FAL accuracy experiences

[.22 lefty]

Re: FAL accuracy experiences

I would suspect the breachblock/ breachblock carrier design seats too loosely at the chamber. it doesn't lock in like A M16. Like the AK Loose parts = loose groups

 

[Captain Moroni]

Re: FAL accuracy experiences

My thoughts and experience with FAL's is they are a jack of all trades and a master of none. My old boss had a real FN full auto that I shot quite a bit and for a battle rifle it was tough to control in full auto and dismal at best for semi auto accuracy with irons at 100 yards. For a light machine gun it can really lay down the hate but being mag fed is a serious handicap for a machine gun.

 

[canman]

Re: FAL accuracy experiences

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Hbus1300</div><div class="ubbcode-body">What is it about the design that makes a FAL less accurate? </div></div>
If it's consistant 2MOA or around that it's performing up to standard. The reason most people have vastly inaccurate rifles is they were kit guns incorrectly assembled,have a worn barrel or could be as simple as a misadjusted gas system. I've shot alot of FN it's what I learned to shoot with, unless it's worked over by a competent smith it's not a target rifle. As far as 2MOA not good enough for a battle rifle? 2MOA will get you a good hit at 500 yards.

 

[sandwarrior]

Re: FAL accuracy experiences

I bought a CAI CETME thinking it would be cool. Mine unfortunately only could achieve 4 MOA at best. and not very reliable.

So, I decided the next best thing in this category was an FAL. I got an L1A1 back when they were cheap (under $500). I thought the gas piston arrangement would be better than the delayed roller-block. Not exactly. I could get 3 moa with it. I used Prvi Partisan ammo that I could get 1 moa out of with my bolt gun. I've shot old and new Garands and M1A (M14) in 30-06 and .308, and IMO they shoot better.

I sold the FAL because it brought more than I paid for it. I can't get anybody to take the CETME off my hands. The reliability issues with it make it not so sellable. As a battle rifle, I've come to decide I will take my 5.56 over it. The weight of the bullets is the final decider for me. I didn't come to this conclusion though until I started shooting 75/77 gr. bullets from my AR. I still hate cleaning it, but with the extra punch the heavier bullets provide, I think it's a better choice.

If this is your "SHTF" rifle, I would say they are reliable. But not really great for accuracy. You could survive a battle or just survive with one. But there are easier rifles to do this with. My personal choice after much experimenting would be an upgraded caliber in a piston AR. That is if the rounds were more mainstream. Until then a 5.56 would still be the best choice.

 

[Dsparil]

Re: FAL accuracy experiences

my understanding was the old ds arms greywolf was actually capable of extremely good accuracy. I'd try and get one of those if you still want an FAL and then find someone who can do a good trigger job on one. There's some obscure aftermarket triggers out for various older rifles, like JARD, available. Definitely wont be geissele quality, but it'll be better than factory stock.

 

[shootist~]

Re: FAL accuracy experiences

An as new or NIB lower receiver so there is no slop at the rear of the upper/lower, plus a shortened hinge pin, so there is no slop at the front will improve the FAL's accuracy significantly. 1.5 MOA (on occasion) and 2 MOA fairly often is possible with some builds; with a bit of luck. I have a couple that generally shoot in that category with '91 Aussie F4 Ball.

One is an Imbel on Imbel build where I got lucky with a tight fitting Imbel lower from another kit. The other is from a pristine & high SN StG kit except the barrel is Argentine. (The original StG barrel would walk after it got hot.)

2.5 to 3 MOA is probably more the norm, however (assuming good parts). I have a couple in this category as well. Another high numbered StG kit and a low numbered rearsenaled StG kit with a NIB G1 lower and a well used G1 barrel.

Screw a bunch of worn out parts together and you get a 5 MOA gun.

 

[CapDog]

Re: FAL accuracy experiences

As a kid I remember the 1000 yard matchs that were shot with FN`s. The shooting teams that would go to the international matches had hand picked rifles that could actually shoot very well.

By the time I did my time our military had switched to the Diamaco/Colts in 5.56x45, but pretty much all the old timers agreed that they preferred the FN and I never heard a poor word spoken about them. Accuracy was minute of man out to 600 for sure as I had to test fire quite a few of them before packing them away.

 

[57Strat]

Re: FAL accuracy experiences

This is my FAL 50.63 at 100 yards using South African surplus ammo, which is not accurate ammo. That group is close to 2.75". With some match ammo I bet this gun would shoot 1.75 MOA.

