[Review+Video] FN 15 Patrol Carbine: Classic Excellence
Looking for a classic AR-15 from one of the top manufacturers? We hands-on review the FN 15 Patrol Carbine from reliability to price, accuracy, and more.
PRS/NRL22/Brutality/2-Gun Competitor. Career firearms writer. Former Boy Scout
We review products independently. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn a commission to help support our testing. Learn more.
While most of us would love to own a real full-auto M4 or M16, that's a dream that isn't likely to come true. So what is the next best thing?
Some would say a Colt AR-15, but I say it's an FN AR-15. And so here it is, the FN 15 Patrol Carbine!
Does this civilian version of the M4 live up to the name? Is it worth the price tag?
GunPrime sent one to Johnny for testing so that we could find out! Be sure to take a look at his video and subscribe to the Pew Pew Tactical YouTube channel.
Table of Contents
America's Rifle, Brought To You By Belgium
Many of us are fully aware of the story but for them of you that missed it, you might be wondering why the most American of rifles is not made by an American company.
Back in the day the AR-15 was designed by ArmaLite, but sold the rights to Colt before the Army adopted the M16 in 1964.
Fast-forward 20 years and in 1983 Colt's patents on the AR-15 platform expired, opening the market for other manufactures to build their own without paying Colt.
5 years later the Army was looking for a new batch of M16A2 rifles, FN won the contract by undercutting Colt by $57.50 per rifle. Since then the vast majority of M16s in American service has been made by FN. They even picked up the contract for M4 rifles starting in 2013.
Just to be clear though, all of the FN rifles were made in South Carolina -- but the company was owned by FN.
And so here we are today and I say to you: The best M4/M16 style rifle you can own is one made by FN.
Range Report
Johnny took to the range to test out the FN 15 Patrol Carbine and came away from it floored by the quality and function of this classic rifle.
Everything about the FN 15 lives up to what you would expect.
The fit and finish are outstanding, the parts run flawlessly, and even the branding is subtle but sexy.
With an MSRP of around $1,200 and a street price of $900, you are clearly not paying for a budget rifle. But you are getting what you pay for.
...It is kind of old school though.
It's Not "Dated" It's "Classic"!
While FN makes models of the FN 15 with M-Lok rails and free-floated handguards, the Patrol Carbine is much closer to the M4A1 with a quad rail made by Midwest Industries, a front sight block, an A2 grip, and the M4 adjustable stock.
This is a very bare-bones rifle, no ambi controls or extended releases to be found. Even the box it comes in is basic cardboard.
None of that is a bad thing though, what you are getting is an ultra-reliable and durable rifle for a good price. The fit and finish are perfect and the function is flawless.
From steel case to brass case the FN 15 ate everything that was thrown at it and did so from just able every AR magazine maker on the market.
There isn't much else to say about this rifle. It ran, it's great, and it's classic. A single negative point on it was the trigger, while FN says it's "smooth" it really isn't.
There are ways and brands that made a great milspec trigger, but this was not one of them. This was very... milspec in its roughness and feel.
Upgrades?
If you want a classic rifle or use this as a base for an M4 or SOPMOD clone, then go for it!
But if you want to use this as a personal go-to rifle, you might want to flesh this out with some upgrades. The top of our list would be the stock and grip.
The quad rail, while durable, strong, and great for mounting lights, lasers, and more will wear on your hand. If you don't get rail covers for it, consider some gloves.
And of course you'll want some optics. If you want to go with a classic, an ACOG is what you need.
But for a more general use or HD optic, consider a red dot or holographic sight like the EOTech 512.
Don't get us wrong though, the irons included on the FN 15 are solid and accurate, but they are irons.
Even if you do upgrade with an optic (check out Best AR-15 Scopes & Optics), you'll still have a top tier folding backup sight.
By The Numbers
Reliability: 5/5
Maybe the most worry-free rifle I've ever worked with. It runs.
Ergonomics: 3.5/5
Controls are fine, but until you fix the foregrip situation, it's like grabbing a pineapple.
Accuracy: 4/5
No AR carbine will get you a mile-shot award, but the FN-15 will get you on target for the distances it's designed for.
Customization: 4/5
The entire AR aftermarket is at your disposal. Other than being limited to the short guards, you got options.
Value: 4/5
If you can find it at the lower street prices, ton of value. If you have to pay full retail, just whisper "buy once cry once" to yourself.
Overall: 4/5
Crazy solid rifle. Reliability out the wazoo. And that quad rail will allow you to rock a bipod and harvest those IG hearts.
Conclusion
The FN 15 Patrol Carbine is far from fancy but it's one of the best made and most reliable ARs on the market today. Accuracy is good and the finish is one of the nicest I've seen. However, the quadrail is retro and you might need gloves to comfortably shoot it, but all-in-all the FN 15 is a winner.
Made by a company with hundreds of thousands of military and civilian AR-15s under their belt, you can trust this rifle when everything else fails.
From a patrol rifle, to a ranch rifle, to blasting steel targets in the back mountains -- this rifle is one you can count on.
How do you like your FN rifles? Colt Vs. FN? Let us know in the comments! If you're ready to upgrade your classic rifle, take a look at the Best AR-15 Upgrades and the Best AR-15 Optics!