Anyone here have one?

Thoughts?

TIA

----------So why get one in 5.56mm instead of 7.62x39 you (forgot to) ask?----------

Actually - I have ab SA-M7S.  I am thinking about adding an SA-M5S as well.

Glad to see you have it shooting well.  My "laser-sighted at the factory" SA-M7 shot well high and right when I first got it, but it's fine now...

Got the SA-M5 from the Facilitator today.

The first thing I noticed was that the trigger action was much nicer than my two month old SA-M7.

Wonder why?

Well - I ran 100 rounds or so thru the SA-M5 today up in Opal - where you get to pay $15.00 for a box of 50 9mm rounds and $20.00 for 50 .223's for the priviledge of using their range.  It was a nice day though.

SA-M5 - great action, wonderful trigger, no recoil whatsoever - I mean none, zero, nada, zilch - none.  My Ruger 10/22 has more kick.  Smooth as silk and built rock solid.  NO FTF's or FTE's.  

I tried like hell to zero it - no such luck,  As was the case witht he SA-M7, the supposed laser sighting was not apparent.  Unlike the SA-M7 which shot high right - the SA-M5 shot well low and left at all distances.  I could not get it to group or even come close to grouping.

On the other hand, my SA58 FAL is now dialed in at 100 yards.  I'm really pleased with it - and it's good and loud too!  Hopefully DSA will release a 5.56 SA series sooner than later.  I'd like one...

Don't worry, we'll sight her in on Sunday.....

I'm tellin' ya, Tim - this FAL really is something special.

You sure were right about the SA-M5 recoil, or lack thereof.  I'm sure it just needs some rounds put through it.  The AR's sure are a LOT easier to adjust though, aren't they?

I haven't gotten a response from KVAR on this, but figured you guys would know...(certainly the Facilitator will).

On the KVAR site, which of the wood furniture sets will fit the SA-M7 and SA-M5?  Is there somewhere else I can buy wood furniture for these as well?

Thanks...

Here you go Greg.  The stock K-Var sells is a some kind of European blond wood, maybe beech, but I'm not 100% sure on that.

I have a set that you can try on one of your rifles that I took off of my Classic.

Bear in mind the stock set will be 1 1/4" shorter than the synthetic set you have on there now.

Another thing to remember is that you have to keep the pistol grip US made.  The SA M series have two extra US made parts, so you can replace the buttstock and forend with a foreign stock set, but the pistol grip need to be US.

Here's the K-Var set to fit: www.k-var.com/product.asp?0=270&1=271&3=75

www.ironwooddesigns.com has quality US made wood stock sets.

And one thing about the ease of adjustment (or lack there of).........the Russians and most European countries do NOT want the average Ivan messing with his sights after the range officer or armorer sets the sights.  With boredom during downtime those sights could be adjusted way off zero by some poor conscript just messing around with his rifle.

At the same time, the chances of the sights getting messed up if you drop that rifle are really low.

Hope that helps!

**********Hope that helps!**********

As always.

Thanks...

Any "extra parts" that you can put on these things to add to the US part count - like a recoil buffer or something?

I'm getting better with questions - but still suck with answers...

Little parts like recoil buffers and even muzzle brakes DO NOT COUNT as US parts.  

Remember the post about how K-Var will now be selling US gas pistons?  That's about the only other US part you could put on the rifle, besides buying a bunch of US stamped magazine floor plates, which for whatever reason DO COUNT.

See you at the range today!

Greg and Tim,

You guys are killing me!  I am scared to go to the shop.  Why do I need a 5.56 AK?

BTW my SAM-7 shoots nice, no real sighting problems.

Brad - I asked the same question before I shot it.  It's a real powderpuff.  You stay right on target - kinda like shooting a .22LR.  Very nice.  You get to use cheap, dirty, steel cased ammo just like your SA-M7S too.  Now that I have 13 of the 30 round Bulgarian waffle magazines - I think I'll keep it.  When the time comes to sell/trade - the SA-M7S will go first.  

Scared?  Hell - I jumped on a new 16" barrel Springfield Armory SOCOM M1A at Degoff's tonight.  Don't know when I'll get it, but everything else I've been facilitated into pales in comparison price wise.  (Actually, I didn't need to be facilitated into this one).  Here's a link:

www.falfiles.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=93379

So, you gonna come out to the festivities an Sunday?

*Edited to make your link hot*

Thanks for fixin' the link Tim...

This "laser-sighted" thing I think is a misconception that Arsenal would do well to correct by more accurately describing it:

Arsenal Inc. laser-aligns the sights with the front sight base... hence no canted FSB.

All rifles need sighted in, but the Arsenal AKs rarely have canted sights.

That is a more accurate description.  My SA-M7S needed quite a bit of windage adjustment in order to strike POA...