M1A vs. FAL

[EricCartmanR1]

FAL vs. M1A

FAL:
DSA SA58 Para
Regular Length Gas System
17" barrel
DSA Railed Handguards
Millet DMS1 1-4x scope
Shooting off a bench supported only by front sandbag.


M1A:
Springfield M1A
Springfield SS NM 22" barrel
Marstar Stock with integral scope mount
Lots of USGI stuff
Leupold Mark4 2.5-10X illuminated TMR
Shooting off a bench supported by Harris Bipod.

Bottom to top: Bushmaster M4 with ACOG, FAL with Millet, XCR with Eotech, M1A with Leupold.



Distance: 100 meter



We laugh at 3 or 5 shot groups. 20 shot groups only! No warm up time and no time to zero. Weapons were suppose to be zero'd already.


M1A with Prvi Match 168gr Hallowpoint, 4" group, not bad for 60 cents a round.



M1A with South African, 5" group, excellent value for 21 cents a round! 50 cents a round these days, but still a pretty good value considering what else is out there.



M1A with Federal Gold Medal Match. Sub MOA. Expensive at about $2.00 a round but worth it. Can't afford to do 20-shot groups for this ammo though



FAL with Prvi 168gr Match, 6" groups



FAL with South African, 7" groups



No Pictures of my FAL with match ammo but it does get around 2" 3-shot groups. Not bad for a battle rifle that is pretty much out of the box.


Conclusion:
My M1A will always do sub MOA 3-shot groups with match ammo [:P]. But with surplus ammo it is not much better than the FAL. The M1A only jams with cheap mags and does not have any problems with CMI or T57 mags.

My FAL is pretty much out of the box, and mags for it only cost $5 (while M1A mags runs about $25 for CMI and $15 for T57). My FAL has never jammed ever (with 20 round mags).

I love the feel of my FAL and it is a great offhand shooter. The way I have my M1A set up, it is very difficult to shoot off hand. Even if I go shorter barrel and smaller optic on the M1A, I know it will still not have the balance packaged of the FAL. I love my M1A but I think I love the FAL more. For now my M1A is my only precision SASS (semi auto sniper weapon)... till I get my AR-10 built up .

Since a friend flaked, and the old lady did not fell like going shooting, I got to spend some quality alone time with 4 of my kids.
So all in all nothing conclusive really... JUST A FUN DAY THE RANGE SHOOTING ON THE BENCH AND OFFHAND.

[nightschneider]

and here I thought this was going to be another 'flame on' thread...cool pics....looks like a pretty sweet day of shooting.

how did the .223's stack up to the 20 (or 30) shot group?

[EricCartmanR1]

Originally posted by nightschneider
and here I thought this was going to be another 'flame on' thread...cool pics....looks like a pretty sweet day of shooting.

how did the .223's stack up to the 20 (or 30) shot group?

.223 had about 40" shot groups and were about 50% hit ratio.. but then again they did not see the bench, were used offhand and rapid fire

[BB]

Why the Marstar stock? They look pretty pricy, how does it compare to other stocks like the Troy?

[EricCartmanR1]

Originally posted by BB
Why the Marstar stock? They look pretty pricy, how does it compare to other stocks like the Troy?

Troy stock with a CTR butt tube will run about $750, but with the Troy I also would have to buy extra back up iron sites (about another $150) as I will not able to use my existing iron sites.

I got the Marstar for $500 with the butt tube (from a friend, he did not want it). Only needed to buy the CTR Buttsock ($100) to complete the package. Just like the Troy, I like it that you don't have to buy a $200-$300 scope mount. Both stocks are capable of sub-moa as the barrel is screwed into the stock (via the gas block that comes with the stock), basically making it a free float design.

I would not recommend the Marstar with M1A's for the simple fact it will take about 4 hours of your time, dremeling and filing to get the M1A reciever into the stock. Marstar told me that Polytech/Norinco recievers will drop right in with no mods since they are forged mil-spec receivers, which is what the Marstar was originally designed for.

Overall I am happy with my M1A set up, once I got it to work that is.

[Scott S]

Nice thread and pics. Thanks for posting.

I put 20 rounds of Federal Gold Medal through my medium contour FAL, but, unfortunately, I didn't get anywhere close to the group you shot with the M1A. My group looked a lot like your SA group with the M1A.

[BB]

Thanks; I'm thinking about a stock for my M14, that is definitely in the running.

[BlasterLP]

Looks like the FAL hit the bullseye more times !!

[PARA FN FAL]

That looks like the Boulder City range. I am glad that the FN put up a good show when compared to the M1A but I have been less than impressed with the few AR10s I have seen on the firing line. They seem accurate but not as reliable as the FN or M1A.

[EricCartmanR1]

Originally posted by PARA FN FAL
That looks like the Boulder City range. I am glad that the FN put up a good show when compared to the M1A but I have been less than impressed with the few AR10s I have seen on the firing line. They seem accurate but not as reliable as the FN or M1A.

Yep it is Boulder City.

I heard the AR10's have a really long break in period... like 200 rounds before they start acting like a battle rifle. Then they will cycle what ever you give it. What sucks about AR10's is that their mags are $50 a pop.

I got to try a friends AR10, picture of his rifle below, I liked it, has that natural AR15 feel (but only with more kick).

[Ssarge]

AR10 mag's can be found for less. I just picked up 6 new 20 round mags for $38 each. (from an individual) That's steep, but much better than the almost $50 they normally go for. All I had to do with my 2 AR10's to keep them chunkin' during the "break in" was to keep the bolt carrier assy. wet with oil. No problems then.

