Reloading questions for the FN FAL

Kimio · August 09, 2012, 02:32

I don't know much about how the FAL handles brass, and I was wondering if there is anything I should be concerned about.

I know rifles like the PTR91/HK91 tend to be extremely hard on brass, to the point that sometimes, they are no longer re-loadable.

Does the FAL have any problems when it comes to damaging brass, or do I have nothing to worry about? I'd really rather save some money by reloading the costly .308 rounds and stay on the range instead of at the office trying to feed this rifles ferocious appetite for both lead and $'s

mutter · August 09, 2012, 03:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kimio

I don't know much about how the FAL handles brass, and I was wondering if there is anything I should be concerned about.

I know rifles like the PTR91/HK91 tend to be extremely hard on brass, to the point that sometimes, they are no longer re-loadable.

Does the FAL have any problems when it comes to damaging brass, or do I have nothing to worry about? I'd really rather save some money by reloading the costly .308 rounds and stay on the range instead of at the office trying to feed this rifles ferocious appetite for both lead and $'s

Have you actually ever shot any of the fire arms that you are talking about?
Have you actually ever reloaded anything?

You obviously don't know anything about the HK91/CRTME/G3 or anything to do with the 308.

Kimio · August 09, 2012, 07:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by mutter

Have you actually ever shot any of the fire arms that you are talking about?
Have you actually ever reloaded anything?

You obviously don't know anything about the HK91/CRTME/G3 or anything to do with the 308.

I've had some time with the PTR91, and maybe it was just the one, but from what I observed is that it damaged the brass. I researched this and this "ding" in the side of the case could make things complicated for reloading, at least with the PTR91.

As for the FAL, sadly I have not shot it, hence why I'm asking.

Reloading, no, I'm doing my homework and trying to learn, which is why I'm asking.

Please teach me if you have knowledge on this matter, if I come off as ignorant, then please forgive me. I cannot learn if I don't ask questions and seek information from those who DO have experience in this.

"Why don't you find out for yourself?" Because I don't want to go and spend money and screw something up that may mess up a rifle and potentially risk hurting someone in the process. I don't have anyone that I know of that can teach me in person, unfortunately at this time.

Thank you for bearing with me.

hagar · August 09, 2012, 07:21

Beauty of the Fal is that you can turn the gas down till the brass just barely trickles out with no damage. I agree with you on the G3/PTR-91 type of rifles, brass (if you can even find it), is mangled, dinged and sooted beyond salvation for the most part.

**W.E.G.** · August 09, 2012, 07:30

The FAL has been known to bend rims and ding case mouths.

You can pad the ejection port to minimize dings.

As for the bent rims, that is dependent on a variety of things like chamber-roughness, brass-hardness, and gas setting. You can usually smack a bent rim with a hammer, and get it close enough back into shape that it won't adversely affect function. Rule of thumb is, if the rim is too bent to get into the shell holder on the press, you need to work on it.

**MAINER** · August 09, 2012, 10:13

Don't expect to get more than two, maybe three reloads from a case. It depends on your rifles headspace, gas setting, and how much damage is done when ejected.
Learn how to check cases for stretching just forward of the head section. It's called "Case Head Seperation" and not something you want to occur.
This is where the "Broken Shell Extractor Tool" comes in handy.

Buy in bulk if you are looking to save money. Reloading is not all that cheap anymore.

jefferyc22 · August 10, 2012, 13:14

I don't bother reloading for bullet hoses like the FAL and G3. I do reload for my 17s and DI guns however.
In my opinion reloading for weapons that are rough chambering and have jam issues is scary. NATO spec mil surp is the way to go with FAL's and G3's as the rounds will have crimped/staked primers, thick web and heavy crimp on the bullet.

jefferyc22 · August 10, 2012, 13:16

You will notice DI guns and the SCAR use an ejector which is ussually much easier on the rim.

55bird · August 10, 2012, 18:39

In other words,Yes the FAL is hard on brass of any kind.It is not what you use your federal gold match in.Nor would I waste my Lapua thru.
It is a hardy battle tested industrial quality battle rifle in the STG58 stock type that will get-er-done.Not for brass worshipers of any kind.

**skeeterbay** · August 11, 2012, 11:28

I shoot my reloads in 4 different Fals. I shoot soft point hunting bullets and FMJ without any problems. Yes I get more use out of brass that is neck sized only and used in a bolt gun, but if your headspace is right and your not trying to make the 308 into a 300win mag you should get decent case life. At least I do. I do like to pick a bullet with a crimp groove when using a mag fed semi auto rifle.

paul fowler · August 11, 2012, 23:13

I too, shoot a lot of reloaded ammo through my FAL's. Ding'ed case mouths are not a big problem and are taken care of during re-sizing/de-priming. Do keep an eye on your casings for the aforementioned problem of case head separation. I usually get five loadings from a case. Staked or crimped primers are also not a problem, there are tools available to remove the crimp or once de-primed. I have had a few casings that would not de-prime ( i think they were CAVIM brass). Check ALL cases for length after re-sizing and trim if needed. Keep your loads sane (I like to stay in the middle of the recommended load range) and you should have no problems. I use IMR 4064 powder, but a lot of folks are using Varget. Just follow the load data to the letter. The big job is always case prep. The cost of reloading has gone up. 500 cases (Lake City) from somewhere like Top Brass were about $89 a few years ago, they are now around $150. "Pull down" bullets are fine and can save you some money if you buy in bulk. Anyway, my two cents!

jefferyc22 · August 12, 2012, 09:35

BLC(2) is the go to powder for high volume 5.56 and 7.62 on the Dillon.

