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104-568: The FN SCAR (Special Operations Forces Combat Assault Rifle) is a family of gas-operated short-stroke gas piston automatic rifles developed by Belgian manufacturer FN Herstal (FN) in 2004. It is constructed with modularity for the United States Special Operations Command (SOCOM) to satisfy the requirements of the SCAR competition. This family of rifles consists of two main types. The SCAR-L, for "light",

208-545: A French patent and submitted prototypes for testing by the French army in 1888 although the true date of their invention is uncertain. They would also produce a semi-automatic shotgun in the early 1890s. In 1889, the Austro-Hungarian Adolf Odkolek von Újezd filed a patent for the first successful gas-operated machine gun. Most current gas systems employ some type of piston. The face of the piston

312-597: A German settlement called Germanna on the Rapidan River , a tributary of the Rappahannock upstream from the future site of the city. In 1716, he led an exploratory expedition westward over the Blue Ridge Mountains . As interest in the frontier grew, the colonial assembly formed Spotsylvania County in 1720, named after Royal Lieutenant Governor Alexander Spotswood . In 1728, Fredericksburg

416-535: A building made up of three individual structures, constructed at different times, beginning in 1816. Near the historic district is the Lewis Plantation, later named Kenmore, the plantation home of George Washington's sister Betty and her husband, Fielding Lewis . Civil War battles are commemorated in Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park . Formed by an act of Congress in 1927,

520-404: A firearm unless it is regulated somehow. Most gas-operated firearms rely on tuning the gas port size, mass of operating parts, and spring pressures to function. Several other methods are employed to regulate the energy. The M1 carbine incorporates a very short piston, or "tappet." This movement is closely restricted by a shoulder recess. This mechanism inherently limits the amount of gas taken from

624-486: A folding or a non-folding precision stock. The SCAR has two receivers: The lower is constructed of polymer, and the upper receiver is one piece and constructed of aluminum. The SCAR features an integral, uninterrupted Picatinny rail on the top of the aluminium receiver, two removable side rails and a bottom one that can mount any MIL-STD-1913 compliant accessories. The lower receiver is designed with an M16 compatible pistol grip, flared magazine well, and raised area around

728-622: A full power cartridge. The direct impingement (DI) method of operation vents gas from partway down the barrel through a tube to the working parts of a rifle where they directly impinge on the bolt carrier. This results in a simpler, lighter mechanism. Firearms that use this system include the French MAS-40 from 1940, the Swedish Ag m/42 from 1942. The Stoner gas system of the American M16 , M4, and AR-15 style rifles utilize

832-639: A future replacement for the M4 carbine . The SCAR was one of the competing weapons in the Individual Carbine competition which aimed to find a replacement for the M4 carbine . A variant of the SCAR was entered into the competition, known as the FNAC ( FN Advanced Carbine ). The weapon is similar to the SCAR Mk 16 Mod 0 but with modifications including a 140 g (0.3 lb) weight reduction resulting in

936-492: A gas piston-operated rifle and pistol which he claimed could be used with sliding, rotating or falling bolts. He would also patent a gas-operated revolver in 1886. Paulson did construct models of his rifle and tried them in France shortly after filing his patent. Furthermore, according to A. W. F. Taylerson, a firearms historian, his patented revolver was probably workable. In 1887, an American inventor called Henry Pitcher patented

1040-548: A gas-operated conversion system that he claimed could be applied to any manually-operated magazine rifle. In 1890 he would patent and submit an original gas-operated rifle for testing by the US government but it performed poorly and was ultimately never adopted despite being offered commercially for the civilian market. In the 1880s a gas piston-operated rifle and pistol were developed by the Clair Brothers of France who received

1144-428: A gas-operated repeating rifle but subsequently failed to develop that idea further. Between 1883 and 1885, Hiram Maxim filed several patents on blowback-, recoil-, and gas-operation. In 1885, one year after Maxim's first gas-operated patent, a British inventor called Richard Paulson, who a year before had patented a straight blowback-operated rifle and pistol, again, one year after Maxim’s first blowback patent, patented

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1248-467: A hole being drilled in the barrel. Both governments would first adopt weapons and later abandon the concept. Most earlier US M1 Garand rifles were retrofitted with long-stroke gas pistons, making the surviving gas trap rifles valuable in the collector's market. In the 1980s Soviet designer Alexander Adov from TsKIB SOO modified the concept with a tube diverting gas from the muzzle to a standard long stroke system (see below) in order to diminish influence of

1352-511: A left-handed operator to load under fire. The standalone stock assembly has the FN40GL mounted to the bottom rail as with the rifle, but still has 3 o'clock, 6 o'clock, and 9 o'clock rail positions for other accessories. This is mainly during non-lethal uses for other mounted additions like LED lights and laser dazzlers . The trigger is placed lower than normal for operation with the user's middle finger while keeping their trigger finger free to use

