I’d like to get a full size FAL. I’m not well versed in these rifles. The price difference between the Belgium and the DSA rifles is significant. Can anyone offer some knowledge on the differences between these rifles as to quality. I know the FN rifles will always cost more due to collectibility but that would not be my main concern. Any advice would be appreciated.
Falfiles is probably going to be your best bet for good information. The Belgian rifles are going to be built on authentic tooling. The DSA rifles will be assembled from parts kit, USA made parts for compliance and receivers will have been reverse engineered from original receivers to the best of my knowledge. That a very basic idea of what the differences will be.
My experience with DSA was pretty awful. They might make decent guns, but their customer service is ****.
I wouldn't discourage anybody from picking one up, but the toughest part about getting into a FAL these days would probably be a good source of reliable magazines, unless some have become available that I'm unaware of. I haven't really shopped for any lately.
I got mine from Ohio Rapid Fire back in '04 just before the ban ended. It's a fun rifle.
I got mine from Ohio Rapid Fire back in '04 just before the ban ended. It's a fun rifle.
I believe there are some that take an inch pattern mag and some take the metric pattern mags . I had one years ago.
Appreciate the info. A nice Belgium rifle at a shop in Tulsa is already at 7500.00 in an auction. DSA’s are in the 1800.00 to 2500.00 range.
I had a buddy that had his FAL built by Tim LaFrance from an STG-58 parts kit on an Imbel receiver, back when those parts kits were going for under $200 and the receivers weren’t that expensive either. I really liked that rifle.
DSA FALs are made on FN tooling. You can go with the base model (Voyager) with cast receiver for about $1200ish. The do have forged receivers but not sure if you can get them in a complete rifle. I think most of the internals are still cast, which they had initial problems with but I haven't heard anything bad their cast parts lately
Back in the good old days of both cheap and abundant Imbel receivers and Stg58 parts kits, a guy could have a nice rifle built very reasonable. Unfortunately, the only FAL I have left is a Stg58 built using a Hesse receiver. IIRC, for less than $300.
DSA produced good quality FALs early on, but from what I understand, developed some quality problems as the surplus parts started running out, and they started using reproduction parts. Seems they are doing OK now, but have heard their magazines have always been garbage.
The FN rifles are the real-deal, Belgian-made FALs, and as you pointed out, are more towards the collector's side, rather than the shooters. Lots of good kit-built FALs out there, but there are so many that are much more knowledgeable than I am about what to look for, and look out for. The FAL is a great rifle.
The FN rifles are the real-deal, Belgian-made FALs, and as you pointed out, are more towards the collector's side, rather than the shooters. Lots of good kit-built FALs out there, but there are so many that are much more knowledgeable than I am about what to look for, and look out for. The FAL is a great rifle.
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