My next purchase, next year sometime, will most likely be an FAL. Are there any real dogs, or winners out there (in terms of makers) or any mechanical variations that I should be aware of? Does metric vs inch matter? Are there any good online resources that I should visit? I want to stay under $1000 if possible. Thanks for any info.
What to look (lookout) for when buyng an FAL.
- Thread starter ATTICUS
- Start date
Go to www.l1a1.com and ask around in hte forum. I think you should stay away from CAI guns, they seem to be hit or miss. DSArms makes a hell of an FN for the money. www.dsarms.com
As far as inch V metric they both have there +'s I like metric my self a little better. The metric mags are a little cheaper also. Look around and see what there is to see then buy one, you will love it.
As far as inch V metric they both have there +'s I like metric my self a little better. The metric mags are a little cheaper also. Look around and see what there is to see then buy one, you will love it.
A lot of people will tell you that the Century Arms stuff is hit or miss as far as quality goes. So far mine has been great. Another good thing about that FAL is that there are a lot of resources on the NET,as well as on this board, in regards to the FAL.
When you finally get one, I think that you will be very satisfied with it.
When you finally get one, I think that you will be very satisfied with it.
It's an addiction...
FALs are great rifles. As far as dogs go, I'd say stay away from Olympic and Century. Oly for sure, Century is hit and miss.
Mechanical variations, all FALs are basically the same with some minor differences. Inch vs Metric, metric is far more common as are parts and mags for such. Mags are the main diff here. Most metric will fit inch loosely but inch will not fit metric.
$1000 will get you a very nice rifle. IMHO DSA is by far the way to go. With a friendly dealer you can get a nice Austrian parts gun (StG 58) built on their type 1 or type 2 for about $820 shipped to the dealer. I have one of each and they are GREAT rifles. A few well known 'smiths will sell a custom built for a little more. Next I would say one of the IAI M-444s an all Imbel (only FN licensed manufacturer remaining), around $700 +/-. They are nice also but could be hit or miss at times. Built on an Imbel receiver you can't go wrong though.
All in all, for the money, DSA rules. Hope this helps and get ready for a true addiction. Here is a link for DSA.http://www.dsarms.com/
PS.. Forgot to mention that I'm on my 11th FAL variant. When will it ever end?!?!!!
FALs are great rifles. As far as dogs go, I'd say stay away from Olympic and Century. Oly for sure, Century is hit and miss.
Mechanical variations, all FALs are basically the same with some minor differences. Inch vs Metric, metric is far more common as are parts and mags for such. Mags are the main diff here. Most metric will fit inch loosely but inch will not fit metric.
$1000 will get you a very nice rifle. IMHO DSA is by far the way to go. With a friendly dealer you can get a nice Austrian parts gun (StG 58) built on their type 1 or type 2 for about $820 shipped to the dealer. I have one of each and they are GREAT rifles. A few well known 'smiths will sell a custom built for a little more. Next I would say one of the IAI M-444s an all Imbel (only FN licensed manufacturer remaining), around $700 +/-. They are nice also but could be hit or miss at times. Built on an Imbel receiver you can't go wrong though.
All in all, for the money, DSA rules. Hope this helps and get ready for a true addiction. Here is a link for DSA.http://www.dsarms.com/
PS.. Forgot to mention that I'm on my 11th FAL variant. When will it ever end?!?!!!
The Century guns are hit and miss. (both the L1A1 and the STG58) Centurys quality control leaves something to be desired so while some of their rifles are ok, others are a real mess.
Some of the problems associated with their rifles are out of time barrels, improperly fitted parts, poor quality furniture, horrible 2 piece gas piston.
If you decide to try a Century insist on getting one built with an IMBEL receiver. These receivers are made by IMBEL in Brazil. IMBEL is the only FN licensed FAL manufacturer still making rifles today and they are quality, milspec units. The other receivers that Century uses are Hesse. These are reverse engineered and usually out of spec. They can be made to work properly but most of the high end FAL smiths refuse to work on them. (AZEX is an exception)
I owned an L1A1 sporter many years ago and it worked fine. With Century, it's a crap shoot.
