to the original poster:
i respect your question. two rifles that have always been compared to each other through their history. i have good news for you....... by saying you've decided to choose between those two weapon systems, you have already stated that you are a smart guy and i can tell you, you will be satisfied with either choice.
i get so tired of hearing the AK vs AR debate because you really can't compare those rifles in the same POU because it is a reliability vs accuracy debate. the FAL and M14, however, present platforms that provide proper and well balanced ratios of both accuracy and reliability.
as a owner of both rifles i will lay it out as simple and honest as i can. both are rugged, beastly battle axes that will do anything you ask of them and more. bottom line: you are choosing between two tough and proven SUV trucks. the M14 is the luxurious cadillac escalade and the FAL is a trail rated jeep cherokee w/ jacked up 10 ply tires. both of these battle rifle beauties are no strangers to terms like: accuracy, reliability, firepower, toughness, efficiency and history. the M14 and FAL are both "jack-of-all-trades" rifles IMO. they both have served as assault rifles, light machine guns, standard service rifles, and sniper systems. they do it all!
both rifles can be "scoped", however if you are looking for a precision weapon then the M14 gets the nod. you can do more to a M14 to fine tune it to match grade specs and it's design is more inherently accurate. if you want to shoot iron sights then the M14 gets the nod again. the M14 arguably has the best iron sights of any rifle ever made!(yes, i just said that.) so in a nutshell, all around accuracy belongs to the M14.
but......the pros of accuracy aren't everything, just like the cummfy power steering and climate controlled seats of a cadillac aren't everything. the FAL has enough accuracy to hold it's own with the M14 and enough simplicity and ruggedness to hold it's own with the AK 47. the FAL is a "mud-gun" that is VERY robust and can be cleaned in the field extremely easily. the parts are crude and simple and you can break it down and put it back together blind folded in your sleep (with out tools i might add!!!!). actually.......if you are really in a SHTF situation, you never have to clean the MoFo ever because it has a regulated gas system. you can literally put thousands and thousands of rounds through the thing and as carbon builds up, you just adjust the gas system and the dang sucker keeps running!!!
the meat and potatoes of a FAL are all metal parts so it locks up the same every time and works the same every time. i always thought the thing looked a tad butt-ugly, but in a good way! kind of like a worn pare of blue jeans. it is not a work of art......it's a killing machine!
this brings me to the M14..........and besides a "killing machine" (which it is!), it IS a profound work of art (both aesthetically and function-wise). an absolute gorgeous rifle! if you are a old school traditional man like myself, then you will appreciate the sheer joy of the look and feel on the wood stock and BALANCE of the design. im telling you.....the thing is an absolute dream to shoot. it is more ergonomically american friendly being that the charging handle is on the right side and it has that CLASSIC american look like the M1 garand. personally i'm not a big fan of pistol grips when im trying to gain that eagle-eye point of aim with a high powered battle rifle. everything about the M14 design is geared toward luxurious dead-eye shooting. nobody ever mentions this minute detail but i love the flip-up buttplate design when shooting prone. every rifle should have this.......sorry, but it's true. wonderful feature!
you are going to pay more for a M1A/M14 but rightfully so. if you hold the two rifles side by side you will quickly notice that the M14 is a much more complex and sophisticated rifle. the engineering of the M14 is one for the ages. it will take the harshest punishments but you will not want to inflict them, if you get me. it's like having a beautiful sweet and innocent girlfriend that will let you do whatever you want yet you feel reluctant to abuse the power.
the FAL on the other hand is the better value gun at the moment. M14s have been more popular in the past so original GI parts have dried up and prices have gone way up (only a concern if you want a pre-ban M1A/M14). but now, the popularity of the FAL is on the rise and original parts are going up as we speak, however they are still cheaper to get than original M14 parts. DSA offers a STG58 model that basically has all original parts except the upper receiver, barrel and furniture ect for a MSRP of $1,150 (a price i expect to increase soon)
your question is really a flip of the coin, but i think the deciding factor will be - what you are really looking for. i will not say which is better because that is subjective and opinionated. i will stand by, however, that you get what you pay for. if you drop the extra bills for a M1A/M14 then you will reap the benefits and not be sorry.
if you were to ask me personally......if i could only have one gun for the rest of my life it would be a M14. if you were to ask me personally "what gun would i pick between a FAL and M14?"......i would say both. i would get the FAL now while prices are still reasonable and then opt for a M1A/M14 when i spot a used one one for $1,100-$1,200.
hope this helps. sorry it was long. it's just that i feel your question.
