compatible with other lower receiver groups, just on general principle.