Best Fal Kits?

[6bg6ga]

I had to use the word best. What is the premium Fal kit and or model to acquire? Been thinking about a good .308 and I narrowed the list down to a HK-91 and the Fal. The Fal seems to be better from what I have read and heard from other people.

[Electric88]

I've heard a lot of people talk highly of Imbel. I looked at building a FAL awhile back but the consensus I came to was that with parts drying up, it was better (cheaper) to just buy a FAL already built.

Otherwise, maybe look up Arizona Response Systems. They are reputed to be one of the best builders around.

[mrrch]

There was an Imbel write up in one of the magazines this summer. Sounded like a good build.

[nicholst55]

The Austrian StG58s are considered to be the best kit that one can acquire. The early ones were built by FN, the balance by Steyr. Their hammer-forged barrels are considered about the most accurate FAL barrels available.

[Artful]

Concur that the STG58 is one of the best built and least used kits you will find.

For best information go to
http://www.falfiles.com/forums/

check out the links for Metric Fal's G1's, STG's, and Inch L1A1 Fal's (brit, indian, aussie)

[Geezer in NH]

One you can still find you are about 15 years late IMHO to be very choosy.

[meterman]

Just buy one already built, as Electric 88 says. Don't drive yourself crazy chasing parts that are often not the same color, or will not fit properly.

[Bubba w/a 45/70]

I have one thing to say......DSA. After building 3, I would go DSA. But I would look over anything well before buying, I have heard that quality control can be spotty as of late.

[NuJudge]

I don't know where you would get a FAL kit today, other than the secondary market. Entreprise had a lot of them, refinished, but I read that they are now out of business. I would look on FAL Files.

IIRC, one of the better gunsmiths for FAL rifles (Gunplumber) once opined on the FAL Files that the best barrels were probably Imbel. An FAL is not a target rifle, and the best any of mine will do is about 3 inches at 100 yards. I have not tried any of the barrel free float systems, which may make some difference in accuracy.

Be advised that most of my FAL rifles are really hard on brass. The extractor bends the rim of the case back most of the time, and nothing I have tried deals with this. The only FAL barrel I have had which never did it was a British one, with a chromed chamber. I have gone to great lengths trying to stop this, with stronger piston spring, undersize piston, and polishing the chambers, and none has worked.

There were a lot more "Metric" FAL rifles made than "British Commonwealth"/"Inch" rifles, influencing prices. There is a significant amount of variation in Metric rifles. The magazines are different, sometimes a Metric will work in an Inch receiver, but an Inch will never work in a Metric.