I want an FAL

DSA or a custom made job from a GOOD smith like ARS or Double-G. Only way to go and be SURE your gonna get a great one.
 
I did quite a bit of reading on http://www.fnfal.com before I bought my IAI M444 last year and I second the above reccomendation.
If you want an imported-cut-up-parts gun (~$750) as opposed to new manufacture (>$1000), DSA apparently puts the best one together, although last I heard, they were having difficulties with the ATF over their muzzle break. People also like DSA's new manufacture guns.
http://www.dsarms.com

Big things I remember were:
Guns put together by Century (a major importer) might have higher occurances of problems.
Metric pattern guns are easier to own than inch pattern guns due to availability of parts and magazines (although this might have changed recently).
Some barrels don't readily accept the standard bipod.
Some imports had the bolt-hold-open mechanism defeated.
Imbel receivers are top quality.
A few mags can give you a pretty decent headache if you don't use a proper hold (personal experience).
Few other guns have a bigger "cool" factor.

My M444 is the pride and joy of my collection (I know you guys with >$1k guns are laughing at me for saying that)
 
FAL

I recently got my first FAL. I went with the DSA STG58A and am very happy with the choice.

This is the best deal around IMHO.

I do intend to have one of the FALsmiths around build me one someday. I will soon build my own kit. This seemed to me to be the best start for me as a novice. I.E. I want to shoot it and take it apart for awhile before I tell a pro how to make one for me!

Cost(as stated here and elsewhere by others)
Rifle:$795
S&H:$15
FFL transfer: my guy $25

No sales tax (9% here)

I also took advantage of empty prepaid case space and included as many mags, tool kit, scope mount(on sale), that would fit with the order.

Oh, there is that muzzle brake controversy. I said who cares. DSA will mount any legal brake they sell at no charge. Flash suppressors are one thing- I love em to a point. "Brakes" are sometimes too freakin loud for their perceived value. I personally wanted a Stolle fake, even a muzzle weight. I would love to compare side by side but doubting Tom that I am, I bet no performance loss is evident that hard work won't overcome ( or a machine shop when law matters not).

Sorry to ramble on. Good luck and keep learning me on your choices.
 
I want an FAL too!! Oh wait a minute I had one............. Where is it now?????........... The ATF said I had to send it back for a barrel weight and I said NO NO put an SA58 brake on it and that was 2 weeks ago. I WANT ME FAL BACK !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I only shot the darn thing one time and it got recalled.
 
I don't disagree with most of the comments already posted, but I have a Century STG-58 FAL that I really enjoy. It is a metric rifle on an Imbel receiver. It works fine (shot it again this afternoon). Mine does appear to be a little nicer than some other Century FALs I've seen. I got it about a year and a half ago from Aim Surplus (www.aimsurplus.com). I don't doubt that the DSA rifles are a safer bet, but if you are looking for a bargain, you might consider the Century rifles (at roughly half the cost of a DSA). I feel lucky to have received a nice one - I might be a little nervous about ordering one sight-unseen again. Building (or having someone build) from a parts kit and good receiver is another option. A friend of mine did this and has a nice looking rifle for about what I paid for mine - except his doesn't work reliably and mine does. If I didn't live in California, I would definately have bought another parts kit and receiver and either built it myself or had someone do it (not the guy who built my friend's!). Good luck. The FAL is fun - wish I could get another one.

Doug
 
Price check?

A local classified ad has a guy selling a FAL for "$450 OBO" ... I wanted to drive to his house tonight when I read that! :) What should I ask when calling him, because this seems like too good a deal to pass up.
 
Ask him to read everything on the reciever. Probably will be a Century International, which could be any number of combination/mishmash of parts (Inch/metric mix, various recievers). Could be a Hesse Arms, which have spotty QC.

Best bet for buying an unseen rifle cheap is a DSA STG58 kit rifle as stated above.
 
MadScientist- When I was talking about a "Barrel Weight" I mean "NON-MUZZLE BRAKE". The Muzzle brake I had on my FAL was a REAL one and the one they wanted to put on looked the same but didn't have any holes in it. So it basically was a "BARREL WEIGHT".

Imperative- $450 is pretty low and I would make sure everything on the gun looks in good condition. For an FAL at that price range I would buy it and plan on spending $200 or more in the near future. Unless your really really lucky. I'd check it out and then if it looks good buy it!!
 
I agree with the others about DSA. Excellent quality.

Century Arms is a crap shoot. Sometimes you get a good one, sometimes not. I took the gamble with an H&K G3 and got lucky. The prices are right, but it may not be worth the headache if you get a not-so-good one.
 
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