FAL

billdncn · Mar 9, 2012

New guy here that just picked up a DSA Austrian STG58STD. Went to the range today to start breaking in the barrel, regulate the gas system and sight it in.. This thing is a cream puff. I think it may have less recoil then a M1A I once owned. Getting off at noon to morrow and hope to finish with barrel break in.......

This is the new STG58 from DSA. This is a quote from M. Fowler @ DSA ansewring a couple of questions I had. Just a little info for you on the components........

"The barrel is threaded. The largest surplus component of the rifle is
the lower trigger frame. In addition to that item many of the pins and
small parts are surplus.

Thank you for choosing DS Arms."

Back later w/more

:fal:

MistWolf · Mar 9, 2012

Might as well go ahead & remove the kickstand now and maybe the purse handle too. Do much shooting with your FAL you'll realize both are just dead weight. Might even sneak over to http://www.falfiles.com/forums/ and get a folding charging handle from Mountainman- http://www.falfiles.com/forums/showthread.php?t=318988
They make a FAL dead sexy
Here's mine before-
View attachment 604287
-and after
View attachment 604288
The FCH looks much better than the knob. Easy to grab and manipulate too
View attachment 604289
It's lighter and handles better and the only time I miss the kickstand is when I want to take a photo

You have a good looking rifle. FALs are good shooters too. But be careful! They have a tendency to bring home friends from Brazil
View attachment 604290
and friends of mixed heritage as well
View attachment 604291

Welcome to the world of FALs

SaxonPig · Mar 9, 2012

Had this one since 1986. Got it from a GI who bought it while stationed in Germany so it has no import stamps.

Still one of my favorites to shoot.

mortablunt · Mar 9, 2012

Great buy! Reminds me of how much I like the FAL.

billdncn · Mar 9, 2012

Thanks MistWolf. I've been to Falfiles and it's a great site. I know what you mean about the weight. That may come later. I've got a 15yr old that likes the original apperance of the "battle rifle" look though. So for now I'll leave it as is.

Pretty much finished breaking in the barrel today. Moved over to 100yds and it's still hitting a little low. May have to file the front sight a tad. Had 1 malf with a 30 rd mag. Closed the gas block a notch or two and we'll see how that does now.
Here's a couple of groups from today at 100 as well as a group from 25yds yesterday.... I'll never do that again lol. Most groups were 2 shots together and 1 out a few inches. Don't know if it was me, the FAL, ammo, etc. It is what it is. How precise can thay be when the rear sight is mounted to the receiver and not the upper anyway?

ol' scratch · Mar 9, 2012

I just picked one up a week and a half ago. I love to shoot the rifle! I also got some Spanish Surplus it seems to like. What type of ammo are you using? That was about the size of the groups I was getting at 100 yards with surplus. I am going to get some brass and try and work up a load using 168 Hornady BTHP's to shrink my groups a bit.

Beak50 · Mar 9, 2012

I never shot a FAL but was told by my buddy's Dad to stay away from them.He is dead now but was a army recon in Vietnam and claimed they had problems with them.But then by now they would have to gotten the bugs out.Have any of you guy's had any problem's with them?It would be a nice Military type rifle to add to the collection.

C-grunt · Mar 9, 2012

Beak50 said:
I never shot a FAL but was told by my buddy's Dad to stay away from them.He is dead now but was a army recon in Vietnam and claimed they had problems with them.But then by now they would have to gotten the bugs out.Have any of you guy's had any problem's with them?It would be a nice Military type rifle to add to the collection.

The FAL is probably the most battle proven .308 in the world. Its a fantastic rifle. I dont own one but I have shot a few and they are great.

baronthered · Mar 10, 2012

The FAL was called "the right arm of the free world" way back when. Basically the NATO answer to the AK. Many countries used some version of it. Some still are (I think) in limited roles.

SaxonPig · Mar 10, 2012

Dozens of countries used the FAL. One of the most battle-proven rifles in the world.

BTW- Breaking in a barrel is a waste to time.

nathan · Mar 10, 2012

THe Aussies use theirs in Vietnam. THe Brits against the IRA and ARgentines. The Biafra War in Nigeria saw the FAL too. The IDF in 1967 against the Arabs right into the Sinai and Suez. The White Rhodesians against rebels.

edwin41 · Mar 10, 2012

the fal was also the main dutch military weapon for many many years.
it was replaced by the diemaco.
they are not very expencive here in holland , i see many of them at the range ,
and if i ask the owners they are all very satisfied with the gun .
if i was in the marked for a semiautomatic rifle it would definitly be a fal , i shot it on occasion and they are plenty accurate , and overall quality sure is fine.

M1key · Mar 10, 2012

FALs are good even when they are crappy. Here's my CAI built on a Hesse receiver.

There are five shots into that target...

M

ol' scratch · Mar 10, 2012

Beak50 said:
I never shot a FAL but was told by my buddy's Dad to stay away from them.He is dead now but was a army recon in Vietnam and claimed they had problems with them.But then by now they would have to gotten the bugs out.Have any of you guy's had any problem's with them?It would be a nice Military type rifle to add to the collection.

