MachIVshooter,
Axe grinding is not a particularly relevant expertise to the subject, but thanks for sharing. My remarks were directed to why anyone might prefer the G3 to an AR. As to the G3 / FAL fanduel, to each his own. Throwing out carbon fouling and fluted chambers while discounting the impact of carbon fouling on fiddly gas systems does not engender confidence.
Blow back and delayed blow back systems are operated by the gas in the bore which makes them a type of gas operated system.
Nice rifleThis one is an Argy kit on a Coonan receiver, Flypaper English Walnut stocks.
View attachment 921953
Conelrad
All that and in Sniper variation very accurate with a great optic mounting system IMHO. I won competitions in early/mid 80s with a tuned HK91 , It was stone reliable. I still have it with more than 10,000 rounds thru the polygonal barrel after a couple roller replacements, yes it is worn and about 4MOA accurate where it once was 1 MOA when new. My two FALs, one L1a1 on an imbel reciever , the other a Steyr 58 on an Imbel reciever , both by Arizona Response Systems on as new kits , cannot do better than 1.5 MOA for the Steyr and 2+ MOA for the L1a1 .PTRs run $900-$1,200 actual retail; There is but one DSA SA58 model that comes in under $1,400.
Be careful taking shots like that; you're far more likely to break rollers or develop headspace issues than the FAL is to crack locking blocks. There's a reason the FAL was adopted by far more nations, dubbed the right arm of the free world. It would have been a US infantry rifle if not for the corruption of Springfield Armory being in bed with the military at the time; the T48 outperformed the T44 in every fair test.
The CETME/G3 design has it's place in gun development & firearm history, but it's at the bottom of the list for me. And yes, I own one. So-so accuracy, violent action, poor suppressor host, optics mounting solutions suck, accessory options not great in general. With .308 ARs well under $1,000 these days, I don't know why anyone would bother with them quite frankly.
Looked at objectively, with cost not being a factor, the FAL is better than the G3. But economics tilt the balance in favor of the G3. Not only is the G3 cheaper to make, but H&K was willing to license offshore production (something FN would not do). Thus, you had countries like Greece, Turkey, and Pakistan adopting the G3 and producing it in their own factories. This is why the FAL ended up not being "the right arm of the free world."
Looked at objectively, with cost not being a factor, the FAL is better than the G3. But economics tilt the balance in favor of the G3. Not only is the G3 cheaper to make, but H&K was willing to license offshore production (something FN would not do). Thus, you had countries like Greece, Turkey, and Pakistan adopting the G3 and producing it in their own factories. This is why the FAL ended up not being "the right arm of the free world."