 

[Shatuponthee]

Re: FAL accuracy experiences

I have owned both the M1A adn Fals, I still own both my fals. They are robust rifles. As for the trigger out of the box the M1A hands down is better. The fal has better balance and I am a big fan of the adjustable gas system.

You can easily improve the trigger on the fal one of two ways. Send it to DSA and for 150 they will do their speed trigger treatment.

I personally handled this myself with 600 grit sand paper, flitz, and a TPR Trigger Pull Reduction spring kit for $16 from falcon arms. It took about and hour to disassemble polish everything and reassemble.

Had to stroke it about 30 times for everything to settle with new springs. Droped the pull to about 4lbs or so, took a noticable hitch out of the trgger. I expect with about another 100 or so hammer drops should be fully broke in.

The fal is the goat of all battle rifles it eats everything that I have fed it. I am still doing milsurp ammo trials since the hammer spring was replaced in the spring kit.

 

[GRIM]

Re: FAL accuracy experiences

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: fngmike</div><div class="ubbcode-body">FYI,the only smith I've ever heard about working magic to make an accurate FAL is Ed Vanden Berg. </div></div>

A big +1 for Ed's work. Mine shot lights out.

 

[RollingThunder51]

Re: FAL accuracy experiences

Been a while since anybody asked about an FAL accuracy. Well, I spent years getting it as good as I thought it could get. There are aspects about the rifle that are simply remarkable, robustness, ability to run and run and great dependability. I used to say that if I ever had to live on an island, that would be the right rifle to take. I've just come to realize it would need to be more of an atoll..about 1/2 mile long and curving back on itself, with large slow animals that stand still every now and then.....and are deaf....with bad eyesight.

Best I could get was way over 1 MOA (thats what you say when your getting 2ish MOA and think about all the money you spent.)

 

[motoguy]

Re: FAL accuracy experiences

I've got a DSA SA58, and a DSA STG58. I love those guns. They're exactly what I wanted them to be: reliable, durable, eat-anything, accurate-enough battle rifles. I view them as the AK of the free world. I do not, however, view them as a particularly accurate rifles. I think the "minute of man" description is probably accurate, and that accuracy is good enough for my expectations from them.

That being said, I recently picked up an LMT MWS, and I'm working on a MA-TEN build right now. I think the AR platform is much better suited to a precision rifle than the FAL platform.

 

[Unknown]

Re: FAL accuracy experiences

A very close friend of mine who is a gunsmith and builds FAL's used to shoot on the South African military high power team. They used FAL's in his event.

Even though he knows how to trick them out, and he really likes the system, he feels that an FAL that will consistently shoot 1-1.5 MOA is a VERY good FAL. He gets occasional groups under 1 moa, but the rifle won't do it every time. He says he has yet to see an FAL that will shoot .75 MOA every time without fail, regardless of ammo, scope, shooter, and rifle setup.

 

[Dickiejim]

Re: FAL accuracy experiences

OK, I built an Embel kit on a DSA lower. Headspace is "snug"( plus .001" on the go-gauge), crowned the 20" barrel with 11 degree cutter, DSA scope mount with the PROPER length screws, cheap 2x6-30mm scope. Worked the trigger and added set screw for overtravel. Shoots 147gr DAG into minus 1" at 130 yrds all day long. My buddy and I did his FAL, same stuff, he owns over 100 long guns of high quality and says this weapon would be the last one he sells if he has to. Forget boattails, go with 150gr spitzers. I also shoot 1000 with a 30.06/M40 that will eat .308s like a dog on a ribeye. 175 SMKs @ 2955fps.

 

[997/2man]

Re: FAL accuracy experiences

I've had two, one was a Steyr Daimler Puch import, the other was Gun South. Liked it better than the M-1a, with iron sights. To me, the FAL's failing was it was never optics friendly. I know some people said they had a system or design, wasn't going to happen. The biggest thing I have seen in the last 20 years on combat rifles is the widespread use of some sort of optics, away from iron sights. In fact, if you aren't using an optical sighting system, you aren't in the game. An FN made FAL is a great rifle, my pick if no optics. Otherwise, the AR platform wins because of the ease in which optics can be attached. It has been refined over 40 years, it's gtg. FN lost me with the FNC, an 11 pound .223. Nothing they make today does shit for me.

