Build Thread DSA FAL (SA58)...is it worth it?

[Bealzybub]

Hard on brass? Ya mean like................ I bought an FAL here. It had a cracked chamber that I didnt see when I purchased it. Took it to a gunsmith who told me that chamber had been like that for years. Fortunately I found another year matching Steyr barrel for it and its all good now. I absolutely love it.

 

[Boboclown]

The Galil Ace is fine. But I wouldn't put a scope on it.

 

[Jcon268]

The Galil Ace is fine. But I wouldn't put a scope on it.

Because of flexing in the rail cover (?)

 

[Jcon268]

Hard on brass? Ya mean like................ I bought an FAL here. It had a cracked chamber that I didnt see when I purchased it. Took it to a gunsmith who told me that chamber had been like that for years. Fortunately I found another year matching Steyr barrel for it and its all good now. I absolutely love it.

View attachment 550917

wow no not that hard! Small denting in the cases but nothing like that!

 

[Boboclown]

Because of flexing in the rail cover (?)

Cause the rail cover when it comes off loses zero. In my case it did anyways.

wow no not that hard! Small denting in the cases but nothing like that!

The Galil Ace gives really sharp dents in brass. Wanna reload? Not gonna happen with the Ace.

 

[Jcon268]

Cause the rail cover when it comes off loses zero. In my case it did anyways.

The Galil Ace gives really sharp dents in brass. Wanna reload? Not gonna happen with the Ace.

That's what MAC discovered when shooting it for the first time in his video.

 

[Stomper]

I'm reading the newer Galil rifles are hard on brass and actually function well with steel cased ammo. Any thoughts on that?

Yes, my "OG" Galil dings the "H" out of the cases, and it throws them about 6'-8' forward at approx 45* in true AK fashion. I'll only run berdan primed MILSURP, steel, or trash brass that I don't plan to reload.... so that can be a pain at times.

 

[Boboclown]

My AK is nice on brass.

When I don't put brass in it.

 

[titsonritz]

My primary weapons are ARs so for me an AR10 makes the most sense just for the familiarity of manual of arms. Likewise, AKs are my secondary weapons and my M1A again has similarity of manual of arms. I like FALs and G3s but don't currently own any nor do I see any in my near future. If I was going to buy a 308 semi-auto today it would be AR-10.

 

[Goosebrown]

I had three FALs. They're amazing.

But.

They are battle rifles. They are only accurate to "one minute of man" meaning expect to hit a soldier but it's not ever a sniper. If you get a metal front hand guard like is on the STG58, bring an oven mitt to shoot.

Seriously.

I love mine and wanted one since I was a kid.

However, hands down, get an AR10 if you're serious about accuracy or tarting it up. FALs should be loved as is for what they are and that is an antique semi auto battle rifle.

 

[Boboclown]

but it's not ever a sniper

Irish snipers in training with modernized scoped FALs.

Irish sniper in parade with scoped FAL.

Some guy on reddit who got to hold one.

The SUIT scope was also issued to British marksmen to be put on the L1A1.

Brazil's IA-2 is based on the FAL (or rather the 7.62 NATO variant is essentiually a modernized FAL) and is issued as a sniper/DMR.

Look familiar?

 

[powermad]

No way I would spend that much on a clone.
If you're going to spend that much you may as well fork out a little bit more and get a FAL that has FN engraved on the side and isn't a parts gun.

I was fortunate to get in on the glory days of FAL building and cheap .308
I decided to get back into .308's and after looking everything over I went with an AR platform.
I may get another FAL of some sort later on but would rather have an FNC if I had the money to burn.

 

[Boboclown]

If I had money to burn I'd have a FAL in 5.56...

 

[Goosebrown]

View attachment 550978
Irish snipers in training with modernized scoped FALs.

Irish sniper in parade with scoped FAL.
View attachment 550979
Some guy on reddit who got to hold one.

The SUIT scope was also issued to British marksmen to be put on the L1A1.

Brazil's IA-2 is based on the FAL (or rather the 7.62 NATO variant is essentiually a modernized FAL) and is issued as a sniper/DMR.
View attachment 550980
Look familiar?

Sorry.

Ireland uses AI rifles as sniper weapons.The FAL is for other support team members.

Brazil issues M24,M40, PGM, MSR, and PSG1 as sniper weapons. Not FALs.

The UK used Enfields L42A1s until the 1980s. now they use AIs.

SUIT scopes are meh and they were not issued to snipers. They were issues to DMRs. SUIT (sight) - Wikipedia

Putting a scope on a rifle doesn't make it a sniper rifle.

