Free Floated FAL

[EricW]

I was just surfing DSA's site to see if they had new FAL mags. I noticed that they finally have a free-float barrel option for the FAL. Anybody shot one of these? Will that put the FAL on par with an AR for natural accuracy?

[kellyn]

FALs are not nearly as developed as ARs in terms of accuracy. That being said, my DSA .308 with the free float tube and Badger Barrel will shoot just under 1 MOA with match bullets (168 and 150 Sierra Matchkings). I've even won sniper matches with it. But it is not as accurate as any of my ARs with match barrels.

Since it's not a US service rifle, I doubt the FAL will ever be as highly developed as the AR for accuracy since it will never be used in highpower matches.

[kurtm]

Doesn't FAL stand for "fails American lab" trials? I think part of the reason is the big heavy piston beating back and forth with no way to solidly anchore the front of the barrel, a la M-14. A fully free floated M-14 was tried and it was found not to be as accurate as a M-14 with good ( 25-50 lbs ) of down tension on the barrel at the forend. unfortunatly this doesn't last on the old M-14 and requiers constant attention by a really good armorer,.....but for what we do with 3-gun I think a good free floated FAL ( that never needs attention ) or so-so bedded M1A is pleanty!! Anyone that can hold better than 1-2 M.O.A. after a little jog up a hill, and then accross several times, like Guy Hawkings made us do at the R.M.3-G deserves better!, but I haven't met him yet....except in gunwriter press!! KURTM