In another thread, I posted pictures of the "groups" produced by my FrankenFAL....STG-58 kit, with Imbel reciever, with South African buttstock and the required US made parts.
I was very frustrated, and lately had almost come to the decision to sell it.
I researched freefloat handguards, and discovered that the commercially available "freefloat" handguards aren't really free floating, as they all bear on the barrel, because of the design of the FAL.
The only true freefloat for the FAL on the market is one by Vandenberg Custom, and would cost a lot more than it would be worth.
Because the source of my problems was apparently pressure on the barrel from the handguards, a so-called "freefloat" handguard that still put pressure on the barrel wouldn't really solve my problems.
But I decided to try one last cheap, greasy fix in a last-ditch effort to improve the accuracy before I sold the sucker.
On my FAL, I have the TAPCO Zytel front handguards. I noticed when I took the handguards off and shot the rifle, the groups were downright acceptable....not really good, but acceptable.....three inch groups, instead of 11 or 12 inch groups with the handguards on the rifle.
Here are some pics of typical groups off the bench, from the other thread, all from 100 yards.
http://www.thehighroad.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=40333&d=1148418846
http://www.thehighroad.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=40202&d=1148172287
Well, I thought and thought, researched Saiga .308s, almost decided to sell the FAL and buy a Saiga with scope, custom stock, etc, when I came up with an idea.
I noticed that the TAPCO Zytel handguards seemed to be a rather tight fit down where the barrel comes out of the receiver. So I first tried to thin the handguards a bit with an Exacto knife. But a trip to the range showed no improvements at all.
Scratch one idea.
The last idea that I came up with two days ago was to shorten the part of the handguards that go into the recess around the barrel by 1/10 of an inch.
I measured with my reloading calipers, scored the Zytel, clamped them down, and hacksawed that 1/10 of an inch off the handguards. Then I sanded the cuts smooth.
So I went back to the range today at lunch. The pictures of the three groups are as follows. All at 100 yards with South African military surplus.
Target 1. I fired off sandbags, with no magazine, single loading and taking my time. I looked through my scope after 5 shots, and saw three holes close to the target, with two fliers seven inches above the others.
I was mad. I thought that's it. I'm done. I'm going to the dealer right now and getting whatever I can for this hunk of junk.
But I had 15 more rounds and decided that I ought to just fire them off as a last salute to the FAL.
So I loaded 5 more in a magazine and inserted it. I went back on the bench and fired Target 2, rather hastily, I might add.
And when I looked back through the scope, I gasped.
Apparently, the handguards had to settle into position during the first string, because notice how much better Target 2 is.
Feeling hopeful, I loaded up five more and fired them at Target 3.
About the same as Target 2. And then I loaded up the final five rounds and shot them at Target 3, too, for a 10-shot group.
By cutting 1/10 of an inch off the receiver-end of the Zytel handguards, I apprently releived the pressure on the barrel that was causing the really bad vertical stringing.
If I had adjusted my front sight down a bit, I would have been consistently hitting a three-inch circle at 100 yards with a rifle that used to group around 7 to 11 inches at 100 yards.
Color me happy on this one.
Just a hacksaw and a sander, and now I think my FAL just might be a keeper.
It's not a sniper rifle, and not intended to be.
But compare these pics with the pics linked above. I cut my groups easily in half with just a little cut and sanding.
I was very frustrated, and lately had almost come to the decision to sell it.
I researched freefloat handguards, and discovered that the commercially available "freefloat" handguards aren't really free floating, as they all bear on the barrel, because of the design of the FAL.
The only true freefloat for the FAL on the market is one by Vandenberg Custom, and would cost a lot more than it would be worth.
Because the source of my problems was apparently pressure on the barrel from the handguards, a so-called "freefloat" handguard that still put pressure on the barrel wouldn't really solve my problems.
But I decided to try one last cheap, greasy fix in a last-ditch effort to improve the accuracy before I sold the sucker.
On my FAL, I have the TAPCO Zytel front handguards. I noticed when I took the handguards off and shot the rifle, the groups were downright acceptable....not really good, but acceptable.....three inch groups, instead of 11 or 12 inch groups with the handguards on the rifle.
Here are some pics of typical groups off the bench, from the other thread, all from 100 yards.
http://www.thehighroad.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=40333&d=1148418846
http://www.thehighroad.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=40202&d=1148172287
Well, I thought and thought, researched Saiga .308s, almost decided to sell the FAL and buy a Saiga with scope, custom stock, etc, when I came up with an idea.
I noticed that the TAPCO Zytel handguards seemed to be a rather tight fit down where the barrel comes out of the receiver. So I first tried to thin the handguards a bit with an Exacto knife. But a trip to the range showed no improvements at all.
Scratch one idea.
The last idea that I came up with two days ago was to shorten the part of the handguards that go into the recess around the barrel by 1/10 of an inch.
I measured with my reloading calipers, scored the Zytel, clamped them down, and hacksawed that 1/10 of an inch off the handguards. Then I sanded the cuts smooth.
So I went back to the range today at lunch. The pictures of the three groups are as follows. All at 100 yards with South African military surplus.
Target 1. I fired off sandbags, with no magazine, single loading and taking my time. I looked through my scope after 5 shots, and saw three holes close to the target, with two fliers seven inches above the others.
I was mad. I thought that's it. I'm done. I'm going to the dealer right now and getting whatever I can for this hunk of junk.
But I had 15 more rounds and decided that I ought to just fire them off as a last salute to the FAL.
So I loaded 5 more in a magazine and inserted it. I went back on the bench and fired Target 2, rather hastily, I might add.
And when I looked back through the scope, I gasped.
Apparently, the handguards had to settle into position during the first string, because notice how much better Target 2 is.
Feeling hopeful, I loaded up five more and fired them at Target 3.
About the same as Target 2. And then I loaded up the final five rounds and shot them at Target 3, too, for a 10-shot group.
By cutting 1/10 of an inch off the receiver-end of the Zytel handguards, I apprently releived the pressure on the barrel that was causing the really bad vertical stringing.
If I had adjusted my front sight down a bit, I would have been consistently hitting a three-inch circle at 100 yards with a rifle that used to group around 7 to 11 inches at 100 yards.
Color me happy on this one.
Just a hacksaw and a sander, and now I think my FAL just might be a keeper.
It's not a sniper rifle, and not intended to be.
But compare these pics with the pics linked above. I cut my groups easily in half with just a little cut and sanding.
