Should I step into the FAL world ?

[Bubba FAL]

I have 4 (and a half - lacking an upper receiver). Love them, but as some have written, their time has kind of passed. Parts and accessories are much harder to come by and more expensive than they used to be. The days of $5 mags are long gone, too.

Having a bunch of .308 battle rifles was a lot more fun when high quality ammo could be had for <$150/case. If I didn't already have a bunch along with mags & other FAL stuff, I might look at something else.

[Pikey]

FWIW if I had a pristine STG-58 kit, an excellent receiver, and a pile of mags.....and the time and money....I might dip my toes back in just for that one.

It had a wood stock, imbel receiver and Steyr parts. It remains one of my biggest regrets. It wasn't perfect, and it wasn't super accurate (but accurate for what it was) and was a blast to shoot.

It was my first evil gun and I stupidly traded it.

If I ever get another FAL it would simply be to try and reclaim my old collection.

Never trade stuff you like and never panic buy. Two hard won lessons.

I would say rent or borrow a FAL. You kinda have to grow up in it. Otherwise you'll see the flaws over minuses. Also SA ammo and DAG ammo has kinda dried up so....

for a grand more you could get a SCAR which is still in the FN lineage.

I to had a Steyr parts kit (matching numbers) built on an Imbel and regrettably sold it. Big mistake.

[Firefly]

I to had a Steyr parts kit (matching numbers) built on an Imbel and regrettably sold it. Big mistake.

This is what it's like when Doves cry.

That rifle haunts my dreams.

[GNXII]

I agree what "Firefly" said that 15 yrs ago was the renaissance of the FAL. Quality surplus mags were cheap as was ammo.DSA had a few competitiors to keep them straight and narrow so to speak. Most are gone now along with the really good surplus parts kits. I rember buying a few thinking Id build them up exactly the way I wanted a FAL. The money gods then intervened and smiled and I fell into some cash, called DSA directly and had two FALs of my dreams within a month.They both are excellent but now there a plinking toy nothing else. Theyve been superseded by a few AR10s that shot well enough with zero grief right out of the box and continue to do so, totaly modular, easy to repair and IMHO easy to feed.

[GregK27]

^ Couldn't I get an Imbel receiver and kit for around $1,000 and have Arizona Response assemble and refinish it for less than $2k?


Been jonesin' for an all metal battle rifle lately.

Whatacountry has barreled imbel kits for 550. PARS international puts imbel gear receivers up on gunbroker, not sure what they sell for but I'd guess 500-600.

[TED]

For whatever it's worth, if I were choosing a semi .308 for accuracy, I'd go with an AR platform. If i was choosing a semi .308 for a balance of durability, reliability, AND also ABUNDANT AWESOME, it would be a DS Arms FAL. One of the things that is cool about FAL's is that the feed lips are part of the receiver. BTW, back in the day when time was young and so was I, the FAL was the more controllable shoulder fired 308 full auto that I have ever experienced (between HK, M14, and the FAL).

TED

[Kyohte]

ARS has Imbel kits for around $500. Buy one and send him a receiver. That should be around $1600 total if he builds it.

[QuickStrike]

ARS has Imbel kits for around $500. Buy one and send him a receiver. That should be around $1600 total if he builds it.

Yeah, that's what I've been thinking. Might have to sell something first though.


I've just been turned off of anything polymer lately and want something mostly metal where it counts.

[SteyrAUG]

for a grand more you could get a SCAR which is still in the FN lineage.

Wouldn't it be cool if FN decided to do a "retro series" of rifles like Colt is going to do. Of course that's asking a lot, I don't think FN even has the tooling to make FALs anymore.

[Kyohte]

Wouldn't it be cool if FN decided to do a "retro series" of rifles like Colt is going to do. Of course that's asking a lot, I don't think FN even has the tooling to make FALs anymore.

An FN factory rep told me to possibly expect a collector's edition FAL, similar to their M16 and SAW. This was almost a year ago, so take that for what it's worth. My guess is it's a pipe dream. He said when it comes, it won't be cheap.