[Ari]

$500 Century L1A1 FAL or a $700 AR which would be more accurate out to 200 yards scoped? Strictly bench rest shooting.

[SodaPop]

If your talking about Match ammo threw both, the AR would be more accurate by about an inch at 100yds.

My DSA STG shoots about 1.5MOA with Portugese surplus ammo and my Bushmaster XM15E2 shoots about 1 MOA with USGI M855.

Match ammo threw both of these guns cuts the groups down by about 1/2 an inch.

[444]

:rolleyes:

[cratz2]

Well, I haven't shot many FALs but have been pretty taken by them. In general, the Century FAL vs a $700 Rock River AR, I'd put money on the AR but I certainly wouldn't promise or even guess that it would be more accurate by 1". How can you even guess that close of a spec not knowing what AR he might get?

I personally doubt that most FALs or most $700 ARs are going to be super .5 MOA rifles. Both should turn in very good groups and suprisingly good groups even just using the arp sights.

My less than $.02. As they say, YMMV. :p

[blackrazor]

No contest, AR by far.

[Ari]

The AR's I had in mind (this week that is) is either the:

a) DPMS Low Pro Sixteen Bull Barrell / Flat top

or

b) Olympic PCR 16 Bull Barrell / Flat top

I've got a scope I'd put on what ever I get. And with a $700 dollar budget I've narrowed down my search to either a FAL L1A1 Century (yes, I know, I'll have to tweak it a little) or a $700 AR.

[Frohickey]

Depends...

AR vs FAL in semi-auto mode?
or
AR vs FAL in single-shot mode?

[JShirley]

UH...no love lost 'tween me and the M16/AR15 family; but you said Century. You'll have to find a poor AR indeed, to match Century fallibility.

[Ari]

Single shot.

[iamkris]

How about compare it to a DSA STG58A? FAC has them for $795...that's not that far out of your budget.

[Frohickey]

Its at least a 1 to 2MOA difference between single shot mode vs gas operation mode.

I would say that a FAL in single shot mode is comparable to the accuracy of some standard bolt-action rifles (go figure). :D

The only thing, you have to do the patented Frohickey FAL Pogo-Stick manuever to eject the empty and feed another.

Definitely not a tactical manuever, though, it could be used strategically against poorly-disciplined shooters. :neener:

[Redlg155]

The only thing, you have to do the patented Frohickey FAL Pogo-Stick manuever to eject the empty and feed another.

I'm afraid to ask......:D


I've never tried mine in with the gas selector turned to the grenade launcher setting. I'll have to try that the next time at the range. As to which is more accurate, I'd have to say the AR15 by a slim margin, and only because most FALs out there are build ups from surplus guns while most ARs out there are built from factory new barrels. Many of these barrels have had quite a few rounds through them. If you took an old surpus M16 barrel like the ones Tapco was selling a while back I'd suspect you would see the same type of accuracy as a FAL.

Good Shooting
Red

[Ari]

If your saying that accuracy with the FAL has alot to do with surplus / used barrels would it be the same if both the FAL and AR had new barrels in them? Also, what is it about turning the gas selector down to single shot mode that makes it more accurate?

[Frohickey]

All the gasses made by the burning of the powder is used to propell the bullet out the barrel. None of it is used to push on the gas piston.

[Ari]

hmmm, I see. So how much of an increase in velocity does it create shooting it GL mode?

[Groucho]

If you're pitting a Century FAL up against an AR 15, the AR wins the accuracy fight.

However, if you build it, or have it built by a good gunsmith, they'll be equal.

If you want real accuracy, get a good quality bolt rifle and scope it.

Groucho

[444]

Which would be better if we replaced the barrels with hand lapped custom match quality barrels and then changed the actions with Remington 700 actions and blueprinted the whole thing. Then replaced the stocks and bedded them. Then did away with the sights and used 30 power varmint scopes ? The AR or the FAL ?

[KarlG]

444, Trick question! If you did what you are suggesting, they would both be better.

[J-Man]

The problem here is that $700 will get you a decent AR while the Centruy FAL is a piece of junk (hope I didn't offend anyone). If you go with a DS Arms SA58 it will probably be neck and neck. That and the .308 is far better for target shooting (very consistent and less wind drift).

[blackrazor]

IMO, For any fixed amount of money between 0 to $10,000, the AR will outperform the same priced FAL, from any manufacturer (at least, out to 600 yards or so). The fact is, for about 2 grand, you can get the top-of-the-line AR from Les Baer, and it's guaranteed to shoot 1/2 MOA, which I think is better than any FAL will do with any amount of money.

[Ari]

The very first AR I've shot was just 2 weeks ago. And it was a Les Baer scoped with a russian IOR. You've got to remember, I am a relatively newbie to rifle shooting. At a hundred yards 3 shot group, the first one was a flier, low right 2 inches, but the last 2 shots were about .5 apart center to center. My eye's damm near popped out the sockets!

[cratz2]

That's some durn fancy shootin' for the first time out with a rifle, Ari. You been listenin' to those subliminal tapes there, haven't ya?

[Slow, quiet golf commentator voice] 'Calmly and consistanly pull the trigger until you are suprised by it's release... Be sure to maintain proper follow through after the shot is taken...'

[Ari]

Nah, not my first time out with a rifle. My first time out with an AR. The owner was real nice and let me shoot his AR after talking to me a bit about it. I wouldn't be surprised if he was a member here. Was very friendly and informative. Glad I got to pop my "AR cherry" on such a nice rifle. Although it was the best group I've ever assembled, nervous at that with him watching over my shoulder. Although I know it had alot to do with the arrow, and not entirely the indian in this case.