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Posted: 1/23/2021 5:07:31 PM EDT
There is a local auction coming up. I have a chance to buy a late production FN FAL made in Belgium marked Match .308 that is in beautiful shape. I’m not sure what it will go for when all is said and done. A close friend has an HK91 in excellent condition that he offered up for 3k. He bought it unfired and I’ve been with him the three times it was fired. Given those choices, if they were the same price, which would you chose and why?
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[#1]
Both are nice weapons. The $3000 price tag is choking me though.
Mags for the HK are pretty cheap still. Is the FAL metric or inch pattern? The cost of those mags differ greatly. I know springfield put their rollmark on the Imbel receiver SAR 48 and 4800 that they marketed as match. Never seen a Belgian marked as such. |
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[#2]
FAL all day long. It’s sleek and sexy. HK91 feels like a brick. Ive had both and they work just fine but for me, the FAL hands down. Not even close.
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[#4]
HK91 to shoot a few times and then just pull out to impress your friends and give you warm fuzzies while you spend hours puzzling over disassembling - or if you got it apart - re-assembling!
FAL to shoot a shitload and then fix all the broken stuff, be amazed at the multitude of different parts that you can buy and assemble into a mostly functional gun! Inch? Metric? Why not both on some guns! ETA: |
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[#5]
Get both, of course!
If that is still not an option after selling children into slavery, the FAL and don't even look back. |
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[#6]
Quoted: HK91 to shoot a few times and then just pull out to impress your friends and give you warm fuzzies while you spend hours puzzling over disassembling - or if you got it apart - re-assembling! FAL to shoot a shitload and then fix all the broken stuff, be amazed at the multitude of different parts that you can buy and assemble into a mostly functional gun! Inch? Metric? Why not both on some guns! View Quote 91's are easy to disassemble and reassemble |
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[#7]
Quoted: 91's are easy to disassemble and reassemble View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: HK91 to shoot a few times and then just pull out to impress your friends and give you warm fuzzies while you spend hours puzzling over disassembling - or if you got it apart - re-assembling! FAL to shoot a shitload and then fix all the broken stuff, be amazed at the multitude of different parts that you can buy and assemble into a mostly functional gun! Inch? Metric? Why not both on some guns! 91's are easy to disassemble and reassemble They're easy to field strip, they are not easy to disassemble or reassemble, IMO. |
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[#9]
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[#10]
I have a PTR-91 with a collapsing stock and think it's great. I love the iron sights, the controls don't bother me, and mags are cheap. I find the recoil to be really tame.
I've only shot an FAL once, so I personally can't comment on it. ETA: Honestly though, with PTRs being a grand and really good, I don't think I'd spend $3k on a HK91. A real Belgian FAL might be a different story when compared to what you can buy new now. ETA2: Depending on if you the HK91 has a wide handguard though and you want that, since wide HGs are ridiculously priced now and PTR's only come with the thin ones. |
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[#12]
Love the 91, no experience with the FAL.
I am aware of the ergonomic issues. Some countries still use the 91, if only as a DMR setup. I'd rather get a PTR for around 1k than spend 3k on a real HK, but I doubt any are available for a reasonable price right now. As said above, buy both! |
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[#13]
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[#14]
The only real option is you must have both...I do. Had two of each at one point, but now back to one each and never plan on parting with either...
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[#15]
If you don’t already have a pile of mags factor that into the price.
H&K mags are still available for cheap. Beat to shit surplus FAL mags start at $20 and go up from there. They can be hard to find at times. |
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[#16]
The HK91 I had in the 80s left flute marks on the brass so the brass was not reloadable. It was not as reliable as I expected it to be but once you dial in the ammo with the gas system you should be ok but why you would buy that over a LaRue OBR is beyond me.
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[#17]
Where is our Afrikaaners?
They could tell us which was best @boersun |
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[#19]
I have a ptr91 and a century fal that previous owner worked the bugs out of. 91 triggers are terrible. Fal by a mile in my opinion.
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[#20]
FAL all day.
