Saw an ad for an FAL, opinion?

[Mark/MO]

Ok, reading the FN-FAL posts have got me kind of wanting one. I stumbled on one on this website for $650: http://www.classicarms.us/
It looks too cheap to me and probably a rebuild of some sort but thought I'd see what the experts say. Any thoughts, opinions? Thanks.

[TOrrock]

That vendor is well known for selling craptastic military kit guns.

Looks to be built on a cheap Century Arms gunmonkey receiver, with who knows what parts. If they're using majority G1 parts, most of the barrels were shot out after the Germans surplussed them to the Turks.

The DSA is as cheap as I'd go.

http://www.aimsurplus.com/product.aspx?item=F1DSASTG58&groupid=11

[Mark/MO]

Thanks, I appreciate it. I know little to nothing about FALs but that just seemed to cheap. I'd like to have one someday but don't want to buy junk.

[Gutshot John]

This is the best deal going I've seen lately on a DSA Stg58.

thegunsource.com/item/167007_DSARMS_Rifles_Shotguns_DS_ARMS_STG58_308WIN_21_.aspx

[SteyrAUG]

Thanks, I appreciate it. I know little to nothing about FALs but that just seemed to cheap. I'd like to have one someday but don't want to buy junk.

Keep in mind when we say DSAs are cheap, we mean price and not quality. I personally think they perform as well as my preban FNs (which really does bother the gun snob in me).

Just be careful, there are a lot of kit guns out there on DSA receivers. Doesn't mean they are bad rifles, but anyone could have built them using a wide variety of compliance parts which range from excellent to crap. Competency of builds and finish range as much as well.

For the money, I don't think you can beat a factory DSA rifle, especially with the warranty. You can also do a build yourself and while it won't have a warranty you will have a strong understanding of the rifle.

Right now DSA has Imbel kits for $395.00

http://www.dsarms.com/Imbel-Kit-Good-to-Very-Good-Condition---IMBELKT/productinfo/IMBELKT/

These have original factory barrels in really good condition and new US made furniture. Get yourself a DSA Type II receiver (or better yet track down an original Imbel reciever) and pop over to the FAL Files for some quality "How to Build A FAL" tutorials.

[MistWolf]

That Fal on Classic Arms looks and is priced like an Angry Beaver (Century) built Fal. As such, it's a crap shoot. You might get one that runs fine or you might get one that's going to need a lot of personal loving. If you don't want to troubleshoot & tinker and run through the checklist of possible problems the folks on falfiles will gladly share with you, pass. The good news is that if you do buy a Fal of what ever type, you won't be alone. Falfilers will share their wealth of knowledge. Once you get a Fal running right, they remain relatively trouble free