**John Crusher** · August 12, 2012, 09:35

I shoot mostly reloaded ammo. I adjusted my gas setting to minimize damage and still have correct cycling. I can tell you that #1 is correct brass processing. The time you put into making a quality round at the bench will show at the range. Most people will say a Fal is a 2-4" rifle @100 but I beg to differ. I shoot a -1" group quite consistently because I put in the time at the bench. Keep accurate data on your round development and you will do the same.

mutter · August 12, 2012, 11:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by mutter

Have you actually ever shot any of the fire arms that you are talking about?
Have you actually ever reloaded anything?

You obviously don't know anything about the HK91/CRTME/G3 or anything to do with the 308.

My apologies Kimio, my response was uncalled for.

I'd recommend that you read at least 1 of 3 resources. That and practice is what I did.

The first book I read is:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1440213968/..._df_1440213968

One of the books I recommend is Sierra's latest reloading manual for rifle and pistol cartridges.

It's available at: https://www.sierrabullets.com/index....2&CFID=1952656

My favorite book is:

http://www.amazon.com/The-Handloader.../dp/0883171368

This book is far better then the 1st 2 books at explaining old school hand loading.

Case dings come out when the case is resized or fired. Mouth dings are easily taken out with almost any small round tool from a screw driver to a pencil and then resized.

Important things I learned when reloading:
Start with a powder load 10% below the loading manual and work up.
Dump the old style lube and pad in the trash and buy some of the spray lube
Buy a good press, good dies, and a good powder scale.
Keep track of everything you do to a reload; date, powder type and grains, bullet, everything!

Never shoot some one else's reloads!

Oh and to save you some money: don't buy a modern Lee auto prime device.
They suck!

wolfspotter1 · August 12, 2012, 18:55

Great advise, mutter. To help keep costs down, military surplus pull-down powder like WC-846 in 8lb jugs works great. Pull-down IMR-4895 is a favorite also but harder to find. For plinking, pulled military bullets will also work.

Kimio · August 14, 2012, 11:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by mutter

My apologies Kimio, my response was uncalled for.

I'd recommend that you read at least 1 of 3 resources. That and practice is what I did.

The first book I read is:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1440213968/..._df_1440213968

One of the books I recommend is Sierra's latest reloading manual for rifle and pistol cartridges.

It's available at: https://www.sierrabullets.com/index....2&CFID=1952656

My favorite book is:

http://www.amazon.com/The-Handloader.../dp/0883171368

This book is far better then the 1st 2 books at explaining old school hand loading.

Case dings come out when the case is resized or fired. Mouth dings are easily taken out with almost any small round tool from a screw driver to a pencil and then resized.

Important things I learned when reloading:
Start with a powder load 10% below the loading manual and work up.
Dump the old style lube and pad in the trash and buy some of the spray lube
Buy a good press, good dies, and a good powder scale.
Keep track of everything you do to a reload; date, powder type and grains, bullet, everything!

Never shoot some one else's reloads!

Oh and to save you some money: don't buy a modern Lee auto prime device.
They suck!

No worries, I'm sure you meant well. You learn to develop a thick skin while browsing forums.

Thank you for the advice everyone, I really do appreciate all the help. Hopefully once I finally get my hands on an FAL, I'll be able to do things right and safely reload my brass and save some $ on the side

littlematt · August 15, 2012, 13:42

I'm with mutter

buy the books and read

never shoot someone else's reloads

spray lube, unless you like sticky fingers and extra brass work

August 09, 2012, 07:30	#5
W.E.G. Administrator Silver Contributor FALaholic #: 1211 Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Virginia Posts: 31,056	The FAL has been known to bend rims and ding case mouths. You can pad the ejection port to minimize dings. As for the bent rims, that is dependent on a variety of things like chamber-roughness, brass-hardness, and gas setting. You can usually smack a bent rim with a hammer, and get it close enough back into shape that it won't adversely affect function. Rule of thumb is, if the rim is too bent to get into the shell holder on the press, you need to work on it. __________________ . . . Ask me about the Mason-Dixon FAL Collectors Association.

August 09, 2012, 10:13	#6
MAINER Old Fart Bronze Contributor FALaholic #: 18465 Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Maine Posts: 6,293	Don't expect to get more than two, maybe three reloads from a case. It depends on your rifles headspace, gas setting, and how much damage is done when ejected. Learn how to check cases for stretching just forward of the head section. It's called "Case Head Seperation" and not something you want to occur. This is where the "Broken Shell Extractor Tool" comes in handy. Buy in bulk if you are looking to save money. Reloading is not all that cheap anymore. __________________ Joe Biden for President.