[wayne1967]

I'd like to see the Socom vs. FAL 16" Which is more realible in harsh conditions?

[icwells]

Originally posted by wayne1967
I'd like to see the Socom vs. FAL 16" Which is more realible in harsh conditions?

My money's on the FAL.

[Marksman1]

I like the MIa trigger and sights. Best bar none.

I like the FAL ergonomics overall. Best bar none for that period of battle rifle.

For me it is extremely difficult to decide which one. I will probably take the FAL but miss my M1a. And if I picked my M1a I would curse it's ergonomics.

One of my best friends is a major in the air force and qualifies with M16's once a year. He got to shoot the FAL once and said that in his opinion, "it was the best battle rifle ever devised".

I know, he is air force, but what sold him was the ergonomics.

Between two similarly accurate rifles? FAL all the way.

[EricCartmanR1]

Originally posted by Marksman1
I like the MIa trigger and sights. Best bar none.

I like the FAL ergonomics overall. Best bar none for that period of battle rifle.

For me it is extremely difficult to decide which one. I will probably take the FAL but miss my M1a. And if I picked my M1a I would curse it's ergonomics.

One of my best friends is a major in the air force and qualifies with M16's once a year. He got to shoot the FAL once and said that in his opinion, "it was the best battle rifle ever devised".

I know, he is air force, but what sold him was the ergonomics.

Between two similarly accurate rifles? FAL all the way.

I for one would never admit knowing a major in the Air Force

But in this case he was right. For me a .308 does not get better than an FAL. I laugh at M14 EBR's in Sage and Troy Stocks. The rifle is just so dam heavy and ergonomically they are no where near the FAL. My FAL, even with rails, and scope is still pretty manageable.

A plain M1A with iron sites is the only way an M1A feels ergonomically correct. Once you try to scope an M1A everything is mucked up. I love my M1A and the way it is set up now, but it is only a good bench rest shooter. I hate it that the M1A's are particuliar to mags, while the FAL will eat any mag I give it. The FAL is just so much better balance. And just so much more reliable.

On the scale, the way my FAL is set up, it weighs ~11lbs with no mag.


On the scale, my M1A set up as is in the pic weighs ~14 lbs without mag.


Both were weighed on the bathroom scale.

I know this is an FAL forum so we tend to hype the FAL, but in my case the hype is real. I am not partial to any gun, I am pretty open and have the abilty to love all guns equally. To me the FAL is where it's at...next to an AR that is

Also props to DSA. We can EBR our FALs for only $400 (DSA scope mount + hand guard rails). While to EBR a M14 will run you about $1050 (Sage stock + Smith Scope mount). And the M14 EBR will be nearly battle capable as a FAL EBR.

[DrDuc]

I have an M1A that will shoot MOA in 5 shot groups with surplus ammo (IMI81) from the bench. I I never tried to run 20 rounds through it. I bought a FrankenFAL from a member that he put together for matches and it will do 2MOA for 5 shots with the same ammo. The FSE trigger makes the FAL as easy to shoot as the M1A to me.
I'm a real FAL fan but I like the M1A and must admit to shooting a CETME and a G3 also. I also have a couple SAFN 49 s too. The 7mm is the most accurate but the 30.06 has the most charm. The 30.06 is a 4-5" shooter.

[WarDawg]

Originally posted by EricCartmanR1


I for one would never admit knowing a major in the Air Force

But in this case he was right. For me a .308 does not get better than an FAL. I laugh at M14 EBR's in Sage and Troy Stocks. The rifle is just so dam heavy and ergonomically they are no where near the FAL. My FAL, even with rails, and scope is still pretty manageable.

A plain M1A with iron sites is the only way an M1A feels ergonomically correct. Once you try to scope an M1A everything is mucked up. I love my M1A and the way it is set up now, but it is only a good bench rest shooter. I hate it that the M1A's are particuliar to mags, while the FAL will eat any mag I give it. The FAL is just so much better balance. And just so much more reliable.

On the scale, the way my FAL is set up, it weighs ~11lbs with no mag.


On the scale, my M1A set up as is in the pic weighs ~14 lbs without mag.


Both were weighed on the bathroom scale.

I know this is an FAL forum so we tend to hype the FAL, but in my case the hype is real. I am not partial to any gun, I am pretty open and have the abilty to love all guns equally. To me the FAL is where it's at...next to an AR that is

Also props to DSA. We can EBR our FALs for only $400 (DSA scope mount + hand guard rails). While to EBR a M14 will run you about $1050 (Sage stock + Smith Scope mount). And the M14 EBR will be nearly battle capable as a FAL EBR.

Very nice rifle's sir. The Best and most solid scope mount that has been place apon a M14 has been created by LRB. The M25 receiver . It is the cats meow. It is very pricey. But It is made here in the USA and by Americans that deserve to feed there familys with a honest days work. Hammer Forged to boot.
Also your commint about the the M14 being picky on mags is the first time I have ever heard that. Now we are talking USGI mags .Not after market crap.
I enjoy the Fal's and M14's. Its close between the two if I HAD TO CHOSE . But I would have to give props to the M14 being superior for me in my hands. Its a natural pointer for me. WarDawg

[garandman]

If you want a competition gun, M1A > FAL

If you want a battle rifle, FAL > M1A.

Don't be a tool. Get the right tool for the job.

[garandman]

Nice guns ECR1.

But I gotta ask....

....what's with the Michael Jackson glove?

[EricCartmanR1]

Originally posted by garandman
Nice guns ECR1.

But I gotta ask....

....what's with the Michael Jackson glove?

I know I know, not only do I use them to dance, but I also use them to shoot, to golf, the batting cages, helping friends move, etc...