Army Recon used FAL's in Vietnam? Are you sure he was talking an FAL and not something else?

ol' scratch · Mar 10, 2012

SaxonPig said:
Dozens of countries used the FAL. One of the most battle-proven rifles in the world.

BTW- Breaking in a barrel is a waste to time.

DSA gives specific instructions to break in the barrel. It also helps with fouling.

Stevie-Ray · Mar 10, 2012

This thing is a cream puff. I think it may have less recoil then a M1A I once owned.

Not surprising. The SAR-48HB shown below has less recoil than my Colt 6721. Gas is adjusted so it barely spits out the brass into a neat little pile next to my right foot. That and its 12 lbs mean .22LR like recoil. An all day rifle for sure, that is if I could afford to shoot it all day.

Seven High · Mar 10, 2012

Nice looking FAL. Would you tell us how long after you ordered the rifle that it was shipped?

MistWolf · Mar 11, 2012

Instead of filing down the front sight, find one with a shorter post. (Have to ask- You do know the front sight is adjustable for elevation?)

The FALs the Rhodesians used in the Bush war didn't have bi-pods and the carry handles were cut off, according to the story, when a carry handle lifted slightly while firing and an ejected case hit the handle, bounced back into the shooters face and put out an eye. Point is real FAL battle rifles didn't always have kickstands and purse handles.

My favorite is the Steyr StG58. It's the best looking of the FALs and maybe it's my imagination but it seems to be the smoothest shooting as well
View attachment 604605
Smooth enough to pull of double taps. They are a blur but but the photo above shows two empty cases spinning in the air

billdncn · Mar 11, 2012

ol' scratch said:
DSA gives specific instructions to break in the barrel. It also helps with fouling.

+1

I always do this with any rifle I care about.

billdncn · Mar 11, 2012

Seven High said:
Nice looking FAL. Would you tell us how long after you ordered the rifle that it was shipped?

Hey 7 High. This was a Gun Show find. Brand new. They're going right at 1k give or take

billdncn · Mar 11, 2012

MistWolf said:
Instead of filing down the front sight, find one with a shorter post. (Have to ask- You do know the front sight is adjustable for elevation?)

The FALs the Rhodesians used in the Bush war didn't have bi-pods and the carry handles were cut off, according to the story, when a carry handle lifted slightly while firing and an ejected case hit the handle, bounced back into the shooters face and put out an eye. Point is real FAL battle rifles didn't always have kickstands and purse handles.

My favorite is the Steyr StG58. It's the best looking of the FALs and maybe it's my imagination but it seems to be the smoothest shooting as well

Smooth enough to pull of double taps. They are a blur but but the photo above shows two empty cases spinning in the air

Hey MistWolf. Yeah the front sight is all the way down. It's a 2-dot post. I'm not going to file just yet. I'll will be trying other loads as well as tailoring reloads for it. Right now I'll just move my rear up to 300m and adjust accordingly.
Yesterday I weighed it w/o a mag and was at 10lb-7oz. I took off the bi-pod and sling swivels and got 9lb-8ozs. I think if I remove the "purse handle" it would be safe to say that's a 1 pound weight reduction. For now I'll leave it as is (re-assembled) because my Son likes the original apperance. But I'm pretty sure these add-ons will eventually come off for good.

Great picture and Thanks

Robert · Mar 11, 2012

I miss my FAL. If you shoot it in high volume, I ran mine at a match, wear a welding glove on your front hand or work out some heat shields for the hand guards. They will get HOT after a few mags. I liked the carry handle on my FAL. It is the only truly functional carry handle in the firearms world. Well maybe the BREN gun too...

MistWolf · Mar 11, 2012

2 dot sight means you can go with a 1 or 0 dot which will bring bring the adjustment back into the useful range. I need to swap out the 1 dot sight of my Para for a 0 dot as it's shooting a bit low at 100 yards. You can see if somebody is willing to swap your 2 dot for a 1 dot, or sell the 2 dot after buying a replacement.

Another advantage I found in removing the bi-pod was not only in weigh reduction, but the rifle balanced better and felt livelier too. (Not trying to say you must listen to me and remove the bi-pod, just sharing experience. I also advocate shooting any firearm before changing anything to make sure the change is needed or has any benefit. If I hadn't shot my rifle with the bi-pod still on, I wouldn't have known whether or not removing it made a difference. I will admit, the FAL bi-pod has a high "it looks so cool" factor)

mortablunt · Mar 14, 2012

I never shot a FAL but was told by my buddy's Dad to stay away from them.He is dead now but was a army recon in Vietnam and claimed they had problems with them.But then by now they would have to gotten the bugs out.Have any of you guy's had any problem's with them?It would be a nice Military type rifle to add to the collection.

We never used the FAL. It's a pretty nice platform and it is still in production and being issued to armed forces around the globe.

FAL

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Attachments

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Administrator

Member

Member

Similar threads