1456-534: A loaded weight of 3.61 kg (7.95 lb), a bayonet lug for an M9 bayonet (which the Mk 16 does not have), a rail mounted folding front iron sight instead of the gas block mounted sight, and a non-reciprocating charging handle. The competition was cancelled before a winner was chosen. In 2008, a variant of the FN SCAR—the Heat Adaptive Modular Rifle (HAMR)—was one of four finalist rifles for

1560-422: A modified version of this where a gas tube delivers gas into the bolt carrier to impinge on the bolt, which acts as a piston to cycle the rifle. One principal advantage is that the moving parts are placed in-line with the bore axis meaning that sight picture is not disturbed as much. This offers a particular advantage for fully automatic mechanisms. It has the disadvantage of the high-temperature propellant gas (and

1664-610: A party label. Like the rest of Northern Virginia , Fredericksburg has trended strongly Democratic in the early 21st century. In the 2008 presidential election , voters in Fredericksburg gave Barack Obama a total of 63.6% of the vote. Only Arlington County , Alexandria , and Falls Church in Northern Virginia had a higher percentage of votes for Obama. No Republican presidential candidate has carried Fredericksburg since George H. W. Bush did so in 1988 . In

1768-450: A rate of fire of 600 rounds per minute. This was done to improve control during fully automatic fire. In late October 2010, SOCOM approved full-rate production of the Mk 20 sniper variant of the SCAR, with fielding beginning in mid-May 2011. On 25 June 2010, SOCOM announced that it was cancelling the acquisition of the Mk 16, citing limited funds and a lack of enough of a performance difference in comparison to other 5.56mm rifles to justify

1872-508: A single subsequently released by Wray & His Ray Men. This innovation became widely used by rock guitarists. In the early 21st century, the local music scene includes a wide variety of genres. A commuter rail line – the Virginia Railway Express  – was established in the 1980s, providing passage to Washington, D.C. and other cities north of Fredericksburg. The city has become the regional healthcare center for

1976-600: A sole source 5 year indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity procurement notice for the Mk 16 Mod 0 (SCAR-L), Mk 17 Mod 0 (SCAR-H), Mk 20 Mod 0 (SSR), and Mk 13 Mod 0 (40mm EGLM) from FN to sustain inventory levels. Navy special operations forces procures their firearms through SOCOM and fielded the MK 16 more than any other unit. The Mk 17 was in widespread use by American SOF units in Afghanistan, where its relative light weight, accuracy and stopping power has proved of worth on

2080-484: Is a four-year public university within the city. Germanna Community College , established in 1970, is a public two-year program with a campus in Fredericksburg. Fredericksburg's daily newspaper is The Free Lance–Star . The Free Lance was first published in 1885, and competed with two twice-weekly papers in the city during the late 19th century, the Fredericksburg News and The Virginia Star . While

2184-518: Is a question that will only be determined by the customer". FN Herstal though had refuted that the Mk 16 was being dropped from the inventory and stated that the 5.56mm variant will be retained by SOCOM, and that "The choice between the 5.56 mm and the 7.62mm caliber will be left to the discretion of each constitutive component of USSOCOM's Joint Command (e.g. SEALs, Rangers, Army Special Forces, MARSOC , AFSOC) depending on their specific missions on today's battlefield". FN America's claim contradicted

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2288-565: Is acted upon by combustion gas from a port in the barrel or a trap at the muzzle. Early guns, such as Browning's "flapper" prototype, the Bang rifle , and the Garand rifle , used relatively low-pressure gas from at or near the muzzle . This, combined with larger operating parts, reduced the strain on the mechanism. To simplify and lighten the firearm, gas from nearer the chamber needed to be used. This high- pressure gas has sufficient force to destroy

2392-546: Is an independent city in Virginia , United States. As of the 2020 census , the population was 27,982. It is 48 miles (77 km) south of Washington, D.C. , and 53 miles (85 km) north of Richmond . The Bureau of Economic Analysis of the United States Department of Commerce combines the city of Fredericksburg with neighboring Spotsylvania County for statistical purposes. Located near where

2496-766: Is chambered in 5.56×45mm NATO and the SCAR-H, for "heavy", is chambered in 7.62×51mm NATO . Both types are available in Close Quarters Combat ( CQC ), Standard ( STD ), and Long Barrel ( LB ) variants. In early 2004, United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) issued a solicitation for a family of Special Operations Forces Combat Assault Rifles, the so-called SCAR, designed around two different calibers but featuring high commonality of parts and identical ergonomics. The SCAR system completed low rate initial production testing in June 2007. After some delays,

2600-539: Is land and 0.1 square miles (0.2 km ), or 0.67%, of which is water. The city is part of the boundary between the Piedmont and Tidewater regions, and as such is located on the fall line , as evident on the Rappahannock River . US 1 , US 17 , and I-95 all pass through the city, which is located 53 miles (85 km) south of downtown Washington, D.C. The city is bounded on the north and east by

