Battle of the FAL Clones: ORF vs. DSA

[Anthony]

What is the best, most reliable, and battle worthy clone of the FN-FAL?

Ohio Rapid Fire, DSA STG-58, or DSA SA-58?

Input and details from actual owners is what I am most interested in.

If you own one what kind of accuracy are you getting from your rifle?

Thank you for your help.

 

[iamkris]

ORF -- a fine build but nothing like DSA quality.

DSA -- SA58 is a great gun but spendy. My StG58A was from unissued parts and the receiver shows absolutely great workmanship. Order direct from DSA and transfer dealer can get it for around $800-900.

 

[goon]

Go with the DSA STG-58. My ORF required a couple trips back to ORF and quite a bit of work from me to get it working right.
Better off to get something that works the first time.

 

[kfranz]

Go search the falfiles for DSA rifles that don't work. DSA makes a good product, but they sure aren't defect free.

If I was dropping DSA sized coin on a FAL clone, I'd hit up one of the FAL smiths first.

As for accuracy, the $129 south african kit build I did myself is minute of Tide bottle at 100 yards, mag after mag... Same for my quick change barrel carbine and the other carbine built on a Hesse receiver...

 

[Chuck R.]

I can’t tell you which is better, but I can say I’m very happy with my DSA SA58 Para.

With a Falcon Arms spring kit and handloads it will hold at 1.5-2MOA with either the irons or my Trijicon Tripower. It will also stay on a 2/3rds Steel IDPA silhouette out to 300 meters from the unsupported prone.

So far, I’m pretty pleased with it.

Chuck

 

[captainkirk]

ORF VS DSA

Definitely spend some time at falfiles.com before making this decision. Also don't limit yourself to just these two companies. With that said, My ORF was probably the best $500 I've spent. It needed nothing to work fine other that a little "breaking in" you might expect from any auto. That is to say the gas ring was a little tight when I got it and the action was a little stiff for the first 25-50 rounds, after that it settled in nicely and funtioned fine with most milsurp ammo. (Stay away from Indian and CAVIM ammo). With irons at 50 yards I could get sub 1" groups, at 100 they went to 2+ or 3 but I'm not that great with irons. The ORF I bought was a "parts gun" on an IMBEL receiver.

I think the DSA STG 58 is a "parts gun" with some new USA manufactured parts included (as required). I think the SA 58 is a totally USA manufactured gun (thus the difference in price). I am just going by memory and may have these reversed or not completely accurate. The DSAs are quite a bit more expensive but also have more options.

There are some good smiths out there who can probably give you exactly what you want for less than the price of a DSA, but it may be hard to beat the value of an ORF, I'm not sure how authentic you want to be though. I went with ORF because I wanted a shooter that was reasonable.

 

[hso]

Another recommendation to look at Falfiles.com before making a decsion.

Many of us in ET have FALs. Mine and another dozen I know of and have shot with are built by FAL mechanics instead of DSA. All of them run very well (except for one guy, but he's cursed on builds anyway ). All of them were kits that folks found receivers for. The only reciever I'd stay away from were the Hesse. What POS.