Teach me about the FAL

[TOrrock]

So I'm guessing those buttstocks aren't easy to find?

Exceedingly, especially in new condition.

You might want to try Matt at www.ironwooddesigns.com though, he Should be able to help you out with a new US made stock.



http://ironwooddesigns.com/IWDsite/IWDFNFAL.html

[tat2]

http://www.dsarms.com/SA58_FAL-Rifles/departments/8/

http://www.dsarms.com/STG58-Austrian-FAL/products/9/


I'm pretty sure we covered this in one of the first pages here, but here it goes.

The SA-58 and StG-58A both use brand new US receivers, which are identicle in markings. The StG-58A are built using parts kits from surplus StG-58 FAL's from Austria, which were either contract from FN or licensed production from Steyr. That means used bolts, bolt carriers, lower receivers, handguards, bipods, sights, gas systems, etc.

Most of those surplus rifles that got turned into parts kits were in excellent to like new condition.

They ran out of kits with good barrels, which is why they have now started using newly made US barrels as well.

The SA-58 uses a minimum of foreign parts and none of them were used. The foreign parts on the SA-58 are the bolt, bolt carrier, gas block and system, sights, fixed synthetic stock. The lower receiver is new, the barrels are Badger premium barrels. All of that costs significantly more than using foreign parts bought for pennies on the dollar.

My StG-58 was one of the last ones that came with a Steyr hammer forged barrel, but the new US barrels should be fine. DSA is a class outfit.

Templar, Excellent explaination. Sorry I missed it earlier.

[TerribLe_T]

Can someone tell me if the bolt release can be manipulated by a lefty with the index finger without breaking the grip? I know I have to rotate to operate charging handle but other than that the FAL seams pretty Ambi (especially after adding ambi selector)

I currently have an ak which seems to be the best choice for a lefty ootb.

Thanks

[TOrrock]

Can someone tell me if the bolt release can be manipulated by a lefty with the index finger without breaking the grip? I know I have to rotate to operate charging handle but other than that the FAL seams pretty Ambi (especially after adding ambi selector)

I currently have an ak which seems to be the best choice for a lefty ootb.

Thanks

I'll have to check to see if I can do it, but my knee jerk reaction is to say those would be some mighty long fingers.....

[DMR]

I will try to post some picks tonight. Before I added the L1A1 mag catch it could be done, but was a stretch. I'm working on technic right now on the best way to do it with L1A1 mag catch and the wide foot release I have on.

[KalashniKEV]

Can someone tell me if the bolt release can be manipulated by a lefty with the index finger without breaking the grip? I know I have to rotate to operate charging handle but other than that the FAL seams pretty Ambi (especially after adding ambi selector)

I currently have an ak which seems to be the best choice for a lefty ootb.

Thanks

I'm a lefty and I whip an FAL quite effectively (IMO).

The mag release can be easily hit by extending the index finger of the firing hand, but the BHO is too far away and much too stiff. It takes an extra step to move your support hand from the mag to the handguards and then I completely remove my firing hand by rolling it forward and hit the BHO down w/ my thumb...

OT: Wish I could find an ambi safety at all... and at $80? Nope.

[Buck]

Can someone tell me if the bolt release can be manipulated by a lefty with the index finger without breaking the grip? I know I have to rotate to operate charging handle but other than that the FAL seams pretty Ambi (especially after adding ambi selector)

I currently have an ak which seems to be the best choice for a lefty ootb.

Thanks

The Inch pattern magazine release is designed to let you reach it with either hand... The metrics are really for righties... A Holland pattern release will help a metric alot, but for a lefty the inch pattern is really the way to go...

Attachment 4806Attachment 4807

Here is a Israeli metric VS the Britsh inch pattern...



B

[TerribLe_T]

Thanks for the info guys.

[Cincinnatus]

One thing I figured out about the FAL (I used to run one fairly often) is that the standard stock comb-height in relation to the height of the rear sight requires one to really hunch down on the rifle to see throught the sights compared to the AR, which enables a much more natural (to me) cheek weld. Thos Belgians must have really high cheek bones! Anyway, the soultion I found was to get a SAW stock, or a low-comb stock to enable a more natural cheek-weld.
Another thing I found that helped was to put a shrouded rear-sight aperture on it. The standard metric rear sight can "grey-out" with glare, at least compared to A2 sights, since there is no shade and the aperture is not recessed like the 200m + aperture on your standard A2 M16.

[Cincinnatus]

I cannot get a co-witness with a T1, on my DSA. The sights on a FAL sit too close to the receiver to have a co-witness through any red dot.

Best beat is a red dot on a QD mount for quick removal.

Cameron

What I tried as a solution to this (with the FAL I used to run) that worked for me was to get a see-through scope mount. I got a see through mount that replaced entire dustcover just like DSA scope mount only it has a tunnel so you can still see your irons. Mount was made by Tapco back when they made FAL stuff and before they started cutting corners and turning out crap. I could mount an RDS on the mount and still have full use of my irons. However, the height of the mounting platform makes it less than ideal for anything other than an RDS since it is high enough above the boreline that it can affect accuracy when firing long range with a magnified optic.