Shot a FAL yesterday

[1slow]

YMMV.

I have had and shot FALs since the 1980s, I really like them. The ergonomics work well for me. My favorite of the classic 7.62x51 rifles. I have had Galils. HK 91s, M1As, Yugo AK in this caliber. The ergonomics and logistics of the FAL were very good.
I have had several dozen FALs, Para, fixed stock, heavy barrel, Belgian, SAR-48, Imbel. My favorite is the 50.63 variation, Para with about 17.5'' chrome lined 7.62x51 chamber barrel. They call them 18'' and 21'' barrels. They are more like 17.5 and 20.5''.
When ammo was $135-165 per 1000 I shot 10,000 rounds through them annually in some years. I shot the guns a lot and had very little trouble.

The extended thumb safety DSA makes is good. DSA scope mount is probably the best.

I did notice across, multiple FALs, shooting at 500 yards that with a scope I would get 12'' or so vertical rise on the 2nd 20 round magazine shooting at a measured pace. I did not notice this with iron sights. The front iron sight moves with the barrel so it may have been sort of self correcting as the barrel heated and moved.. Scope being receiver mounted did not move with the barrel as it heated. Just a guess.

Probably the SCAR Heavy is a better bet now. I had Armalite AR10s match and otherwise and while more accurate they were not as reliable.

[Paul Sharp]

YMMV.

I have had and shot FALs since the 1980s, I really like them. The ergonomics work well for me. My favorite of the classic 7.62x51 rifles. I have had Galils. HK 91s, M1As, Yugo AK in this caliber. The ergonomics and logistics of the FAL were very good.
I have had several dozen FALs, Para, fixed stock, heavy barrel, Belgian, SAR-48, Imbel. My favorite is the 50.63 variation, Para with about 17.5'' chrome lined 7.62x51 chamber barrel. They call them 18'' and 21'' barrels. They are more like 17.5 and 20.5''.
When ammo was $135-165 per 1000 I shot 10,000 rounds through them annually in some years. I shot the guns a lot and had very little trouble.

The extended thumb safety DSA makes is good. DSA scope mount is probably the best.

I did notice across, multiple FALs, shooting at 500 yards that with a scope I would get 12'' or so vertical rise on the 2nd 20 round magazine shooting at a measured pace. I did not notice this with iron sights. The front iron sight moves with the barrel so it may have been sort of self correcting as the barrel heated and moved.. Scope being receiver mounted did not move with the barrel as it heated. Just a guess.

Probably the SCAR Heavy is a better bet now. I had Armalite AR10s match and otherwise and while more accurate they were not as reliable.

Do you have any experience with the Spanish CETME?

I seriously have a love/love issue with the SCAR Heavy.

[LittleLebowski]

You would have to pay me, or scare me a lot, to shoot a 16 inch FAL in a bathroom without plugs and muffs.

Exactly why I labeled my FAL as my "werewolf rifle."

[SLG]

I have always loved FALs. Shot them a fair bit overseas, but never owned one. Sounds like PaulD is unhappy with his. Better send it my way for obedience training:-)

[Dagga Boy]

I was always a bit weird in that I liked the HK91 better than the FAL. I have had good ones.....and not so good. I have gotten rid of all of them except my beautiful ParaFal......because the actual Belgian ParaFal may be one of the best looking, well balanced traditional Cold War battle rifles out there. For all the folks who say that the DSA FAL's and other clones are as good or better than original real Belgian FAL's.....don't own Belgian FALs. The DSA's make great beaters, but there is nothing like the real thing.

As far as full auto.....Hard to describe which is worse, a G3 or a FAL, but both should not have a fun switch in my world.

[JSGlock34]

As far as full auto.....Hard to describe which is worse, a G3 or a FAL, but both should not have a fun switch in my world.

I'll sign your petition...I never had the "pleasure" of shooting a full-auto FAL, but I have experienced the G3 and I wouldn't miss the happy switch at all on the HK.

[Edwin]

Afterwards I watched a few videos on the FAL and was surprised how ubiquitous it was, having been used in over 90 countries, and being one of the premier battle rifles after WWII for a long period. Very interesting to see, handle and shoot a piece of history like this.

This really highlights how insular Americans are to the rest of the world where ARs and 1911s were not the dominating firearms but the FAL and Hi Power were.

[1slow]

I was always a bit weird in that I liked the HK91 better than the FAL. I have had good ones.....and not so good. I have gotten rid of all of them except my beautiful ParaFal......because the actual Belgian ParaFal may be one of the best looking, well balanced traditional Cold War battle rifles out there. For all the folks who say that the DSA FAL's and other clones are as good or better than original real Belgian FAL's.....don't own Belgian FALs. The DSA's make great beaters, but there is nothing like the real thing.

As far as full auto.....Hard to describe which is worse, a G3 or a FAL, but both should not have a fun switch in my world.

I had several of almost all of the Belgian variations. My favorite was the 50.63, the shorter Para for the reasons you mention. I also had most of the DSA guns when they first came out. DSA then was OK. We later saw some issues with later guns mainly barrel to receiver threads. DSA .308 chambers could be finicky with 7.62x51.

SAR 48 Springfield FALs were full Imbel built FALs and to me were as good as the Belgian FALs.

My beaters were 50.63 clones built on Imbel receiver with chrome lined barrels. I ran these hard and had no issues.

Having shot a FAL fully auto, I agree not very useful to me.

[1slow]

Do you have any experience with the Spanish CETME?

I seriously have a love/love issue with the SCAR Heavy.

Buddy of mine had several CETMEs seemed to work OK but I never ran one much.

I like the SCAR Heavy.

[GJM]

My recollection, is during the conflict in Rhodesia, they has HK 91 and FAL rifles. The FAL rifles went to the better trained soldiers, like the Selous Scouts, and the HK 91 rifles were issued to the locals, as they required less maintenance.