2704-542: Is mounted on the bottom accessory rail instead of requiring specialized mounting hardware. The FN40GL is attached to SCAR rifles on the bottom rail with a trigger adapter and dual locking clamp levers on the launcher, limiting the ability to integrate with other rifles. Barrel length is 240 mm (9.6 in), and is unique in that it is the only system where the barrel can swivel to the left or right for loading, while other breech-loading launchers pivot specifically to one side. This enhances its ambidexterity, making it easy for

2808-475: Is not locked but is pushed rearward by the expanding propellant gases as in other blowback-based designs. However, propellant gases are vented from the barrel into a cylinder with a piston that delays the opening of the bolt. It is used by Volkssturmgewehr 1-5 rifle, the Heckler & Koch P7 , Steyr GB and Walther CCP pistols. To avoid consuming a lot of relatively expensive rounds, many armies, including

2912-449: The 2016 presidential election , then-candidate Donald Trump garnered the lowest percentage of the city's vote for any Republican candidate since 1936; about two percent fewer votes were garnered in 2020 . Fredericksburg operates with a council-manager government , with Kerry Devine as the current mayor, first elected in 2024. The following is the current makeup of City Council. Despite recent decades of suburban growth, reminders of

3016-522: The AR-15 family of weapons for addressing the shortcomings of the Stoner internal gas piston operating system. It is a cross between a short-stroke gas piston and a M1 Garand type long-stroke gas piston system. It is similar to a regular short-stroke piston in operation because it too uses an open gas piston that has an impingement cavity at its head, that rests on a gas block on the barrel. However just like

3120-507: The Arbitron media service began listing the Fredericksburg area as a nationally rated radio market. As of the fall of 2014, the area ranked 146th out of 272 markets surveyed, with a total market population of more than 325,000. Large broadcast companies like Clear Channel Communications and Cumulus Broadcasting are not active in the local market; almost all of its stations remain locally or regionally owned. In television, Fredericksburg

3224-573: The Armalite AR-18 or the SKS . In either case, the energy is imparted in a short, abrupt push and the motion of the gas piston is then arrested, allowing the bolt carrier assembly to continue through the operating cycle through kinetic energy . This has the advantage of reducing the total mass of recoiling parts compared with a long-stroke piston. This, in turn, enables better control of the weapon due to less mass needing to be stopped at either end of

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3328-741: The Civil War , Fredericksburg was strategically important because of its port location midway between Washington and Richmond, the opposing capitals of the Union and the Confederacy . During the Battle of Fredericksburg from December 11–15, 1862, the town sustained significant damage from bombardment and looting by the Union forces. During that engagement, nearly 10,000 enslaved people left area plantations and city households to gain freedom by crossing

3432-647: The East Coast ). The Spotsylvania Towne Centre is located in Spotsylvania County, adjacent to the city. Major employers include the University of Mary Washington (named for the mother of George Washington , who lived here), Mary Washington Healthcare, and GEICO . Many Fredericksburg area residents commute to work by car, bus, and rail to Washington, D.C. , and Richmond , as well as Fairfax , Prince William , and Arlington counties. At

3536-524: The Infantry Automatic Rifle (IAR) competition. The IAR was a United States Marine Corps requirement for a lightweight automatic rifle for squad automatic rifle use. The FN entry was different from existing SCAR versions in that it combined closed bolt operation (fires from bolt forward/chambered cartridge) with open bolt operation (fires from bolt to the rear, no chambered cartridge), switching automatically from closed to open bolt as

3640-740: The M27 . On 4 May 2010, a press release on FN America's official website announced the SCAR Acquisition Decision Memorandum was finalized on 14 April 2010, moving the SCAR program to the Milestone C phase. This was an approval for the entire weapons family of the SCAR-L, SCAR-H, and the Enhanced Grenade Launcher Module. The Mk 16 has a rate of fire of 625 rounds per minute while the Mk 17 has

3744-639: The News folded in 1884, the Star moved to daily publication in 1893. In 1900, the two companies merged, with both newspapers continuing publication until 1926, when they merged as a single daily newspaper under the current title. Until June 19, 2014, the Free Lance–Star was owned and operated by members of the Rowe family of Fredericksburg. At that time, Sandton Capital Partners purchased the paper. On December 31, 2015,

3848-595: The Rappahannock River crosses the Atlantic Seaboard fall line , Fredericksburg was a prominent port in Virginia during the colonial era . During the Civil War , Fredericksburg, located halfway between the capitals of the opposing forces, was the site of the Battle of Fredericksburg and Second Battle of Fredericksburg . These battles are preserved, in part, as the Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park . More than 10,000 African-Americans in

3952-507: The Rappahannock River near the head of navigation at the fall line , Fredericksburg developed as the frontier of colonial Virginia shifted west from the coastal plain into the Piedmont. The land on which the city was founded was part of a tract patented in 1671. The Virginia General Assembly established a fort on the Rappahannock in 1676, just downriver of the present-day city. In 1714, Lieutenant Governor Alexander Spotswood sponsored

4056-685: The Smithsonian Institution 's castle building in Washington and St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City, and the 1816 town hall and market house, now operated as the Fredericksburg Area Museum and Cultural Center. Another site of interest is St. George's Church . The James Monroe Museum and Memorial Library is located on the site where Monroe practiced law from 1786 to 1788. The museum is housed in

