FN FAL - an amatuer overview/reference

[Anthony]

Perhaps Ike could clear this up?

Ike loves FALs.
He has stated this often and has even written how he sold his AR and bought a FAL and has been happy ever since.

Regards,
Anthony.

[Cafe_Racer]

Yup,
There must be a kernel of truth to the myth though, maybe Ike knows what it is.

[MAK2263]

I've had absolutely zero problems out of my FAL.It's an L1A1 built on an Imbel reciever with a sandcut bolt.It is totally reliable.

[uzitiger]

Gunplumber has done the research on this, I believe.

My understanding though, is that the Israelis had problems with their heavy barreled LAR types, not the FAL types. Remove the automatic BHO, add some sand cuts to the bolt carrier and the rifle will (and has) function in any theatre.

Perhaps Ike could clear this up?

Actually I heard that the heavy barrel FALs were better than the regular rifles. From what my friend told me most of the rifles were old so a new AK taken from a dead Arab soldier was a better choice. The Israeli FAL did not have the sand channels which only the Australian and British rifles did. Another problem was that the soldiers used the magazine lips to open bottles (in those days most drinks came in glass bottles) which also messed them up.

[Youngman]

I am curious are the magazines interchangable with H&K 91's???

[MAK2263]

I am curious are the magazines interchangable with H&K 91's???

No.They are totally different and the FAL mags come Inch or Metric which are not interchangeable,either.

[John W in SC]

<snip> I spoke to a friend who fought in both 1967 and 1973 and he told me how the mainspring in the buttstock would be hard to drain once the rifle was in water and would rust. It was hard to clean the spring in desert conditions the sand would foul it up. <snip>

Could this be solved by switching to the para style recoil system?

John W in SC

[cmcampbell]

Para bolt carrier and cover will solve this problem on a fixed stock gun. It also means if the stock is shot, broken the gun will still run. Para assembly is easy to clean/inspect.

If receiver does not have the machined donut shaped grove where the front of the cover fits the receiver you have 3 options from easy to hard. Paras have this cut.

1 fit DSA para scope mount as cover.
2 file the turned in part off the cover/ buy 1 from DSA that is already
altered.
3 machine the grove in the rear of the receiver face, requires machinist
skills, lathe etc. Probably could do it in a mill with a rotary table but I have
not done it that way.

[AmericanWarrior]

I just love my FAL...just something about a battle rifle! You really get an idea what Jeff cooper was talking about when you hold a true weapon and have the skill to use it...but I do have a deep emotional attachment to my garand though. I'll post up a photo of my fal when I get off staff duty and get a little sleep