FN FAL or PTR-91? Which do you prefer?

K

Kimio

New member
Was just looking around, and was wondering which of these two rifles would you prefer of you could only have one? I like both designs, though I will admit I'm slightly biased to the PTR-91 simple due it essentially being a civilian G3.

What reasons would you pick one over the other? How would you rate the over all quality between the two rifles? Both appear to be of quality make from what I can tell, but I'd like to hear it from those who've owned or fired them before.
 
I have both and like both.The FAL is just much slicker!Its lighter and kicks less and has a adjustable gas setting.You cant loose with either one.Go to the gun shop and handle both.The downside is FALs are hard to find in gun shops.:)
 
Both of these models are proven designs. You can't really go wrong with either.
Personally, I prefer the FAL. The ergos fit me better, and I find them a bit easier to handle, especially the carbine length FALs.

The recoil between the rifles has a different 'feel." The delayed blowback operation of the PTR has a kind of "push" while the FAL is a bit more "sharp." Not that one recoils more or less, they are just different
 
How does the FAL handle brass? I know the PTR-91 chews the heck out of brass (flings it as far as the bullets fly I've heard as well) thus making it more difficult to reload for it.

Is the FAL any kinder on brass cases?
 
The FAL tends to beat up brass somewhat also. At least mine does.

With the PTR you can buy several magazines dirt cheap. I think I have around 50 or so. Don't really need that many, but why not? I like the feel of the recoil on the PTR more.

I think I shoot a little more accurately with my FAL. I think it is because of the sighting system.

You really cant go wrong with ether. Buy both.
 
The FAL tends to beat up brass somewhat also. At least mine does
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LOL!! And HK doesn't?

I'll take a FAL any day over an HK or clone thereof. At one time it was used by 96 countries on this earth.
 
How does the FAL handle brass? I know the PTR-91 chews the heck out of brass (flings it as far as the bullets fly I've heard as well) thus making it more difficult to reload for it.
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Yeah. We covered that.
 
I like my HK91 personally. They are rugged, reliable and easy to maintain. I shoot it, or my M1A Super Match pretty much equally. The HK91 gets more range time than the Super Match though.
 
I prefer the FAL.:)
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Why?
I don't like the "Gedoingngngngng:eek:" noise from the recoil spring of the PTR. The FAL doesn't do that.
I prefer the cast/machined materials to the pressed/stamped ones.
I like the left hand cocking handle (but it takes a bit of getting used to.)
I prefer the take-down & cleaning of the FAL.
The adjustable gas takes a bit of thought to set up correctly, but at least it is adjustable.

As for brass, if the rifle is set up completely your brass will not get beaten up by the factory dust cover, (or any other cover using the factory one as a base) but a lot, as in 99%, of aftermarket scope mount/top-covers aren't correctly designed for the internal profile, which is actually part of the ejection process, at the ejection port & will beat up brass. For that reason I no longer use anything that is not based on the original.
 
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Both are very good, and battle proven rifles. I prefer the PTR-91 myself though the FAL is a worthy challenger. Like Joe states the DRBB system in the PTR has less 'recoil' as we all think of it and gives you a 'nudge' rather than a sharp 'hit' (for lack of a better word) by other systems. They're mindlessly easy to take down, though rather dirty after the playday at the range. I also like the forward charging handle. I think it's spiffy...

The biggest downfall to the PTR is price for spare parts. Magazines are about the cheapest thing you can find for them. And they are mindlessly cheap.

If it was my choice the deciding factor would fall onto price.
 
Just a follow up, based on others comments on felt recoil differences between the FAL & PTR.
If your FAL is "hitting you harder" than your PTR try adjusting the gas. Set correctly FAL recoil is pretty mild, but if you over-gas it so the bolt & carrier slam into the recoil shield you're going to get a lot more felt recoil & it'll be sharper too.
 
I briefly had the opportunity to fire the PTR 91. It was a whole lot of fun, though it certainly was heavy compared to my little AR15. I don't think the question regarding steel cases rounds has been answered yet. Ha anyone here had experience with using steel cases rounds in either rifle? Did you run into any issues? If so, could you please elaborate?
 
I won't use steel case rounds in my FAL & I wouldn't use them in a PTR either. I'd probably be more nervous with the fluted chamber steel case combination.

Why not? Surprisingly not 100% because of the steel case per se, but more because the steel case is poorly made, dirty inaccurate rubbish with big time QC problems.
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Look at the extractor groves in the above pic. there is a complete step missing in production! Out of 6 rifles present only 1 could extract them with this manufacturing problem. Now look about 1/2" in front of the groove. See that light ring going round the case? lots of separated cases right at that point with the rifle that would feed & extract the stuff!

That meant the owner was stuck with 1,000 rounds of "bargain" ammo which wouldn't shoot! Some bargain.

For me it's like putting super El-cheapo gas in a Ferrari.:eek:
 
I would carry the FAL, I would issue the PTR91.

Both are great battle rifles but the HK91 survives because it is so cheap to make. And it works, but it is less refined than a FAL.
 
I have the PTR GI and all it has gotten has been steel case, and it loves it.

My FAL seems to handle it fine also.

Shooting lots of brown bear right now. All that I can afford.
 
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