4160-518: The State Normal and Industrial School for Women , to train white women for teaching K-12 and industrial skills. Adopting the name of Mary Washington College in 1938, the college was for many years associated with the University of Virginia (then limited to white men) as a women's liberal arts college . The college officially desegregated in 1964. The college became independent of the University of Virginia and began to accept men in 1970. In 2004,

4264-537: The Wayback Machine . By long-standing tradition (dating back to the Federal Hatch Act of 1939 , which prohibited government employees from participating in partisan politics), local elections in Fredericksburg are officially non-partisan. Neither the mayoral and council elections nor local constitutional positions (e.g. sheriff, Commissioner of Revenue, Commonwealth Attorney) list candidates with

FN SCAR - Misplaced Pages Continue

4368-453: The barrel . The M14 rifle and M60 GPMG use the White expansion and cutoff system to stop (cut off) gas from entering the cylinder once the piston has traveled a short distance. Most systems, however, vent excess gas into the atmosphere through slots, holes, or ports. A gas trap system involves "trapping" combustion gas as it leaves the muzzle. This gas impinges on a surface that converts

4472-476: The urban heat island present in the nation's capital make for significantly cooler low temperatures. Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race. As of the census of 2020, there were about 29,000 people, 8,102 households, and 3,925 families residing in

4576-615: The "Washington Heritage Museums": the Mary Washington House , where George Washington's mother lived in her final years; the late 18th-century Rising Sun Tavern , and the Hugh Mercer Apothecary Shop (the fourth, the St. James House (built 1768), is open to the public only during Historic Garden Week ). Important public buildings include the 1852 courthouse designed by James Renwick , whose works include

4680-522: The 'GL1' designed for the F2000 . The FN40GL is marketed in both an L (Light) and H (Heavy) model, for fitting the appropriate SCAR variant. The EGLM system features a double-action trigger and a swing-out chamber. These offer two advantages over the M203 system, the first being that the launcher does not need to be re-cocked if the grenade does not fire, and the latter being that longer grenades can be used. Like

4784-515: The 10,000 slaves crossing the Rappahannock for freedom with the Union in 1862 was John Washington. A literate slave from Fredericksburg, he settled in New York and wrote an account of the wartime events several years later. His manuscript was discovered in the 1990s. It was published as the basis of two books, David W. Blight 's A Slave No More (2007), and John Washington's Civil War: A Slave Narrative (2008), edited by Crandall Shifflett. In 2010,

4888-444: The 5.56mm Mk 16 SCAR for some or all of their respective subordinate units even with overall US Special Operations Command opting not to. SOCOM began removing the Mk 16 from its inventory at the end of 2011, and most units have had the rifle removed from service post-2013. To maintain the SCAR as a small-caliber weapon, they are procuring conversion kits for the Mk 17 battle rifle to make it fire 5.56×45mm rounds. The presolicitation for

4992-866: The Continental Army. Other significant early residents include the Revolutionary War generals Hugh Mercer and George Weedon , naval war hero John Paul Jones , and future U.S. president James Monroe . Thomas Jefferson wrote the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom in Fredericksburg. During the 19th century, mills continued to be developed along the Rappahannock River, which provided water power. There were mills for grinding flour, processing and weaving cotton, and other manufacturing. Fredericksburg sought to maintain its sphere of trade, but with limited success. It promoted

5096-458: The M203, the FN40GL uses the same High-Low Propulsion System . The FN40GL is deemed a third-generation grenade launcher, meaning it is multifunctional: it can be used mounted to the rifle or as a stand-alone system; it is manufactured using a number of materials like aluminum, composites, and polymers; the breech opens to the side for use of longer 40 mm rounds including less-than-lethal; and it

5200-503: The M4 with 882 stoppages and the HK416 with 233. This test was based on two previous systems assessments that were conducted using the M4 carbine and M16 rifle at Aberdeen Proving Ground in 2006 and the summer of 2007 before the third limited competition in the fall of 2007. The 2006 test focused only on the M4 and M16. The Summer 2007 test had only the M4 but increased lubrication. Results from

5304-569: The National Park Service, which manages the battlefield, Stafford County, and the City of Fredericksburg worked collaboratively to post new historical markers on either side of the Rappahannock River as part of a "Freedom Trail" to mark this exodus. Notable 20th-century sites and structures include the campus of the University of Mary Washington (begun in 1908), and Carl's Ice Cream , an Art Moderne roadside ice cream stand, listed on

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5408-831: The National Register of Historic Places. Nearby points of interest include Ferry Farm historic site across the Rapahannock in Stafford County where Washington spent his boyhood, and the George Washington Birthplace National Monument , located 38 miles (61 km) to the east in Westmoreland County on the Northern Neck. The historic community of Falmouth lies across the Rappahannock to

