Any thoughts on why the FAL rifle...

[camslam]

For the money you spend you can get an M1A that will outshoot it nine ways from sunday. Most people expect to get an accurate shooter when they spend $1500.

I thought long and hard about getting the M1A Scout, but decided against it. If you go with a new Springfield, it is just about as much as the FAL and I think the ergonomics of the FAL are better than the M1A. If the M1A had a decent pistol grip, I would probably have leaned that way and not searched out and learned about the FAL's, but in the end I think the FAL will be plenty accurate and a good buy.

 

[Rosstradamus]

Come visit at http://www.falfiles.com/forums

and see how unpopular FALs really are...

And go to the Marketplace forum if you're shopping and can't find one in your area. There are currently ads for FAL's at $725, $850, $875, $1000, $1150 and $1300 (a Para).

i've NEVER seen one at the rifle/pistol club on fort benning.

Location, location, location. While they're cetainly less common than other rifes, no denying that, I do see them around here from time to time.

 

[Slamfire]

Cost. The reason the FN was not seen in the US was cost. The prices on FN has never been so low. Has to be all the surplus parts that have come into the US. They used to be hideously expensive.

I looked up in a 1980 Gun Digest the prices of a new FN-FAL, imported by Steyr, and a Springfield Armory M1a Super Match. I am totally familiar with the Super Match. It was the rifle to use at Camp Perry in the National Matches. It had a heavy Douglas barrel, ½ MOA adjustable sights, glass bedded, heavy stock, reamed suppressor, match trigger, unitized gas cylinder. In 1980, it was the most accurate out of the box service rifle anywhere. Stayed that way until the mid 90's.

So, imagine it is 1980 and you are looking at M1a's and FN's at the gun store. In 2006 dollars, you could buy one Super Match M1a for $1746. or one FN-FAL , for $ 5,335

So how many FN’s did you decide to buy?

I think I would have gone home with three Super Matches instead of one FN/FAL. Or maybe just one M1a, and spent the extra $3589 on a truck full of ammunition.

 

[evan price]

FALs in movies: HEAT (Used to execute an armored car guard)

 

[rbernie]

So, imagine it is 1980 and you are looking at M1a's and FN's at the gun store. In 2006 dollars, you could buy one Super Match M1a for $1746. or one FN-FAL , for $ 5,335

Had you bought that FAL, would you not now have a select-fire weapon worth upwards of $30K?

 

[BigSoundRacing]

I got my first FAL in April, took 12 weeks for the DSA build at that time - ordering my second later today.

Be safe, BSR

 

[camslam]

I got my first FAL in April, took 12 weeks for the DSA build at that time - ordering my second later today.

Which models did you go with?

 

[FourTeeFive]

The good old days

I remember in the early 80's a buddy of mine got in a bunch of ex-Israeli FAL's that had been converted back to semiauto. $500 each. I still wish I had bought one!

 

[Victor Romen]

rbernie,

>Had you bought that FAL, would you not now have a select-fire weapon worth upwards of $30K?

Not unless you had it converted after purchasing. Importing machine guns for civilian sales was illegal then. The FAL in particular had problems with that as some of the rifles that were imported did have the auto sear cut in the receiver, but just no auto sear. ATF has a list of serial numbers that are so cut, but exempted from GCA '68.

Victor

 

[Mumwaldee]

I want an FAL, although I've never shot or even held one. It seems to be a very nice MBR, but the price and availability of ammo is becoming a major concern. I wish the U.S. would start using them so ammo makers would tool up and start pumping out the .308s!

 

[gunnie]

fabrique finances

"So how many FN’s did you decide to buy? "

i bought one in the early '90's, from a guy in anchorage who was in a bind for cash just before christmas time. was a 50.00 LAR, exc. bore, 98+% finish, $1,000, cash. imagine my happiness! two months later i traded it for a used steyr PII, and kept two springfirld armory SAR 48 mdls {imbel}, one standard, one carbine instead. they BOTH were more accurate than the FN, but the carbine was just slightly more. go figure!

by the way, wouldn't swear to it, but methinks that gun south international -GSI- imported both the steyr, and the FN FAL. i know that US currency was taking a nose dive when compared to european money back then, but feel that GSI was getting a VERY handsome mark-up also. they were the only game in town, imagine their happiness!

gunnie