Owned multiple versions of both. Just sold my last one this week. |
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[#21]
Quoted: The HK91 I had in the 80s left flute marks on the brass so the brass was not reloadable. It was not as reliable as I expected it to be but once you dial in the ammo with the gas system you should be ok but why you would buy that over a LaRue OBR is beyond me. View Quote |
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[#23]
Quoted: There is a local auction coming up. I have a chance to buy a late production FN FAL made in Belgium marked Match .308 that is in beautiful shape. I’m not sure what it will go for when all is said and done. A close friend has an HK91 in excellent condition that he offered up for 3k. He bought it unfired and I’ve been with him the three times it was fired. Given those choices, if they were the same price, which would you chose and why? View Quote I like the G3/91, but the FAL was a hell of a lot better rifle. Much easier to clean, did not chew up brass, and with L1A1 furniture fit in better with the rest of my collection of garbage. |
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[#24]
Quoted: The HK91 I had in the 80s left flute marks on the brass so the brass was not reloadable. It was not as reliable as I expected it to be but once you dial in the ammo with the gas system you should be ok but why you would buy that over a LaRue OBR is beyond me. View Quote Literally nothing in this post is correct. |
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[#26]
Everyone always talks about how FAL clones are better than HK91 clones, but nobody ever talks about the fact that the former is significantly more expensive than the latter.
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[#27]
FAL. I will never be without one. Built one up on a Chilean Imbel kit off of the FAL Files when the huge group buy happened for $99 for each kit. Cut the barrel back to 18". Feels much better that way.
Still have one Chilean kit left that is unbuilt. Going to get around to building it soon. Had a Para long ago. Sold it during the ban for a ridiculous amount. I cut the barrel back to 16" and put an L1A1 flash hider on it. Looked good and cut down the flash really well. I do miss that rifle. Bought shit loads of mag at Knob Creek at 2 different shoots. DSArms and AIM had huge crates where you could select your own for $2 each. I ended up with 60 or 70 of them. |
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[#29]
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[#30]
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[#32]
I was issued a G3 on multiple occasions, and I would pick the FAL/SLR over it every single time.
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[#33]
Have little experience with the HK, but the FAL is incredibly simple and robust. It's a marvel of design. I wish I still had one, but that ship sailed.
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[#35]
I've had variants of both (damn that boating accident) and I always enjoyed the FAL much more.
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[#36]
FAL.
Over all better ergonomics and better/less recoil. That said, I don't think you'll get a real Belgian FAL for 3k unless it is a well used shooter. |
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[#37]
Get the FAL, at least PTR 91s and clones are still easier to source. FAL receivers are more or less gone, granted parts kits aren't dumb yet.
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[#39]
I currently have a old DS Arms fal
It’s a damn good rifle Unfortunately I sold my Americanized Greek made SAR 8 (922r BS) in a moment of weakness It too was a good weapon If I ever buy another battle rifle It will be a HK or the Greek SAR 8 |
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[#40]
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[#41]
Try to buy the first one and if that doesn’t work, buy the second one. Pretty soon, you may not have a chance to get either.
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[#42]
FAL (or better yet a FrankenFAL with metic and commonwealth parts).
I've owned both HKs and FALs and the FAL is the one that is still in the gun cabinet. The Germans wanted the FAL but could not secure a license from Belgium so they went with the Spanish CETME which became the HK G3. |
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[#43]
I had a PTR-91 GIR and have an ARS built Imbel FAL.. I sold the PTR and would grab the FAL over almost anything I have.
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[#44]
Quoted: The FAL was adopted by over 60 countries. The HK91???? View Quote About the same for both. Many countries like Germany, Turkey and Mexico issued both at some point. The main draw for the G3 was that it was easier to make and HK preferred to license the design rather than build. Turkey and Mexico initially bought the FAL but went with the HK after they purchased tooling from HK. For many countries building in house is a priority for many reasons. The FAL was different, with only a handful of countries building them in house. |
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[#45]
While not as ergonomic, I'll take the HK. I'm more familiar with it.
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[#49]
Quoted: There is a local auction coming up. I have a chance to buy a late production FN FAL made in Belgium marked Match .308 that is in beautiful shape. I’m not sure what it will go for when all is said and done. A close friend has an HK91 in excellent condition that he offered up for 3k. He bought it unfired and I’ve been with him the three times it was fired. Given those choices, if they were the same price, which would you chose and why? View Quote Which one do you already own magazines for? |
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