5512-466: The Rappahannock River to Stafford County and join the Union lines, part of a movement by enslaved people throughout the South in wartime. John Washington, a literate enslaved person who shortly crossed to freedom, wrote later about people watching the approach of Union troops across the river from Fredericksburg: "No one could be seen on the street but the colored people. and every one of them seemed to be in

5616-420: The Rappahannock River; across the river is Stafford County . The city is bounded on the south and west by Spotsylvania County . Fredericksburg has a four-season humid subtropical climate ( Köppen Cfa ), with cool winters and hot, humid summers. Daytime temperatures for much of the year average slightly higher than in Washington, D.C. due to the southerly aspect, although the inland location and distance from

5720-409: The SCAR program originally called for one rifle that could be adapted to fire multiple calibers including 5.56mm, 7.62×51mm, and 7.62×39mm . When requirements were finalized, the decision was made to separate the 5.56×45mm and 7.62×51mm weapons because converting the medium caliber rifle to fire small caliber bullets created an assault rifle heavier than the M4 carbine. After fielding, operators reversed

5824-520: The SCAR rifles for commercial and law enforcement use. These are dubbed the 16S (Light) and 17S (Heavy), and are manufactured in Herstal, Belgium and imported by FN Herstal's U.S. subsidiary FN America of Fredericksburg, Virginia . FN America slightly modifies the rifles (supplying a U.S. made magazine and machining a pin in the magazine well) to be in compliance with U.S. Code before selling them. The FN SCAR 20S Precision Rifle chambered in 7.62×51mm NATO

5928-519: The SCAR-H would also be capable of being chambered in the 7.62×39mm M43 Kalashnikov cartridge, as well as the 6.8×43mm Remington SPC cartridge, however, FN is not currently offering this configuration, and the models have likely been cancelled. The SCAR-L, designated Mk 16 by USSOCOM, was intended to replace the M4A1 , the Mk 18 CQBR and the Mk 12 SPR that had been in service (before SOCOM decided to cancel

6032-544: The SCAR-H, allowing it to substitute for the SCAR-L. As of late 2022, the SCAR is in service in over 20 countries. The SCAR is manufactured in two main versions; the SCAR-L ("Light") and SCAR-H ("Heavy"). The SCAR-L fires 5.56×45mm NATO rounds from STANAG ( M16 ) magazines. The SCAR-H fires the more powerful 7.62×51mm NATO cartridge from proprietary 20-round magazines. Varied barrel lengths are also available for different purposes, such as close quarters battle or long-range engagements. The initial solicitation indicated that

6136-494: The United States Army, trained machine gun crews with less-expensive sub-caliber ammunition in the late 19th century and the first half of the 20th century. To do this, they needed a cheap .22 LR cartridge to operate firearms designed to use the .30-06 cartridge. David Marshall Williams invented a method that involved a separate floating chamber that acted as a gas piston with combustion gas impinging directly on

6240-417: The [originally contracted] Mk 16 variant, is the superior weapon system available today...it has already been proven to be just that...recently passing Milestone C and determined to be operationally effective / operationally suitable (OE/OS) for fielding. The issue is whether or not the requirement for a 5.56mm replacement outweighs the numerous other requirements competing for the customers' limited budget. That

6344-568: The accompanying fouling) being blown directly into the action parts. Direct impingement operation increases the amount of heat that is deposited in the receiver while firing, which can burn off and cover up lubricants. The bolt, extractor, ejector, pins, and springs are also heated by the same high-temperature gas. These combined factors reduce service life of these parts, reliability, and mean time between failures . Several other uses have been found for exhaust gases other than to aid cycling: Fredericksburg, Virginia Fredericksburg

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6448-421: The age of 18 living with them, 31.8% were married couples living together, 13.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 51.6% were non-families. 39.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.09 and the average family size was 2.81. In the city, the population was spread out, with 17.8% under

6552-427: The age of 18, 23.8% from 18 to 24, 27.2% from 25 to 44, 18.4% from 45 to 64, and 12.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females, there were 81.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.4 males. According to data from the US Census, the median household income in the city is $ 83,445 and the median income for a family is $ 121,781. The per capita income for

6656-670: The area's past abound. The 40-block Fredericksburg Historic District , listed on the National Register of Historic Places , embraces the city's downtown area and contains more than 350 buildings and locations dating to the 18th and 19th centuries, including the Fredericksburg Town Hall and Market Square , Lewis Store , and former site of the Slave Auction Block . Within the historic district, four 18th-century historic sites have been managed by

6760-421: The area's population in the 1940s. The 1960s brought renewed growth and development, fueled by the construction of Interstate 95 , which eased commuting and trade. By the 1970s, the city and the area had become a bedroom community for jobs in Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C. Headquarters agencies, lobbyists , consultants , defense and government contractors , and a range of other businesses were part of

6864-435: The area. Retail, real estate, and other commercial growth exploded in the early 21st century, eventually slowing during the Great Recession beginning in 2007. Hispanic growth skyrocketed from 2011 to 2020, with Chancellor Green in nearby Spotsylvania County becoming a local enclave. According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 10.5 square miles (27.2 km ), 10.4 square miles (27.0 km ) of which

