I'm currently exploring my options as far as weapons for myself and mamma. I have a thread going in the SF about this but wanted to get some opinions as to what you think would make the perfect FAL for a female. My wife Dijon (she's the mountain house group buy chick) is not some petite helpless little girl. She's 5'9" , she works out , carries her own gear, sleeps out in the snow and she's killed, skinned and butchered more deer than I have. Right now her rifle is a Bushy M4. She doesn't have much training on it but she has even less on my L1A1. One of the guys on the SF suggested I standardize by swapping out my FAL for another AR15 possibly in the SPR configuration. I could do that but couldn't I also go in the other direction? Could I set her up with a lighter weight FAL possibly a Para in favor of the M4? If I did this, in theory, all of our long guns would share ammunition. My L1A1, her Para and the family sniper rig. Custom built M70 Winchester.
Broadsword

Para FAL may be okay, but you have to be careful. I handled a DSA Carbine not long ago, and to tell you the truth the stock was too long (I'm also 5'9" and don't have particularly short arms) and the rifle unloaded, without mag (I think) still weighed about 8 or 9 lbs. A para configuration will probably be lighter by a little, and the LOP will be shorter, but it's still a beefy rifle. I'm not putting you or your wife down, but hauling a 9 lb rifle plus 2-2.5 lbs of ammo per 20rnd mag adds up really fast. Frankly the best thing to do would be to get ahold of a friend who has one, and go shooting with them. See if the Para FAL is light enough/user friendly enough for a good go to gun. If it is, happy day, go to town. If not, look in another direction. Good luck to you both.

Unless you get an FN with an aluminum lower, a Para is actually heavier than a standard rifle. (Not by much, but heavier)

I like your idea of consolidation. I also like your idea of going with the 308 v 223. From your description, your wife is more than capable of handling an FN and the associated accoutrements.

A standard FN with an 18" barrel and an aluminum lower would definately be a good candidate for your intended purpose. Aluminum mags are plentiful and inexpensive. 3 Aluminum mags weigh the same as 1 steel mag. Aluminum FN mags are very robust and reliable.

A 7.62NATO AR......

+1 on the 308 AR-15 she is already use to the feel of the AR-15

Your goal of commonality is commendable.
I would look at a 16" carbine FAL, standard stock. I read your SF post and see no reason you'd need the added expense of a PARA. For the added expense, you could purchase quality optics, which would be far more useful. Also consider magazine type. If your L1A1 is a true inch pattern, using inch mags, then you will probably want to make sure your SO's rifle will use the same.
If scrawny little africans can effectively (that is debateable) utilize the FAL, so can your SO.

Quoted:
Also consider magazine type. If your L1A1 is a true inch pattern, using inch mags, then you will probably want to make sure your SO's rifle will use the same.

When my L1A1 was buitl it was modified to take metric mags.
Broadsword

Quoted: Quoted: Also consider magazine type. If your L1A1 is a true inch pattern, using inch mags, then you will probably want to make sure your SO's rifle will use the same. When my L1A1 was buitl it was modified to take metric mags. Broadsword

Then you are all set to take advantage of the readily available metric magazines.
As nice as the FAL linked in Talon Arms' post is, and as great as they are as a dealers, it completely illustrates my point about the great expense of the PARA feature. Whole lot of money for not much return. I have one and I can tell you if i were budgeted on it, I'd not have the PARA folder assembly.
If I were in your shoes, I'd try to build from scratch.  Obtain a receiver, and get the pieces onesy-twosey until you have most. Then ship them all to someone like Rich at centurygunworks or derek at AZEX and have them assemble it. You will have a rifle built to your specs for cheaper than DSA will provide you with one and you can either sell the AR initially for seed money, or keep it and build the FAL while you sit on the rifle Not literally . Then you can sell the AR and buy a couple of Glock 17/19's.

I'll opinon the opposite of the group....

If she is comfortable with the AR that is going to be the easiest gun (and ammo load out) to lug.

In a S.H.T.F. situation, it could be a big advantage to have the option of 5.56 or 7.62.

Imagine you find ammo, but it is 5.56 (most likely cal to find since military and police usage in U.S.)

With a FAL (or any 7.62 guns) you are S.O.O.L.!!

Not too likely to find 7.62 unless you delink M.G. ammo scrounged up.

BUT....  I am a 7.62 guy at heart too!  So you have one gun with the big round (long range and hunter) and the AR for wife as a flexible ready for come what may option.

This is what I'm loading up in the Hammer Homestead!

Give it some thought and let us know what you decide!

Best Wishes

BIGGER_HAMMER

,,, My wife Dijon (she's the mountain house group buy chick) is not some petite helpless little girl. She's 5'9" , she works out , carries her own gear,,,

I don't see any problem there,
, build her a FAL same as yours (for mag commonality),
, give her a pile of ammo to practice & learn the FAL system,
, and you are both GTG

Sounds like the Para is more show than go. I'm sure it has it's advantages but it doesn't sound like it's the way for me to go. In my post on the SF the popular opinion is to go with a second AR platform for me issuing the M4 to her. Personally I prefer my L1A1 and consider it my "One Rifle" rifle. I think the best course of action right now is to get her some more trigger time with my L1A1 and see how she does with it. A couple of all day coyote hunting sessions should tell the tale as to weather or not she'll have trouble carrying it. I don't see that she will. She's tougher than alot of guys I know. I think she'll do well with an L1A1 like mine with a trimmed down barrel. Eighteen inches I think, possibly sixteen but I think eighteen is the better option.
Thanks for the replies fellas and keep the advice comming.
Broadsword

I recommend having her run a FAL through a rifle class, and then have her make up her mind on what she wants to use. Personally, I think 99 % of most people would be better off with a M4 w/ 75 TAP. No 7.62 NATO rifle is really lightweight, especially once an optic, mount, and flashlight are added.

Good Luck.

We both work full time and raise three kids. No time or money for rifle classes. The only training she'll get will come from me. The only training I got was from five years in the Infantry.
Broadsword