August 10, 2012, 18:39	#9
55bird Registered FALaholic #: 799 Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Tampa,Fl,U.S.A. Posts: 1,041	In other words,Yes the FAL is hard on brass of any kind.It is not what you use your federal gold match in.Nor would I waste my Lapua thru. It is a hardy battle tested industrial quality battle rifle in the STG58 stock type that will get-er-done.Not for brass worshipers of any kind. __________________ The very things my grade school teachers of the 1960's warned me about communism,my government is today:skull:

August 11, 2012, 11:28	#10
skeeterbay Veteran Member Bronze Contributor FALaholic #: 20461 Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 1,772	I shoot my reloads in 4 different Fals. I shoot soft point hunting bullets and FMJ without any problems. Yes I get more use out of brass that is neck sized only and used in a bolt gun, but if your headspace is right and your not trying to make the 308 into a 300win mag you should get decent case life. At least I do. I do like to pick a bullet with a crimp groove when using a mag fed semi auto rifle. __________________ 'S Rioghal 'Mo Dhream Ard Choille!

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August 09, 2012, 02:32	#1
Kimio Registered FALaholic #: 66699 Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Salt Lake City, Utah Posts: 247	Reloading questions for the FN FAL I don't know much about how the FAL handles brass, and I was wondering if there is anything I should be concerned about. I know rifles like the PTR91/HK91 tend to be extremely hard on brass, to the point that sometimes, they are no longer re-loadable. Does the FAL have any problems when it comes to damaging brass, or do I have nothing to worry about? I'd really rather save some money by reloading the costly .308 rounds and stay on the range instead of at the office trying to feed this rifles ferocious appetite for both lead and $'s

August 09, 2012, 07:21	#4
hagar Registered FALaholic #: 228 Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Columbia, SC Posts: 6,695	Beauty of the Fal is that you can turn the gas down till the brass just barely trickles out with no damage. I agree with you on the G3/PTR-91 type of rifles, brass (if you can even find it), is mangled, dinged and sooted beyond salvation for the most part.

August 10, 2012, 13:14	#7
jefferyc22 Banned FALaholic #: 18245 Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: PNW Posts: 3,447	I don't bother reloading for bullet hoses like the FAL and G3. I do reload for my 17s and DI guns however. In my opinion reloading for weapons that are rough chambering and have jam issues is scary. NATO spec mil surp is the way to go with FAL's and G3's as the rounds will have crimped/staked primers, thick web and heavy crimp on the bullet.

August 10, 2012, 13:16	#8
jefferyc22 Banned FALaholic #: 18245 Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: PNW Posts: 3,447	You will notice DI guns and the SCAR use an ejector which is ussually much easier on the rim.

August 11, 2012, 23:13	#11
paul fowler Registered FALaholic #: 38493 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: west virginia Posts: 36	I too, shoot a lot of reloaded ammo through my FAL's. Ding'ed case mouths are not a big problem and are taken care of during re-sizing/de-priming. Do keep an eye on your casings for the aforementioned problem of case head separation. I usually get five loadings from a case. Staked or crimped primers are also not a problem, there are tools available to remove the crimp or once de-primed. I have had a few casings that would not de-prime ( i think they were CAVIM brass). Check ALL cases for length after re-sizing and trim if needed. Keep your loads sane (I like to stay in the middle of the recommended load range) and you should have no problems. I use IMR 4064 powder, but a lot of folks are using Varget. Just follow the load data to the letter. The big job is always case prep. The cost of reloading has gone up. 500 cases (Lake City) from somewhere like Top Brass were about $89 a few years ago, they are now around $150. "Pull down" bullets are fine and can save you some money if you buy in bulk. Anyway, my two cents!

August 12, 2012, 09:35	#12
jefferyc22 Banned FALaholic #: 18245 Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: PNW Posts: 3,447	BLC(2) is the go to powder for high volume 5.56 and 7.62 on the Dillon.

August 12, 2012, 09:35	#13
John Crusher Senior Member Gold Contributor FALaholic #: 18663 Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Missouri Posts: 935	I shoot mostly reloaded ammo. I adjusted my gas setting to minimize damage and still have correct cycling. I can tell you that #1 is correct brass processing. The time you put into making a quality round at the bench will show at the range. Most people will say a Fal is a 2-4" rifle @100 but I beg to differ. I shoot a -1" group quite consistently because I put in the time at the bench. Keep accurate data on your round development and you will do the same.

August 12, 2012, 18:55	#15
wolfspotter1 Registered FALaholic #: 64473 Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: New York Posts: 104	Great advise, mutter. To help keep costs down, military surplus pull-down powder like WC-846 in 8lb jugs works great. Pull-down IMR-4895 is a favorite also but harder to find. For plinking, pulled military bullets will also work.

August 15, 2012, 13:42	#17
littlematt Registered FALaholic #: 64395 Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: louisiana Posts: 272	I'm with mutter buy the books and read never shoot someone else's reloads spray lube, unless you like sticky fingers and extra brass work