FALs are inherenlly not built for accuracy. the top cover is snug but it won't allow a scope to keep zero any more than an AK. On the left side you have the charging handle and the selector switch So there's not a good side mount like you can put on an AK or a G3 series rifle.

I've shot loads of them and a great one kilos 1MOA.

On the other hand the AR platform has a rigid flat scope mount if you want and a much better BCG in a direct line to the chamber rather than the tilting bolt of the FAL. The AR goes back to battery more reliably than the FAL.

FALs are beautiful and cool but they just aren't sniper rifles in the modern sense of the word.

Do some googling on FAL accuracy. Here's a typical thread How accurate is your FN FAL? - Calguns.net

 

[Jcon268]

I had three FALs. They're amazing.

But.

They are battle rifles. They are only accurate to "one minute of man" meaning expect to hit a soldier but it's not ever a sniper. If you get a metal front hand guard like is on the STG58, bring an oven mitt to shoot.

Seriously.

I love mine and wanted one since I was a kid.

However, hands down, get an AR10 if you're serious about accuracy or tarting it up. FALs should be loved as is for what they are and that is an antique semi auto battle rifle.

I've got a bolt gun in 6.5 creedmoor for when I feel like getting down to 1moa accuracy. I will likely never outshoot the guns potential so I'm fine knowing I have one that will do it. All of my AR barrels are 1moa guaranteed with match ammo as well so I feel like suffering a "little" accuracy for a very robust and reliable system is acceptable within reason. I just want a platform that is really durable and will eat most ammo without issue.

 

[Jcon268]

With that said, I had a chance to shoot a Century C308 at the range recently. Two times while shooting the gun, the safety literally fell out while trying to return from fire to safe. The guy who's gun it was seemed surprised. He came out of the range bay and admitted he had found that detent on the selector switch had sheared off. So let's just say that's not the reliability or ruggedness I'm searching for.

 

[Boboclown]

Sorry.

Ireland uses AI rifles as sniper weapons.The FAL is for other support team members.

Brazil issues M24,M40, PGM, MSR, and PSG1 as sniper weapons. Not FALs.

The UK used Enfields L42A1s until the 1980s. now they use AIs.

SUIT scopes are meh and they were not issued to snipers. They were issues to DMRs. SUIT (sight) - Wikipedia

Putting a scope on a rifle doesn't make it a sniper rifle.

FALs are inherenlly not built for accuracy. the top cover is snug but it won't allow a scope to keep zero any more than an AK. On the left side you have the charging handle and the selector switch So there's not a good side mount like you can put on an AK or a G3 series rifle.

I've shot loads of them and a great one kilos 1MOA.

On the other hand the AR platform has a rigid flat scope mount if you want and a much better BCG in a direct line to the chamber rather than the tilting bolt of the FAL. The AR goes back to battery more reliably than the FAL.

FALs are beautiful and cool but they just aren't sniper rifles in the modern sense of the word.

Do some googling on FAL accuracy. Here's a typical thread How accurate is your FN FAL? - Calguns.net

The FAL is a DMR for the Irish, the Brazilians have the IA-2 which has different variants (the 7.62 NATO of which they have now), and I said the SUIT scopes were issued to marksmen.

And while a scope does not make a rifle a sniper, they do get used as more than just a battle rifle. And your statement on the cover not allowing em to keep zero is false, they do keep zero. RETURN to zero is a different story but there is almost no reason to remove the cover.

Also, AKs with hinged rails such as the Zenitco B-33 do keep zero and return to zero.

And no need to google, I have my own. Some are more accurate than others.

 

[Boboclown]

With that said, I had a chance to shoot a Century C308 at the range recently. Two times while shooting the gun, the safety literally fell out while trying to return from fire to safe. The guy who's gun it was seemed surprised. He came out of the range bay and admitted he had found that detent on the selector switch had sheared off. So let's just say that's not the reliability or ruggedness I'm searching for.

Century built the C308s, Century built isn't good. Same applies to CAI built FALs. Except the ones with Imbel receivers at least have good receivers.

That aside, my STG58 doesn't do so bad for an "inaccurate" rifle with a Hensoldt ZF4.

 

[osprey]

The dsa top picatinny rails are very secure on a fal. I have qd rings on a compact scope and it returns to zero when removed and re-installed.

 

[Boboclown]

The old arms mount and stanag mounts work too. On standard nonfolding FALs there is no reason to remove the covers. DSA solved the paratrooper FAL issue by having the spring and rod removable from the cover.