Destructo6
New member
Metric parts and magazines seem to be far more plentiful these days.
What to expect from a FAL
- Thread starter Jamie Young
- Start date
Jamie Young
New member
Anyone see the write up in American Rifleman on the DSArms Fal? They pretty much trashed the FAL as far as accuracy except for the ones Their selling now. Anyone have an opinion about that Article? I noticed there putting a scope mount with 4 scope rings now?
9mmepiphany
New member
sodapop - the "inch pattern" fal was only used by the british, canadians and austrailians. the rest of the free world use the "metric pattern" (except the US who had the m14) fal. this makes metric parts much more common on the open market. 
the "inch fal" mags are not interchangable with the "metric"
the L1A1/SLR are IMO much nicer guns. they have the folding cocking handle and the handguard with the longer vents which i think look better
DSA took the metric blueprints and made a american fal, their $1500 guns are put together with in-house parts and do not include any inported parts. they also make a lightweight version if you have the $$$. the last one i drooled over had outstanding quality control.
gotta decide what ya want:
collectable: L1A1 knowing its going to cost more for upkeep due to limited parts
battle rifle/target gun: DSA, higher cost, available parts, higher resale
shooter: metric parts fal, knowing that you might need to have it tuned and you need to stock up on mags right way to keep longterm cost down.
the "inch fal" mags are not interchangable with the "metric"
the L1A1/SLR are IMO much nicer guns. they have the folding cocking handle and the handguard with the longer vents which i think look better
DSA took the metric blueprints and made a american fal, their $1500 guns are put together with in-house parts and do not include any inported parts. they also make a lightweight version if you have the $$$. the last one i drooled over had outstanding quality control.
gotta decide what ya want:
collectable: L1A1 knowing its going to cost more for upkeep due to limited parts
battle rifle/target gun: DSA, higher cost, available parts, higher resale
shooter: metric parts fal, knowing that you might need to have it tuned and you need to stock up on mags right way to keep longterm cost down.
The service issue guns come with a very stiff trigger and they are not the most simple set up to adjust. Getting the springs ballanced is a project, got my L1A1 down to 3 crisp pounds but it took a lot of work. Metric mags will work in a Inch pattern gun but inch mags wont fit a metric gun. Metric parts are a lot less hassle to find though. All in all I would say a FAL is a better gun than the M-1A and should out shoot the standard M-1A too,plus the FAL eats about anything you feed it.
Dave McMillan
New member
I looked for a while and bought a DSA. Here's why:
The finish: parkerized receiver and steel parts, anodized lower (the lower is USA-made aluminum to save weight, not painted) New furniture. The Century FALs are painted to cover the sins of assembly. The furniture can be beat to crap. Looks like it should cost $200.
The parts: DSA, the barrel is USA-made, so are most of the other parts. All metric, all correct. Century internals are typically not spec and have to be "modified" to work. The parts are not properly heat treated and may work OK, for a while anyway. Century mixes inch and metric within the same rifle. If you have to change a part, don't expect a drop-in replacement. Check the ARS page previously noted for another opinion on these rifles. He will only build on DSA or Imbel receivers.
The company: DSA does FALs as its primary business. Service after the sale is great. Plus they're selling excellent metric mags for $8 each. Century service is essentially non-existent. Check their reputation on the FNFAL.COM boards. Not good.
In FALs you get what you pay for, nothing more. $1000 is pretty much a minimum for a good gun that will last 10,000 rounds. Pay less, and you take your chances.
The finish: parkerized receiver and steel parts, anodized lower (the lower is USA-made aluminum to save weight, not painted) New furniture. The Century FALs are painted to cover the sins of assembly. The furniture can be beat to crap. Looks like it should cost $200.
The parts: DSA, the barrel is USA-made, so are most of the other parts. All metric, all correct. Century internals are typically not spec and have to be "modified" to work. The parts are not properly heat treated and may work OK, for a while anyway. Century mixes inch and metric within the same rifle. If you have to change a part, don't expect a drop-in replacement. Check the ARS page previously noted for another opinion on these rifles. He will only build on DSA or Imbel receivers.
The company: DSA does FALs as its primary business. Service after the sale is great. Plus they're selling excellent metric mags for $8 each. Century service is essentially non-existent. Check their reputation on the FNFAL.COM boards. Not good.
In FALs you get what you pay for, nothing more. $1000 is pretty much a minimum for a good gun that will last 10,000 rounds. Pay less, and you take your chances.