6968-413: The battlefield. Precision Rifles - 7.62×51mm NATO Detachment of the Military Police "Cobras" L, H — Gas-operated reloading#Short stroke The first mention of using a gas piston in a single-shot breech-loading rifle comes from 1856, by the German Edward Lindner who patented his invention in the United States and Britain. In 1866, Englishman William Curtis filed the first patent on

7072-411: The best of humors." The Second Battle of Fredericksburg was fought in and around the town on May 3, 1863, in connection with the Chancellorsville campaign (April 27, 1863 – May 6, 1863). The battles of the Wilderness and Spotsylvania Court House were fought nearby in May 1864. The Washington Woolen Mill, a large three-story building, was converted to use as a hospital during the war. After

7176-483: The bolt carrier travel and prevents hot combustion gases from being pushed into the internals and removes powder residue in the receiver which significantly improves reliability, increasing the lifespan of weapon parts by reducing instances of malfunctions under prolonged periods of extreme high rate of fire and suppressed shooting. The short-stroke operating system is available both on military ( HK416 lineage , LMT MARS ) and civilian markets as an alternative or retrofit to

7280-431: The carbines in an "extreme dust environment". The purpose of the shoot-off was to assess future needs, not to select a replacement for the M4. During the test, the SCAR suffered 226 stoppages. Since a percentage of each weapons' stoppages were caused by magazine failures, the FN SCAR, XM8 and HK416 performed statistically similarly. The FN SCAR ranked second to the XM8 with 127 stoppages, but with fewer stoppages compared to

7384-433: The city is $ 43,063. 18% of the population is below the poverty line . The Fredericksburg Police Department tracks crime information under the state-level system of the Uniform Crime Reporting program. Per state code, the central repository for crime statistics rests with the Department of State Police, which compiles data from all of the participating agencies into an annual publication Archived November 25, 2011, at

7488-641: The city, and his sister Betty lived at Kenmore , a plantation house then outside the city. Several citizens played active roles during the American Revolution (1763–1781). For example, a number of locals signed the Leedstown Resolves, which formed an association to protest the Stamp Act in the 1760s. In the 1770s, Fielding Lewis , owner of Kenmore Plantation and brother-in-law to George Washington , also operated an arms factory for

7592-508: The city. The population density was 1,833 inhabitants per square mile (708/km ). There were 8,888 housing units at an average density of 845 per square mile (326/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 54% White , 21% Black or African American , 0.31% Native American , 4.74 Asian , 0.067 Pacific Islander , 2.56% from other races , and 1.95% from two or more races.12% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 8,102 households, out of which 21.6% had children under

7696-547: The college changed its name from Mary Washington College to the University of Mary Washington. Two additional campuses for graduate and professional studies and education and research are located in Stafford County and in King George County , respectively. Musician Link Wray invented the power chord of modern rock guitar in Fredericksburg in 1958 during an improvisation of the instrumental piece "Rumble" ,

7800-578: The development of a canal on the Rappahannock and construction of a turnpike and plank road to bind the interior country to the market town. By 1837, a north–south railroad, which became the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad , linked the town to Richmond, the state capital. A much-needed railroad joining the town to the West's arming region was not finished until after the Civil War. During

7904-406: The energy to motion that, in turn, cycles the action of the firearm. As the resulting motion is forward toward the muzzle of the gun, some sort of mechanical system is needed to translate this into the rearward motion needed to operate the bolt. This adds to the complexity of the mechanism and its weight, and the placement of the trap generally results in a longer weapon and allows dirt to easily enter

8008-516: The first rifles began to be issued to operational units in April 2009, and a battalion of the U.S. 75th Ranger Regiment was the first large unit deployed into combat with 600 of the rifles in 2009. The U.S. Special Operations Command later cancelled their purchase of the SCAR-L and planned to remove the rifle from their inventory by 2013. However, they will continue to purchase the SCAR-H version, and also plan to purchase 5.56 mm conversion kits for

8112-438: The front of the floating chamber. The .22 caliber Colt Service Ace conversion kit for the .45 caliber M1911 pistol also used Williams' system, which allows a much heavier slide than other conversions operating on the unaugmented blowback mechanism and makes training with the converted pistol realistic. A floating chamber provides additional force to operate the heavier slide, providing a felt recoil level similar to that of

8216-530: The gas engine on barrel and increase accuracy, but his sniper rifle wasn't adopted due to the dissolution of the Soviet Union . With a long-stroke system, the piston is mechanically fixed to the bolt group and moves through the entire operating cycle. This system is used in weapons such as the Bren light machine gun , AK-47 , Tavor , FN Minimi , FN MAG , FN FNC , and M1 Garand . The primary advantage of

8320-552: The long-stroke gas piston system used on the M1 Garand the piston assembly is integrated with the operating rod and moves with the bolt group. The caveat of this system is that it has heavier moving mass than modern long-stroke gas piston systems used on rifles like the AK-47 , Tavor , FN FNC , etc. Hence firearms using this system do have higher felt recoil than their equivalent modern long-stroke gas piston counterparts. The bolt

