Buying a DSA/FAL is like paying $1500 for a Ruger P85 ?

S

SuperDave

Inactive
I was at a local Gun Store and mentioned my wanting a DSA/FAL . His response was "Thats like paying $1500 for a Ruger P85 "........Of course he had several Postban Galils for $1500 , that would be a much better deal......

What do you guys think ?
 
You can buy a FAL for around $550, maybe it's going to need a little TLC from the local smith ($50-$100) then you've got a reliable FAL for $600 or so as compared to a $1200 plus for the same thing from DSA. So I'd tend to agree with your salesman. By the way it seems I hear about as many "from the factory" complaints about the DSA as you hear about the cheap parts guns. Granted this is all second hand so take it with a grain of salt.

As for the Ruger comment, FAL's, AK's, M-16's (AR-15's), etc. are all designed to be cheaply manufactured rifles for bulk sales to the millitary to be made quickly by the lowest bidder, not one of them is "worth" $300, however what people pay is considered the value of the weapon.

Regards, Blue Duck
 
Bulls**T!!! I've got a DSA. The quality of the work is unbeatable, and you get NEW parts. Mine has never had any problems not directly traced to ammo (bad lot--WAAAY too hot). The DSA guns are the most aesthetically pleasing on the market, and tight enough to shoot better than a HK91. Under 1.5" is normal at 100yrds with my gun. It seems everyone wants to slam DSA, I guess because the guns they build out of parts don't measure up. Of course, it's like anything else. you want a Porche, get one (fast, beautiful, flawless assembly). You want a Z28 (fast, beautiful, parts fall off or not put together right---I had a 95!), get one of those....but don't expect to get a Porche for the price of a Chevy. Or, compare a Savage 110 to a Weatherby.....

That said, a local 'smith (Marineau Gun Works) builds excellent like-new STG-58s, but they are still around a grand. Quality is never cheap.
 
There is really no comparison between the Century Arms kit guns and the DSA FALs. The DSAs are most definitely worth the extra money: all NEW, American-made parts, made to fit to each other. The dealer who told you that is either trying to BS you or he's just ignorant.
 
Kinda funny thou, that the FAL {and most military arms) are designed to be cheap to produce. We Black rifle consumers who buy them one at a time, are paying top shelf price for a lowest bidder mass produced machine.

Whats the current price on an AR to the US military?
300 bucks?

dZ
 
There is an article on the DSA SA58 on page 58 of this month's American Rifleman. They have nothing but good things to say about it. In their test they got a 1.23" group average at 100 yds. Looks like a decent buy to me.
 
I really liked the looks of the modular, floating handguard system on the DSA in AR. I'm thinking about buying a kit and Imbel and building one. Need to scrape up a few bucks first though.

As to rather DSA's are worth the money, it's up to you, its you're money. If money was no object, I'd consider that route, however since the $$ that have to go to the FAL come out of the budget that could go to my other projectile-related interests, I'm kinda forced to go the kit route. Besides I think it will be alot of fun. And yes, I realize that building my own will likely cost as much as a Century buy the time I get US parts, and receiver wrench.

Bri
 
The DSA is not a completely new gun. I do believe that they're on their way to producing an all-new gun but they are still using up stocks of surplus parts. My comment is, so what? Who the F&#% cares if they use foreign or used parts? My FAL works just fine, but I'd be more than happy to part with it and get a DSA gun. Only problem is that I'd only pay about $1,000 for it because I think that's all it is worth.

I think the comparrison can be drawn here between the GI M-1 Carbine and the Plainfield and Universal Guns of later years. Same thing, right?!
 
No..

If you buy one of the 550 to 700 buck StG58 guns running around and have a smith make it nice, you will spend about what you would have spent on a DSA.

I've only heard good things about the DSAs, but of course, YMMV.

I have an Imbel receivered FAL with a bunch of work done to it. Have about a grand into it, and I believe it to be as nice as a DSA. Shoots like a dream and is fun as hell.

BTW, are you the same SuperDave from ArsTechnica?

TR
 
ArsTechnica ? Nope not me.....

Thanks for all inputs .....I think the DSA is worth it ....

Just for not having to send it somewhere else to fix it......Er, uh, I hope.....
 
Dave I found a new DSA Carbine for $1,200.00 let me put it this way, best dang 1,200 I've spent. What a sweet rifle:)

The rifle is all new US parts except maybe the sights & gas block might be new import parts not sure, brand new quality nun the less with a lifetime warranty.
 