I currently own an IAI M444. This is essentially an IMBEL rifle that has been assembled by IAI in TX with enough US parts to make it legal with a pistol grip stock. The barrel and gas tube are chrome lined. The handguards on mine were a bit scratched up but are perfectly servicable. The rest of the furniture is like new. Older M444 rifles had Hesse muzzle brakes permanantly installed. They do a fine job of controlling the muzzle but amplify felt recoil by pushing the stock into your cheekbone. The brake has 2 rows of 3 ports at 1100 and 0100. I corrected this problem on mine by opening up the original ports a bit and drilling 4 more ports, 2 at 0300 and 2 at 0900. The trigger on my rifle needs work. It has too much creep and is way too heavy. FALs are not known for their match triggers but can be made to be pretty decent with a bit of work. Mine is correctly put together and functions flawlessly. It came with a fresh, gray parkerized finish. It shoots about 2moa with surplus ball and about 1-1.5 moa with match ammo if I do my part. The M444 is not perfect right out of the box (trigger and muzzle brake) but it is a solid, well made milspec service rifle. New M444s are said to have a new muzzle brake that fixes the recoil problem. I highly recommend this rifle. I see them listed in Shotgun News for under $700. A bit more that than the Century guns but well worth it in my opinion.
DSA makes new rifles (SA58) and "kit" guns (STG58). Their SA58 is all US made and has an excellant reputation. The STG58 is made using their receiver and and STG58 parts kit. I have not handled one but they are reputed to be excellant. DSA is a first rate company. The SA58s are well over $1000. The STG58 is right around $1000.
I hear mixed reviews about Entreprise rifles and have no experience with them. Some love them, some don't.
Olympic is advertising a new FAL varient (T43 2000 or something like that). I haven't seen one but Gunplummer (Arizona Response Systems) does not have anything good to say about them.
Any FAL built by one of the FAL smiths will be of excellant quality and expensive. Arizona Expert Arms, Arizona Response Systems, Double G Gunsmithing, to name a few.
For a good, solid rifle that you can build on as you go I'd recommend the M444.
You can always buy a kit and a receiver and build it yourself.
Some of the problems associated with their rifles are out of time barrels, improperly fitted parts, poor quality furniture, horrible 2 piece gas piston.
If you decide to try a Century insist on getting one built with an IMBEL receiver. These receivers are made by IMBEL in Brazil. IMBEL is the only FN licensed FAL manufacturer still making rifles today and they are quality, milspec units. The other receivers that Century uses are Hesse. These are reverse engineered and usually out of spec. They can be made to work properly but most of the high end FAL smiths refuse to work on them. (AZEX is an exception)
I owned an L1A1 sporter many years ago and it worked fine. With Century, it's a crap shoot.
I currently own an IAI M444. This is essentially an IMBEL rifle that has been assembled by IAI in TX with enough US parts to make it legal with a pistol grip stock. The barrel and gas tube are chrome lined. The handguards on mine were a bit scratched up but are perfectly servicable. The rest of the furniture is like new. Older M444 rifles had Hesse muzzle brakes permanantly installed. They do a fine job of controlling the muzzle but amplify felt recoil by pushing the stock into your cheekbone. The brake has 2 rows of 3 ports at 1100 and 0100. I corrected this problem on mine by opening up the original ports a bit and drilling 4 more ports, 2 at 0300 and 2 at 0900. The trigger on my rifle needs work. It has too much creep and is way too heavy. FALs are not known for their match triggers but can be made to be pretty decent with a bit of work. Mine is correctly put together and functions flawlessly. It came with a fresh, gray parkerized finish. It shoots about 2moa with surplus ball and about 1-1.5 moa with match ammo if I do my part. The M444 is not perfect right out of the box (trigger and muzzle brake) but it is a solid, well made milspec service rifle. New M444s are said to have a new muzzle brake that fixes the recoil problem. I highly recommend this rifle. I see them listed in Shotgun News for under $700. A bit more that than the Century guns but well worth it in my opinion.
DSA makes new rifles (SA58) and "kit" guns (STG58). Their SA58 is all US made and has an excellant reputation. The STG58 is made using their receiver and and STG58 parts kit. I have not handled one but they are reputed to be excellant. DSA is a first rate company. The SA58s are well over $1000. The STG58 is right around $1000.
I hear mixed reviews about Entreprise rifles and have no experience with them. Some love them, some don't.
Olympic is advertising a new FAL varient (T43 2000 or something like that). I haven't seen one but Gunplummer (Arizona Response Systems) does not have anything good to say about them.
Any FAL built by one of the FAL smiths will be of excellant quality and expensive. Arizona Expert Arms, Arizona Response Systems, Double G Gunsmithing, to name a few.
For a good, solid rifle that you can build on as you go I'd recommend the M444.
You can always buy a kit and a receiver and build it yourself.
Another dog is Hesse.
Atticus, look into the DSA STG-58 'kit gun.' Like they said, it is based on a DSA receiver and a STG-58 parts kit. So its a kit gun...but consider:
1. All or damn near most of the 'parts' are brand new (at least they were when I bought mine). The parts that aren't are so close to new as to be moot. Certainly the barrel on mine was new.
2. DSA builds their receivers to STG specs, as they bought the blueprints from Steyr and use CNC milling machines to do the milling.