 

[DeadMeat]

Re: FAL accuracy experiences

I've had two, one was a Steyr Daimler Puch import, the other was Gun South. Liked it better than the M-1a, with iron sights. To me, the FAL's failing was it was never optics friendly. I know some people said they had a system or design, wasn't going to happen. The biggest thing I have seen in the last 20 years on combat rifles is the widespread use of some sort of optics, away from iron sights. In fact, if you aren't using an optical sighting system, you aren't in the game. An FN made FAL is a great rifle, my pick if no optics. Otherwise, the AR platform wins because of the ease in which optics can be attached. It has been refined over 40 years, it's gtg. FN lost me with the FNC, an 11 pound .223. Nothing they make today does shit for me.

I own and routinely use a pre-Ban FN FNC. Build quality is excellent and it's still functioning perfectly after many thousands of rounds, both, down range, combat courses and (even) game hunting. With a stormwerkz rail, Aimpoint Pro, single-point sling and a loaded (grandfathered) steel 30rd magazine it tips the scales at just under12lb. With a Vortex Strike Eagle 1-6×24 and a low-cap magazine the weight remains just about the same. That's just a bit more than my SHTF-kitted carbine AR platforms and far less than my target-kitted AR platforms. The rifle is rock solid, exhibits acceptable accuracy and is reliable beyond anything any DI AR has ever exhibited in my experience. It remains my favorite small-bore military rifle, in spite of the base weight. I'm sorry you couldn't handle "an 11lb .223", because you would have been rewarded with a simply fantastic FN rifle which, after nearly 40 years, is still being used with several militaries and has become the standard rifle of the Ukrainian International Brigade.

Garand Thumb has made a video about his FN FNC

 

[Huskydriver]

I own and routinely use a pre-Ban FN FNC. Build quality is excellent and it's still functioning perfectly after many thousands of rounds, both, down range, combat courses and (even) game hunting. With a stormwerkz rail, Aimpoint Pro, single-point sling and a loaded (grandfathered) steel 30rd magazine it tips the scales at just under12lb. With a Vortex Strike Eagle 1-6×24 and a low-cap magazine the weight remains just about the same. That's just a bit more than my SHTF-kitted carbine AR platforms and far less than my target-kitted AR platforms. The rifle is rock solid, exhibits acceptable accuracy and is reliable beyond anything any DI AR has ever exhibited in my experience. It remains my favorite small-bore military rifle, in spite of the base weight. I'm sorry you couldn't handle "an 11lb .223", because you would have been rewarded with a simply fantastic FN rifle which, after nearly 40 years, is still being used with several militaries and has become the standard rifle of the Ukrainian International Brigade.

Garand Thumb has made a video about his FN FNC

Nice 12 yr necro first post...

 

[hlee]

Nice 12 yr necro first post...

Must be commifornia, referencing pre-ban rifles and grandfathered standard capacity magazines like they mean anything. The federal assault weapons ban ended, like, 2 decades ago…

 

[msgriff]

I own and routinely use a pre-Ban FN FNC. Build quality is excellent and it's still functioning perfectly after many thousands of rounds, both, down range, combat courses and (even) game hunting. With a stormwerkz rail, Aimpoint Pro, single-point sling and a loaded (grandfathered) steel 30rd magazine it tips the scales at just under12lb. With a Vortex Strike Eagle 1-6×24 and a low-cap magazine the weight remains just about the same. That's just a bit more than my SHTF-kitted carbine AR platforms and far less than my target-kitted AR platforms. The rifle is rock solid, exhibits acceptable accuracy and is reliable beyond anything any DI AR has ever exhibited in my experience. It remains my favorite small-bore military rifle, in spite of the base weight. I'm sorry you couldn't handle "an 11lb .223", because you would have been rewarded with a simply fantastic FN rifle which, after nearly 40 years, is still being used with several militaries and has become the standard rifle of the Ukrainian International Brigade.

Garand Thumb has made a video about his FN FNC

The dude whom you quoted hasn't logged into the site in almost 9 years. You might need to type louder to get his attention.

 

[TonyTheTiger]

Must be commifornia, referencing pre-ban rifles and grandfathered standard capacity magazines like they mean anything. The federal assault weapons ban ended, like, 2 decades ago…

Referencing Ukraine is always a nice touch. Hits right in the feels for the people still flying the blue and yellow in the front yard.