I'm a little undecided between an AR15 and a FAL. Last week I had a chance to shoot both.

The AR was superior for ergonomics. It was lighter and seemed more accurate (although the owner told me the milsurp 308 Aussie was new to his FAL). Recoil was light and follow-up shots easy. Cost of shooting seems a toss-up. Lots of .308 milsurp out there, the Russian (Wolf) stuff available cheap for the AR.

I would probably lean towards the AR except for one thing - The recoil spring had an annoying vibration reminiscent of my old Daisy bb-gun. Just didn't connote a solid, quality feel.

Question to you AR owners - is this normal for the weapon, or does it vary from maker to maker or build to build? Can it be minimized?

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you can get a pneumatic buffe but I wouldn't worry about it.

Yeah it is just the nature of the beast. Nothing is wrong with it, just normal function of the weapon. I was in a gun shop one time and this guy came in to look at a 1911. The dealer being safe handed it to him with the slide locked back. The guy took it and noticed the barrel was loose(designed to be that way since the barrel was out of battery) and handed it back saying that "he didn't like that". I guess he figured all semi-auto pistols should have a stationary barrel mounted to the frame . How many are there that are like that? Not vary many from what I know. NNA Guardian and maybe a few others. but anyway . Can anybody tell I've had a gallon or two of coffee? Take care. Coondog

Quoted: I'm a little undecided between an AR15 and a FAL. Last week I had a chance to shoot both. The AR was superior for ergonomics. It was lighter and seemed more accurate (although the owner told me the milsurp 308 Aussie was new to his FAL). Recoil was light and follow-up shots easy. Cost of shooting seems a toss-up. Lots of .308 milsurp out there, the Russian (Wolf) stuff available cheap for the AR. I would probably lean towards the AR except for one thing - The recoil spring had an annoying vibration reminiscent of my old Daisy bb-gun. Just didn't connote a solid, quality feel. Question to you AR owners - is this normal for the weapon, or does it vary from maker to maker or build to build? Can it be minimized?

The spring thing is normal, and is a biproduct of the AR's unique operating system...

The AR gas system is unique in that all major components are in line with the bore-axis. This results in better recoil transmission/harmonics than a FAL or AK-style weapon with a piston & recoil spring above the line of the bore. The result is that the recoil goes straight back into your shoulder, producing less muzzle flip and more accurate shooting... Also, when you run out of ammo and the bolt locks back, you can hear a distinct 'sprong' noise if your ear is on the stock...

Also, if you've ever seen the difference in SIZE of an AR recoil spring vs another gun, you'll see where the noise comes from - the AR spring is ~1" in diameter, and extends from the back of the buttstock forward out of the buffer tube when not compressed (it is allways compressed, as the buffer never leaves the buffer tube)... It is one HEUUUGE spring....

Quoted: Yeah it is just the nature of the beast. Nothing is wrong with it, just normal function of the weapon. I was in a gun shop one time and this guy came in to look at a 1911. The dealer being safe handed it to him with the slide locked back. The guy took it and noticed the barrel was loose(designed to be that way since the barrel was out of battery) and handed it back saying that "he didn't like that". I guess he figured all semi-auto pistols should have a stationary barrel mounted to the frame . How many are there that are like that? Not vary many from what I know. NNA Guardian and maybe a few others. but anyway . Can anybody tell I've had a gallon or two of coffee? Take care. Coondog

Most of the sub-9mm pistols (PPK, Makarov, etc) do this... Also, the newer HK guns (P7 et al)...

But most 9mm and up ones use moving bbls...

Yes, "sproing" describes it well.

Well, it seems a few million AR fans don't find it objectionable, so I guess I can learn to live with it, given the other advantages.

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its a good sound to hear (my opioniion)

It also gives you a nice auditory signal when the bolt lock back:  sproik!  

After a while you won't even notice it anymore.

It seems to me that some AR's recoil springs make more noise than others'.
My old Colt Match HBAR's sproing was very loud and distinct.
My current assembly of parts that is my AR15 hardles makes a sproing noise at all.

Some people apply grease to the spring to deaden the noise...

I never go to the trouble, eventually you dont notice it.

But what you will notice is a nice change in the sound when the bolt locks back.  Makes it very easy to tell what the gun is doing.