8424-403: The long-stroke system is that the mass of the piston rod adds to the momentum of the bolt carrier enabling more positive extraction, ejection, chambering, and locking. The primary disadvantage to this system is the disruption of the point of aim due to several factors such as: the center of mass changing during the action cycle, abrupt stops at the beginning and end of bolt carrier travel, and

8528-698: The magazine and bolt release buttons. The front sight flips down for unobstructed use of optics and accessories. The rifle uses a "tappet" type of closed gas system much like the M1 Carbine while the bolt carrier otherwise resembles the Stoner 63 or Heckler & Koch G36 . The SCAR is built at the FN Manufacturing, LLC plant in Columbia, South Carolina, in the United States. Since 2008, FN Herstal has been offering semi-automatic versions of

8632-400: The mechanism. Despite these disadvantages, they use relatively low pressure gas and do not require a hole in the barrel, which made them attractive in early designs. The system is no longer used in modern weapons. Hiram Maxim patented a muzzle-cup system in 1884 described in U.S. patent 319,596 though it is unknown if this firearm was ever prototyped. John Browning used gas trapped at

8736-617: The muzzle to operate a "flapper" in the earliest prototype gas-operated firearm described in U.S. patent 471,782 , and used a slight variation of this design on the M1895 Colt–Browning machine gun "potato digger". The Danish Bang rifle used a muzzle cup blown forward by muzzle gas to operate the action through transfer bars and leverage. Other gas-trap rifles were early production M1 Garands and German Gewehr 41 (both Walther and Mauser models). The American and German governments both had requirements that their guns operated without

8840-522: The national military park preserves portions of the battlefields of Fredericksburg , Chancellorsville , the Wilderness , and Spotsylvania Court House . The Fredericksburg National Cemetery , also part of the park, was developed by the federal government after the war on Marye's Heights on the Fredericksburg battlefield. It contains more than 15,000 Union burials from the area's battlefields. Many unidentified soldiers were buried in mass graves. Among

8944-839: The nearby region have several radio stations, including (on the FM dial) WQIQ (88.3, "Radio IQ", public radio, licensed to nearby Spotsylvania), WLJV (89.5, contemporary Christian), WPER (90.5, Christian), WFLS (93.3, country), WGRQ (95.9, "SuperHits", classic hits, licensed to nearby Fairview Beach), WWUZ (96.9, classic rock, licensed to nearby Bowling Green), WVBX (99.3, contemporary hit radio, licensed to nearby Spotsylvania), WBQB ("B-101.5", adult contemporary) and WGRX ("Thunder 104.5", country, licensed to nearby Falmouth). Fredericksburg AM stations include WFVA (1230, news and talk) and WNTX (1350, talk, news, and sports). WGRQ and WGRX are owned locally by Telemedia Broadcasting. WFLS, WWUZ, WVBX, and WNTX are owned by Alpha Media . In 2001,

9048-446: The newspaper and associated website were purchased by Berkshire Hathaway 's BH Media Group. Fredericksburg Today , an online hyperlocal news site began operation following the 2014 bankruptcy of The Free Lance–Star . In 2024, Fredericksburg Today was replaced by The Fredericksburg Free Press , a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to providing impartial and nonpartisan digital news to the Fredericksburg region. Fredericksburg and

9152-437: The north and includes the historic house Belmont, home of American Impressionist artist Gari Melchers . Public parks run by the city include: Central Rappahannock Regional Library The Fredericksburg City Public Schools are run independently of the surrounding counties. The public primary and secondary schools include: Private schools include: The University of Mary Washington , established in 1908 and opened in 1911,

9256-746: The official announcement from SOCOM and they did not reverse their decision. SOCOM decided to procure the 7.62mm Mk 17 rifle, the 40mm Mk 13 grenade launcher, and the 7.62mm Mk 20 Sniper Support Rifle variants of the Special Operations Forces Combat Assault Rifle (SCAR) manufactured by FN. SOCOM would not purchase the 5.56mm Mk 16. At that point the individual service component commands within SOCOM (Army Special Operations Command, Naval Special Warfare Command, Air Force Special Operations Command, and Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command) would or would not still buy

9360-620: The order for the Mk 16 Mod 0, see below), whereas the Mk 17 (SCAR-H) had been intended to replace the M14 and Mk 11 sniper rifles in use. However, the weapon will only supplement other weapons, while issuance remains of the operator's discretion. The semi-automatic only Mk 20 Mod 0 Sniper Support Rifle (SSR) is based on the SCAR-H. It includes a longer receiver, a beefed-up barrel extension and barrel profile to reduce whip and improve accuracy, and an enhanced modular trigger that can be configured for single-stage or two-stage operation together with either

9464-510: The previous decision and called for a SCAR that could change calibers. The Mk 17 was chosen to be scaled down because it had a larger receiver for the 7.62×51mm round, and so the 5.56mm Mk 16 could not be scaled up to chamber the larger round. The 5.56mm conversion kit was finalized in late 2010 and orders began in mid-2011. On 9 December 2011, the Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division released