Salvo did you buy it New From DSArms? I keep seeing $1400 for Rifles from them and your the second person who said they paid $1200.
 
SodaPop,
I bought it from a local dealer who just got it for another customer that had to bail on the deal.

A person over at the Fal Forums just sold a brand new DSA medium contour for $1,250.00 Deals are out there, the most a person should pay is around $1,400.00 the FFL needs to make a little:)
Good luck, yours is out there.
 
This was taken off of the Assault Web board. I called DSA last Wensday and, it is indeed true. The price is a dealer price, so find some one with an FFL and you can get a high quality FAL from DSA for 795.00 plus the shipping. It comes with a manual, hard case and one mag...

-------------------------------
FAL SA58A AUTHENTIC STG58 AUSTRIAN FAL
STG58 .308 Caliber rifle featuring your choice of the DSA Type 1 or Type 2 upper receiver. The only receiver in the nation machined from solid bar stock, not an investment casting, and the only receiver actually in spec. All matching Austrian or Belgian contract components combined with the new U.S. produced parts make for a high quality rifle at an affordable price.
These rifles are the only ones in this class with components manufactured using the original Steyr blueprints, not reverse engineering. No guesswork here, you get a rifle which is an authentic Austrian copy. Why settle for less when you can have many steps above in the same price range, compare for yourself.
Rifle includes light bipod, 20 round magazine, semi-auto selector switch, muzzle brake, hard case and manual. Backed by our Limited Lifetime Warranty. All rifles phosphate finished charcoal gray in color. http://albums.photopoint.com/j/ViewPhoto?u=873035&a=6352331&p=39713586

$795.00
The cocking handles are the original steel. The lowers are the original military lowers, the barrels are 21" and the bores are excellent. US parts we provide to make the gun legal are: muzzle brake, piston, receiver, hammer, trigger, sear and pistol grip. We have just finished a deal with Ironwood to bring you the wood furniture. We are waiting on the first shipment which will have to be finished. We should have these for sale around the end of March. We are temporarily using the Tapco brake until we get our new brake in. I hope I answered all the posted questions.
 
Soda Pop, if you were here in Hawaii, I could. But the problem is then he has to send it to an FFL where ever you are so you're back in the same deal. Luckily, one of my friends at work is an FFL, so I get all my guns at dealer prices less the 10.00 fee he charges me(for the Heinekens)

Plus then you have to fill out the forms etc.....I could buy one and do a personal sell, but again, then I gotta get it to you.........

Ask around at your local range. Most guys will only charge you 25-50 dollars for the hassle
 
For all the money I realy dont think they shoot any better than any other FAL at less the cost though. I get 1 to 1/12 inch with my Imbal parts gun with a cheep made in china scope and thats shooting mixed brass. I have just over 500 bucks in the gun and it had a new barrel too. And a 7lb DSA trigger, BS that is nasty for 1200 bucks.:) for 1200 bucks it best have a 2 1/2 lb trigger like my 500 buck gun. The FAL is about the hardest trigger I have ever seen to tune, so I would expect something for my money in that neighbor hood.:) But the bottom line is what ever makes you happy. For someone that is not going to be able to strip one down and work any bugs out of a out of spec gun and ships it off to a smith the DSA may not be that bad of a deal.:)
 
I suppose a lot of this (Is it worth it compared to a parts gun?) depends on one's situation with the local smith. I'm luckily spoiled because mine will look over a gun and if he can fix it in 20-30 minutes (which he usually can) does not even charge me for the service or if you argue that he deserves it he will take 5 bucks. If I do have to leave it, he sets a fee to make it work and the only way that raises it is if he has to order parts (then he calls to make sure it's not too high) great guy. I've never found labor to make any semiauto go bang every time more than $50. I knew this was my guy when the first time I walked into the shop and asked for an action job on a J-frame Smith, he carefully snapped the action a few times handed it back and said "I can take your $30 if it makes you feel good, but I really don't think I can improve it to the point you would would hit any better with it, so why don't you save your money and come back when you need something fixed".

If you've got this guy local I'd buy one of the parts guns, if your really looking at $300 to $700 of smith work and draggin it all over town as a lot of posters seem to suggest they would have to do, then I'd get the DSA.

JMHO, Blue Duck
 
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