FN-FAL -- Any interest?

[6bg6ga]

Only put one together, an Imbel kit on an Imbel gear logo receiver. Not as easy as an AR15 but pretty easy. The commercial manufactured receivers are supposed to have more issues with barrel timing, feed ramp, lower lockup ect. Mine shot almost or as good as my M1A but with the adjustable gas system it seemed softer recoiling. Wish they would of thought ahead about optics mounting when designing it as the dust cover mounts always seemed cheesy to me. Sold mine when money got tight, but I'd get another one.

They were imported before the ban and most came without the auto sear. However I have personally seen preban with the auto sear just like I have seen AK47 kits with ALL the full auto parts in them. The auto sear can be removed and the gun is legal in my opinion.

They are no harder on brass than any other 308 semi automatic when they have the correct parts in them. Mine had an incorrect spring and this resulted in about a half dozen bent cases before the spring was changed. I can now run a hundred or two thru it and there are no bent rims on the cases. Its kinda like having a 5 year old change plugs in your Vette. He can probably get the job done but you may have a cross threaded spark plug or two. The gas system can be adjusted to drop the cases on the bench right beside the gun or you can throw them out 30 feet and spend an hour looking for them. Mine handes any jacketed bullet I care to put in the magazine without an issue. I personally would not use unjacketed bullets in my FAL but then again thats me.

They are no more inaccurate than an M1A or Garrand. Barrel must be timed correctly and this is done quite easily and any 6 year old could do it. The "Gear" receivers are the best but the DS arms run a close 2nd. Either of these fits and goes together with a minimum amount of trouble.

The recoil with the same rounds is less than other semi-automatics and this is due to the superior gas recoil system.

[roysha]

Used the FN in the Army and never again...heavy, inaccurate, pain in the *** to clean,etc.

What in the world are talking about???

No heavier than my M-1, (just an off the rack grade rifle), and just as accurate.

As far as cleaning, if it was any simpler it would have to clean itself. Move the takedown lever in the appropriate direction, tip barrel down, remove dust cover, remove carrier and bolt and EVERYTHING is open and ready to clean, whether it is just a barrel swabbing or a total clean.

As much as I like my M-1, I would/will take my FAL anytime, every time. I have two of them. A G-1 made with an Entreprise G-1 marked receiver and a 270-308 custom made on a Coonan type 1 receiver. Have not had a bit of trouble with the Coonan.

Tasman: I'm not sure what you are saying about the G-3. To my knowledge, for sure I don't know it all, there is no G-3 FN-FAL. There is an H&K G-3, Spanish version CETME, but the only 3 I am familiar with in regard to the FAL is Type 3 which is the plain receiver without the lightening cuts.

Oh and one last thing. The individual known as gunplumber on the FALFiles is a absolute JERK.

[historicfirearms]

Yup you’re real close, I live out in Brutus in back of Harbor and Alanson. Coonan did admit to having issues which is why they’re scaling back. Have a shooting range out back and would love you to come over and shoot some day this summer!

Art

Thanks Art. Finding a place to shoot around here has been one of my biggest challenges. We had a 100 yard range out the backdoor of our old house. Now we have several neighbors within 100 yards. When the weather gets nicer we will have to have a cast boolit shooting day.

[elmacgyver0]

I built one on the Coonan receiver I got from Sarco, I think they have some in stock again now.
Mine seems to work fine although I have not shot it much yet.

[Multigunner]

The FAL is only heavy in comparasion to much shorter and lighter assault rifles, and some of them weigh about the same.

The rifle is not noted for precision accuracy, the British preferred the Bolt action rifles for sniping, but few Main Battle auto loaders can match the best bolt actions in long range accuracy without special work and close up keep.

I like the FAL but when I first got to fire one it did seem awkward compared to the M-1 I was used to.
When the Garand was developed almost all autoloader designs did their best to mimic the handling qualities of the WW1 era bolt action short rifles. Even the BAR followed that design philosophy.
The FAL stock and grip was designed more on the line of the LMGs like the Lewis. In fact in some WW1 set war movies you can see that prop Lewis guns are often just a FAL dressed up with a fake barrel jacket and drum.
I've wondered why the FAL based squad auto's weren't successful. I've heard they were found to be less effective or reliable than the BAR.