Considering buying an FAL

[Dumptruck]

I have been researching quite a bit lately on the gun and didn't know how many other FAL owners were on the site. The posting of pictures would be great .

Also, I have heard time and time again about the "brutal recoil" of 7.62 Nato chambered firearms. I am not a puss by any means but even gun magazines are known to talk about how "awful" the recoil is. I fire a Nagant regularly so how does 7.62 Nato compare in an FAL?

 

[Chipperman]

Much less than a Mosin.

 

[DnPRK]

It depends on how sensitive to recoil you are.

Felt recoil is caused by weight of the rifle and weight of the bullet. Light guns (5 lb hunting rifle) shooting heavy bullets (180 soft point) = bad felt recoil. But heavy guns (like 9 lb FAL) shooting medium weight bullets (147 FMJ) = moderate felt recoil. Heavy guns (9 lb AR-15A2) shooting light bullets (55 FMJ) = very light felt recoil.

 

[Deer Hunter]

My FAL is the lightest shooting .308 I've ever shot. Kicks much less than my M44.







It's my favorite rifle.

 

[PercyShelley]

The FAL is:

1) Heavy enough to club baby tigers with

and

2) Gas operated

both of which significantly improve felt recoil.

 

[W.E.G.]

The only time there is ever an issue with FAL recoil is with the straight-comb STG stock.

Go with the humpback stock and shoot all day (or as long as your wallet can stand it).

The reasonably-priced, easily-installed Picatinny-rail top covers allow a lot of versatility in sight choices too.

 

[inherentical]

 

[Professor Gun]

I have an FAL and an L1A1. I love shooting them.

I have found that .308 ammo that cycles reliably in my M1A may not do so in the FAls; I have to step up their powder charge a little. Accuracy is no where near an M1A or an AR-10, but they are great rifles.

 

[Z71]

I have an L1A1. Never really "clicked" with this rifle. Probably because I've owned M14 platform rifles for so long I'm spoiled.

That said, nothing wrong with the L1A1. Always works, decently accurate. Damn good gun. Just sort of a strange beast.

I'm an M14 man and thats that. The L1A1 is way to good to trade off, just not my style.

The L1A1 won't do a thing the M14 won't do just as well, and less widgets to fiddle with on a M14.

 

[Ash]

Don't know about that...I've seen many an M14 with an aweful lot of widgets...

 

[Templar]

The FAL is by far my favorite battle rifle.

 

[TexasRifleman]

Very nice looking rifle Templar. I just LOVE wood on a FAL.

 

[Jeremy2171]

Yup...PARAs rock.....

Here's mine....

 

[goldie]

i have an sar48 match from springfield armory,its the last fal that was factory made,before all the parts guns started in the mid 90's..low recoil, very reliable,accurate,you cant go wrong.

 

[iamkris]

"brutal recoil"

Ha, ha, ha, ha...apparently these "reviewers" have only fired a .223...or nothing at all. Maybe arfcom posters that take pictures of their ARs but don't actually shoot them.

 

[goon]

The FAL is one of the lightest recoiling rifles I've ever shot. I actually think that a FAL recoils less than an AK, and probably less than an SKS.
Mine is totally reliable on a gas setting of 5 and it only kicks slightly harder than an AR.

 

[TexasRifleman]

The best way to appreciate the gentle recoil of the FAL is to shoot a magazine full through an HK first.

 

[Templar]

The best way to appreciate the gentle recoil of the FAL is to shoot a magazine full through an HK first.

This man speaketh the truth.......

 

[gtmerkley]

I dont know about the hk but the Ptr has almost no recoil its more like a push then anything.

 

[taprackbang]

Just shot my PTR today. Very nice, moderate recoil. Any rifle, if properly held, should be just a 'push.'

Lovely FAL pics!!!

 

[Stevie-Ray]

Here's mine, a heavy barrel SAR-48. Action is adjusted so that there is less recoil, by a lot, than my AR-15. I could shoot it all day if I could spare the ammo, and I'd rather shoot it than just about anything.

 

[stubbicatt]

Don't know why people dis on the G3. FAL kicks harder that the G3 does IME. And fore end gets TOO HOT.

 

[Ash]

Not all forends. The Israeli furniture keeps its cool nicely. I once owned a HB Isreali just like the one above, but it was just too darn heavy. But the furniture was so good, that I have a LB version today.

Ash

 

[Chuck R.]

I'm in!

DSA SA58 Para, Type II receiver.


Chuck

 

[Templar]

Don't know why people dis on the G3. FAL kicks harder that the G3 does IME. And fore end gets TOO HOT.

I've owned numerous versions of both.

I think your experience with a G1 and the sheetmetal handguards really scarred you against the FAL. The synthetics are much better, and the Israeli were damn near perfect, and were used as the basis for the FNC handguards.

The G3 with it's roller locking recoil operated system has a sharper felt recoil than the gas operated FAL when the FAL's gas system has been properly tuned.

Not saying the G3 is a crap rifle, I enjoy both and own both.







The PTR's tend to have less felt recoil compared to an original HK 91/Springfield SAR-3/PARS G3 because they use a heavy barrel that isn't contoured like the originals. It's much cheaper to not contour the barrels and it makes a heavy rifle even heavier, which soaks up more recoil.