So what is so great about a FAL?

[Marine24]

So went to Patrick's to pick up my ammo and conversation naturally drifted to guns and ended up landing on FALs. Patrick was talking about some of his new projects and got an itch going that I now need to scratch.

I know what an FAL is and heard them described as an AK that shoots 7.62 NATO, but that is about the extent of my knowledge.

My upgraded LR-308 is my preferred 308 semi platform, but like I said, I got that itch.

Is it just because you can run anything and everything through an FAL?

What are the features/specs that distinguish a good one from a bad or exceptional one?

What is a DSA SA58? DSA's remake of the FAL?

[DeusExMachina]

See also: Right arm of the free world.

[Marine24]

See also: Right arm of the free world.

http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/edu64.htm

Interesting article. Gives the basic on the FAL and impressed with the simplicity of breaking it down.

[Marine24]

True. I remember getting crap from my Brit and Aussie brethren when comparing their L1A1 with my "girlie" M16. Seemed to make the same comment when comparing our beers too.

[Wiggity]

What is so great about it?


Its Larry Vicker's second favorite rifle, that's whats so great about it

[Marine24]

What is so great about it?


Its Larry Vicker's second favorite rifle, that's whats so great about it

True. He does prefer the FAL to the M1A or G3 in an all around battle rifle, even though the M14 can be tuned to be more accurate and the G3 is more rugged (his words). He also seems to be pretty high on DSA as well.

Always liked Jeff Cooper's quote of "The AK is the rifle for the masses and the FAL is the rifle for the classes".

So besides their endorsements, what features/specs separate the good from the bad?

I hear names like CETME, Imbel, Coonan, Century, DSA but not sure if they are all generally of the same quality or if some should be avoided.

What about the kits that are discussed? Article Deus pointed me to talked about Australian kits and made a distinction between hybrids vs mongrel FALs.

Not disparaging anyone's favorite rifle, but have an interest on doing a new build and looking for some info to make informed choices.

[Wiggity]

True. He does prefer the FAL to the M1A or G3 in an all around battle rifle, even though the M14 can be tuned to be more accurate and the G3 is more rugged (his words). He also seems to be pretty high on DSA as well.

Always liked Jeff Cooper's quote of "The AK is the rifle for the masses and the FAL is the rifle for the classes".

So besides their endorsements, what features/specs separate the good from the bad?

I hear names like CETME, Imbel, Coonan, Century, DSA but not sure if they are all generally of the same quality or if some should be avoided.

What about the kits that are discussed? Article Deus pointed me to talked about Australian kits and made a distinction between hybrids vs mongrel FALs.

Not disparaging anyone's favorite rifle, but have an interest on doing a new build and looking for some info to make informed choices.

In all honesty I know next to nothing about FAL's. Just that they are LV's second favorite rifle.

[Marine24]

That makes two of us. Now where are all those FAL experts?

Not sure if dropping $1500 on a DSA is appropriate or going with an Enterprise at just shy of $1000 or building it from parts.

[jerrymrc]

Too tired to write a book but let me try a few things. Fals come in two basic flavors. Inch and metric. I will not delve into the world of indian Fal's.

Some parts interchange, some do not. Within the metric family there are the type one,two and three. Except for the early stuff metric guns can be any mix and match ya want.

DSA can make a nice gun. DSA can also make a shitty one. There is NO set standard of what makes one Fal shoot good and one shoot bad. The Fal is not a large AK. The SKS however IS a small Fal.

For what it is the Fal earns good marks for ergo, reliability, ease of maintenance. It is also has the softest recoil of any .308 battle rifle when adjusted correctly.

I have not looked recently but DSA used to sell two kinds of rifles. One from mostly new parts (they are all new now since they got the bolt issue done) and a Kit rifle based on a STG58 kit with mostly surplus parts.

Kits. Inch kits are pretty rare these days. Century bought many of them back in the 90's.

Metric kits range from type ones (G-1/STG/Argie and some Rodie) to the Imbels that are type three. The best kits as to condition start with the STG then an Imbel, G-1 and last are the Rodies. Not to say there are not good and bad ones except for the STG's

Many more parts for the metric guns than the Inch ones. I will say this again. We know some things that cause the Fal to have issues in the accuracy dept but one can throw a bunch of $$ at one trying to make it a tack driver and it is not. There is no such thing as a 1MOA Fal. Some shoot and some do not. I myself have one that is very accurate. But then I built a few to get there.

I have built over 30 of them and fixed many more. Also helped many members build there own.

We used to build them for $350 I also have the lightest Fal on the planet that turns up all over the place. I also run Falfest down in Raton every year.

[Marine24]

Too tired to write a book but let me try a few things. Fals come in two basic flavors. Inch and metric. I will not delve into the world of indian Fal's.

Some parts interchange, some do not. Within the metric family there are the type one,two and three. Except for the early stuff metric guns can be any mix and match ya want.

DSA can make a nice gun. DSA can also make a shitty one. There is NO set standard of what makes one Fal shoot good and one shoot bad. The Fal is not a large AK. The SKS however IS a small Fal.

For what it is the Fal earns good marks for ergo, reliability, ease of maintenance. It is also has the softest recoil of any .308 battle rifle when adjusted correctly.

I have not looked recently but DSA used to sell two kinds of rifles. One from mostly new parts (they are all new now since they got the bolt issue done) and a Kit rifle based on a STG58 kit with mostly surplus parts.

Kits. Inch kits are pretty rare these days. Century bought many of them back in the 90's.

Metric kits range from type ones (G-1/STG/Argie and some Rodie) to the Imbels that are type three. The best kits as to condition start with the STG then an Imbel, G-1 and last are the Rodies. Not to say there are not good and bad ones except for the STG's

Many more parts for the metric guns than the Inch ones. I will say this again. We know some things that cause the Fal to have issues in the accuracy dept but one can throw a bunch of $$ at one trying to make it a tack driver and it is not. There is no such thing as a 1MOA Fal. Some shoot and some do not. I myself have one that is very accurate. But then I built a few to get there.

Jerry: Appreciate you taking the time to provide the nuggets of wisdom. Exactly the kind of info I was looking for.

While a FAL won't typically achieve the accuracy I can from my LR-308, its reputation as a battle rifle can't be disputed.

At a minimum, I've got a punch list of things to be looking for. Interesting to see what is defined as a "Kit" for a FAL.

Any big differences in receivers? Imbel and Enterprise seem to be a couple that most folks speak highly of.