FAL - right arm of the free world for a reason!

[jjjxlr8]

I had a chance to take my FAL to the range a couple of days ago - what a blast! It's been a while since I've played with it and forgot how much fun these rifles are to shoot.

I have a DSA built STG58 model and adpated an inch pattern top mount with the Trilux SUIT (Israeli surplus). I was shooting at a couple of 5" diameter armor plates at 100 yards and was using the bipod. I positioned the plates about 8 feet apart, loaded 5 rounds at a time and then would practice alternating between the two targets as quickly as possible. Good fun!

I quickly discovered that the 5" plates are a little too large as after a couple of shots to get on target, I was hitting 100% of the time. Not very challening, but still good fun.

Left tab after modification with Dremel. I know you can just cut them off but I thought I'd leave more metal there and just cut away/shape what I needed to.

Right tab.

[BarryinIN]

I like FALs too. I like them best of the 7.62 battle rifles. Mine is a crummy Century, but I always thought the fact it still worked in spite of being a Century said a lot for the design.

I like them but seldom shoot mine. That happens with guns I know will work and hit where they should- it's more challenging to struggle with some problem gun at the range.

I was looking at new 16" DSAs a couple of years ago, but found a couple of other things I got instead. I bet I would have got more use out of a DSA FAL. I want to run one through a class sometime. I've never seen one in a class. I'd take it through Louis Awerbuck's class when he comes here, because he used them in the South African Defense Force, and it might benefit having someone who had real deal experience with them. Probably give him flashbacks.

I wish I had gotten a SUIT back when Shotgun News was full of them.

[BarryinIN]

I just saw this if you are interested. Someone making .22 conversions for them like HK made. $497 with 2 mags.

http://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=415526

[jjjxlr8]

Thanks for the info, but I really like the .308 round and would rather spend the $500 on a case of ammo.

I bought a DSA built FAL because they had a great reputation for quality. Unfortunately, I had a couple of problems with mine and had to send it back. First problem was a FCG issue with the DSA made parts which resulted in doubling and hammer follow.

They replaced the parts and sent it back free of charge but it took a month. This was after waiting 9 months to get the rifle in the first place.

When I took it to the range after it was returned to check the hammer follow and finish breaking in the barrel, the take down lever broke in half while shooting! Turns out that they don't use all surplus pieces and have started using sintered metal parts for small items like the take down levers. It's much cheaper than the forged, milled military parts which they must have run out of.

I called them from the range and they told me I would need to send it back again. I wasn't very happy and finally was able to convince them to just send me the new part so I could install it myself. The rifle has been trouble free since and I'm pretty happy with it overall.

Here is the broken lever...

[BarryinIN]

Hmmmm

[jjjxlr8]

Another one followed me home the other day!

This was one of the early Canadian made "Sporter" rifles imported by CAI. It's mostly an Australian L1A1 kit on an Imbel receiver.

[BarryinIN]

That's like mine. I got it in 1994 I think, maybe 1995. Yours looks better than mine did when it was "new". The carrying handle on mine look like a dog's chew toy it was so mangled.

Very nice.