3. Its built by DSA. They're not exactly a bunch of drunk blind guys with wrenches.
So...you're getting a bunch of brand new Steyr parts made in europe, mated to a brand new steyr receiver, made in the USA, for about $800. Can't beat that.
Mike
Atticus, look into the DSA STG-58 'kit gun.' Like they said, it is based on a DSA receiver and a STG-58 parts kit. So its a kit gun...but consider:
1. All or damn near most of the 'parts' are brand new (at least they were when I bought mine). The parts that aren't are so close to new as to be moot. Certainly the barrel on mine was new.
2. DSA builds their receivers to STG specs, as they bought the blueprints from Steyr and use CNC milling machines to do the milling.
3. Its built by DSA. They're not exactly a bunch of drunk blind guys with wrenches.
So...you're getting a bunch of brand new Steyr parts made in europe, mated to a brand new steyr receiver, made in the USA, for about $800. Can't beat that.
Mike
Thanks for the tips and links guys. I've been seeing a boatload of FAL's at the gunshows lately and felt grossly unimformed on the subject. That DSA site is pretty impressive (I've got the fever real bad now). I'll file away this info and start looking for that second job now. Thanks again!
Thanks again!If you find a Springfield SAR-48 or SAR-4800 in good shape, it would make for a heck of a FAL. They seem scarce and a bit expensive these days though.
My Springfield SAR-48 is an excellent FAL clone, the receiver is Imbel, and the fit and finish is outstanding.
As for current production FALs, I agree with the others, DSA makes a fine specimen.
My Springfield SAR-48 is an excellent FAL clone, the receiver is Imbel, and the fit and finish is outstanding.
As for current production FALs, I agree with the others, DSA makes a fine specimen.
All this FAL talk is getting me excited. I have a CAI getting the Azex arms Redo right now. It should be back soon. 
I got lucky with my Century, but I already knew the previous owner, so I knew that it was one of the good ones.
If I were you I would go over to the Fal Files and read as much as possible. The new Williams aluminum receivers sound like quite the ticket, but there is a huge contreversy about them right now. Interesting reading though.
I got lucky with my Century, but I already knew the previous owner, so I knew that it was one of the good ones.
If I were you I would go over to the Fal Files and read as much as possible. The new Williams aluminum receivers sound like quite the ticket, but there is a huge contreversy about them right now. Interesting reading though.
The FAL Files?!!?! 
As rabid, opiniated, verbose, technical, historic, economical, humorous group of dedicated firearm enthusiasts and choirboys I've ever had the pleasure to join! (and I don't even have one....yet.)
Led and ministered to by one mythical, invisible "Jen".
When I ain't home (here), I'm often there. As are other TFLr's.
As rabid, opiniated, verbose, technical, historic, economical, humorous group of dedicated firearm enthusiasts and choirboys I've ever had the pleasure to join!
(and I don't even have one....yet.)Led and ministered to by one mythical, invisible "Jen".
When I ain't home (here), I'm often there. As are other TFLr's.
Charmedlyfe
Moderator
Right now, the best deal is the G1 parts kit from DSA. Get the refinished kit, a DSA receiver (or Imbel-just as good, cheaper, not as pretty), and get it assembled by a 'smith. A lot of local 'smiths have the receiver wrench (about $70), a barrel vise, and a Locking shoulder measurement tool (another $50-$60). That's about all you need (aside from a possible Locking Shoulder---about $25). The refinished kits from DSA are about $175, and they look like brand new. Actual assembly is a snap, and having the tools makes the next few cheaper (and those your friends will want). Figure $450 for all parts and an Imbel Receiver. Only thing left is the tooling and time. The finish on the Imbel and G1 kits is a very close match.....it looks beautiful. The more expensive DSA receiver is a PERFECT match. Also, get the $5 mags from DSA. They work fine, and still have most of the finish on them. Gotta go now.....my SA58C is calling.....
Not sure about bbl length on accuracy, velocity or range. The STG-58 comes in one length, so it makes the decision easy. A carbine might be worth checking out: as-is my full-length FAL balances nose-heavy. I plan to remove the bipod and switch to plastic hand guards, that should help.
Mike
Mike
Jamie Young
New member
Stay Safe and stick with DSArms. Just be careful about ammo you put in them. I almost blew mine up (blew out a mag and drew a little blood). STAY AWAY FROM CHILEAN AMMO!!!!
I don't know if DSArms is still selling the STG58's but they were just under $1000 a few months ago. Mine shoots 1 MOA with Match Grade ammo and about 2 with Hirtenberger and South African ammo.
I don't know if DSArms is still selling the STG58's but they were just under $1000 a few months ago. Mine shoots 1 MOA with Match Grade ammo and about 2 with Hirtenberger and South African ammo.