9568-405: The purchase. Remaining funds would be expended for the SCAR-H and the Mk 20 sniper variant. At the time, SOCOM had bought 850 Mk 16s and 750 Mk 17s. SOCOM had operators turn in their Mk 16s and is not keeping them in the inventory, but started developing a conversion kit for the Mk 17 to make it capable of firing 5.56mm rounds. "FN America believes the issue is not whether the SCAR, and specifically

9672-404: The region left slavery for freedom in 1862 alone, getting behind Union lines. Tourism is a major part of the economy. Approximately 1.5 million people visit the Fredericksburg area annually, including the battlefield park, the downtown visitor center, events, museums, art shops, galleries, and many historical sites. Fredericksburg is home to Central Park (as of 2004, the second-largest mall on

9776-564: The regional economy influenced by the U.S. government . The city also benefited from its relative proximity to four military installations: the United States Marine Corps ' Quantico Base , the U.S. Army 's Fort Belvoir , the U.S. Navy 's Dahlgren Surface Weapons Base , and the Virginia National Guard 's Fort A.P. Hill . The University of Mary Washington was founded in Fredericksburg in 1908 as

9880-568: The rifle. The double-action trigger is long and heavy to prevent easily and unintentionally firing a round under stress. It can fire the Pike 40 mm guided munition. In July 2007, the United States Army announced a limited competition between the M4 carbine , FN SCAR, HK416 , and the previously shelved HK XM8 . Ten examples of each of the four competitors were involved. During the testing, 6,000 rounds apiece were fired from each of

9984-522: The second test resulted in a total of 307 stoppages for the M4 after lubrication was increased, but did not explain why the M4 suffered 882 stoppages with that same level of lubrication in the third test. The SCAR was one of the weapons displayed to U.S. Army officials during an invitation-only Industry Day on 13 November 2008. The goal of the Industry Day was to review current carbine technology for any situation prior to writing formal requirements for

10088-609: The time of European encounter, the indigenous inhabitants of the area that became Fredericksburg were a Siouan -speaking tribe called the Manahoac . English colonists recorded the name of the Manahoac village there as Mahaskahod . Siouan tribes occupied much of the area of the Piedmont. The Tidewater areas of the coastal plain had primarily Algonquian -speaking tribes making up the Powhatan Confederacy . Located on

10192-459: The use of the barrel as a fulcrum to drive the bolt back. Also, due to the greater mass of moving parts, more gas is required to operate the system that, in turn, requires larger operating parts. With a short-stroke or tappet system, the piston moves separately from the bolt group. It may directly push the bolt group parts, as in the M1 carbine , or operate through a connecting rod or assembly, as in

10296-414: The war, Fredericksburg recovered its former position as a center of local trade and slowly grew beyond its prewar boundaries. Neither the city of Fredericksburg nor the surrounding counties reached the 1860 level of population again until well into the 20th century. After the war, many freedmen moved to Richmond and Petersburg , where there had been established free black communities before the war, and there

10400-542: The weapon's barrel heats up during firing. There have been previous firearms with mixed open/closed bolt operation, but the automatic temperature-based operating mode switch is an innovation. The IAR competition was expected to result in Marine Corps procurement of up to 6,500 automatic rifles over five years, but eventually the SCAR variant was passed over in favor of the Heckler and Koch HK416 rifle, later designated as

10504-469: Was declared a port for the county, of which it was then a part. Named for Frederick, Prince of Wales , son of King George II , the colonial town named its streets after the members of the royal family. The county court was moved to Fredericksburg in 1732. Hence, the community served as county seat until 1780. The court was then moved to Spotsylvania Courthouse, Virginia  – closer to the geographical center of Spotsylvania County. In 1781, Fredericksburg

10608-486: Was incorporated as a town with its own court, council, and mayor. It received its charter as an independent city in 1879 and under Virginia law, was separated from Spotsylvania County. The city adopted its present city manager/council form of government in 1911. The city has close associations with George Washington , whose family in 1738 moved to Ferry Farm in Stafford County near the Rappahannock River opposite Fredericksburg. Washington's mother, Mary , later moved to

10712-613: Was introduced in 2019. It is a semi-automatic only civilian version of the FN Mk 20 SSR. In 2020 the FN SCAR 20S 6.5CM variant was announced chambered in 6.5mm Creedmoor . This chambering has been selected by USSOCOM for long-range use. Introduced in 2004 as an addition, the Enhanced Grenade Launching Module (EGLM), officially referred to as the FN40GL, or Mk 13 Mod 0, is a 40 mm grenade launcher based on

10816-621: Was more work. In the early 20th century, as the Jim Crow era continued in the South, there was widespread population movement. Many African-Americans left rural areas of the South for work and other opportunities in industrial cities of the North and Midwest in the Great Migration . Some settled in Washington, D.C., where there were more opportunities, or further north. War-related buildup at defense facilities for World War II added to

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