OLD FN-FAL Range Report

[Chief351]

My FAL is one I built back in 2000 from an StG58 kit on an Imbel Type 3 receiver. As this one was imported during the AWB, the barrel threads were cut off and the barrel re-crowned. There was nothing wrong with the rifle - it was reasonably accurate and, after I got the few bugs worked out, 100% reliable. It was just that naked muzzle. It just didn't look right.

Recently I decided to thread the muzzle and install a Belgian flash hider. I know that StG58's are considered by many to be the creme-de-la-creme of FAL's, but I just don't like the metal handguards, nor does that straight-combed buttstock feel right to me. Also I'm using a Penguin buttstock as a compliance. So I've converted it over to be a "standard" FAL.

Anyway, I got the threading job done just before Thanksgiving, and got the Belgian flash suppressor installed. I also purchased one of those Rhodesian (Halbek) muzzle brakes that slip on over the Belgian flash suppressor, and I wanted to see how much of a difference it makes.

The first thing I noticed is that, with the Belgian suppressor, my POI had shifted significantly to the left. Applying the Rhodesian brake didn't seem to make a difference in POI. The groups were opened up just a little, maybe, but it was kind of hard to tell as I was shooting from a sitting position and not off of a bench, as well as shooting different ammo. But the POI shift left is a good thing, as I had my rear sight adjusted way to the right to get centered up.

I did verify that there was no evidence of bullet strikes on the inside of the flash suppressor - just a nice even coating of soot.

The Rhodesian brake is a hoot! The range I was shooting at had a roof over the shooting positions, and the brake seemed to make things a bit louder due, I expect, to the noise being reflected off of the roof. The brake is really quite effective. Shooting offhand, first without the brake and then with, the amount of sight displacement on each shot is significantly less with the brake. I'd estimate approximately 1/4 to 1/8 as much muzzle jump. I tried shooting off of a bench, and I noticed that the rifle hardly had any muzzle jump off of the bench, but it would set you straight back about 2 inches with each shot.

BTW, I was shooting some 147 grain Prvi Partisan ammo that I bought for $94.00 for 200 rounds. It was advertised as 7.62 NATO, but the plain 20-round white boxes (packaged just like Hert or Radway Green in little cardboard boxes) are actually labeled .308 Winchester.