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Posted: 7/28/2004 3:33:14 PM EDT
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I am new to the 308 scene also, I have a M1A1 308 that I found for a steal and love the cartridge. And the FAL type guns have a great fan base and historic reliability. One question I have is what is the difference between "inch" and "metric" parts and accessories. What manufacturers make guns in “inch” and what ones make theirs in “metric.” The final question I have is probably going to draw lots of different opinions, but what is the best FAL type gun buy, new/used/whatever and any manufacturer? Kevin Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology Gun Club |
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Whoa, a ton of questions you have asked, time to become a member of falfiles and use that search button. Ok, here we go, the special battle rifle the we love comes in two versions(3 if you add the Indian), the metric and the inch. The metric version is considered the early version and the inch was adopted later by the Brits and the Canads, (among others) and is an equal and beloved version. The inch version is quickly seprated by the different lower and mags and also a different gas block. The best FAL builds are mine, the ones I build  , but you may do as I do, build your own, or have one built, or buy a production model. You'll soon recognise why the FAL is an excellent implement.~p |
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Building your own can be lots of fun with a few headaches here and there. he If you're going to buy already built, DSA is the way to go. They also make receivers for home builds. |
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IMO if you're not going to build yourself get on over to the Falfiles like P said and search search search until you know just what features you want on your rifle. want a bipod? what barrel length? wood furniture or synthetic (or a mix)? what color? what receiver type? I II III? folding or fixed charging handle? what kind of selector / BHO / mag release / lock lever rear sight etc etc etc. then try to find one on the marketplace that meets your new criteria & is near you that you can try out. you shouldn't have to wait long and many many home built rifles are selling on there for less than what the parts would cost if you went out & bought a kit & receiver & compliance stuff not to mention the tools / assembly & refinish. EUREKA! |
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Here is my FAL project with some info on Import Parts counts and tools. quarterbore.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=29 I really like my ARs and other toys but to round out my collection I needed to build and try a FAL. There are many people that claim the FAL is one of the very best battle rifles of the world and if I may only have one I need to build it myself as I have learned the only way to really understand a gun is to build it yourself... I have all the parts on order or in my possesion and I am waiting on the death of the crime bill... 7 more weeks... to build her! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ As an aside, I am anxious to see if DSA will make and sell a Par FAL after the ban! I assume such a weapon would be inch, correct? Here are two good websites with an overview of the FAL: www.savvysurvivor.com/fal.htm www.derbyfals.com/history.htm |
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DSA claims to be making all the para parts. in fact they had most all of them cataloged but i think now there is limited availability of certain pieces. they're metric pattern. i don't know if there ever was an inch para in production, was there? and besides the metric lower would go on an inch upper & vice versa. don't see why they'd go about making any type of inch lower before they would make an inch receiver!!! sorry, that was for DSA to hear... |
| I like the inch guns better then the metric. After you go to the FALFILES and search and ask questions then go to a gun show and pick up handle and look at different types of FALs and see what you like the best, ask the owners alot of questions. If you build your own then you can combine the features you like best from the metric and inch. |
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The inch guns you will find out there that can actually be afforded are absolute crap. The vast majority of them being built by Century with painfully out of spec receivers. The inch pattern rifle was simply a conversion made by the United States to produce the T48 when the US had almost decided to adopt the FAL as the standard US Military rifle. The Brits, Aussies, Kanooks and New Zeland kept the british inch pattern for their rifles when the US adopted the M14 at the last minute. Indian and Israeli FALs are also metric the difference is in the pitch of the barrel thread, the last two threads closest to the shoulder to be exact. Any solid inch pattern rifle, and not an inch kit with a metric Imbel upper, are pre 89 import rifles that command seriously high prices. The mags you see, the parts you see, all the stuff you see out there for the FAL, is for the most part, metric. Metric FAL rifles and/or receivers you will commonly see DSA....the best Imbel....just as good as the best just cheaper (also used on Springfield Armory FAL rifles) Entreprise...I'm not a fan, bad press Coonan...I'm not a fan, they are cast with the availabilty of forged receivers, why? Good reviews from others. Century.....total garbage Hesse...worse than total garbage |
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