Only good rifles have folding charging handles.

How accurate it is with standard ball?

You just poke them with it. (I'm saying it's long, like a pikeman at the fucking Vatican)

I've never shot it past 200yds, and in that distance if you aim center mass, someone is dead or wounded. I think that meets the standard for these rifles and others as battle rifles.

I have a "grab bag" or can of .308 that has just about everything worth shooting in it. Aside from the match ammo. I might be all done with the Chinese "copper wash," who knows. This thing eats everything.

I fear the internet has gotten people a little to fat and happy with accurizing etc. Nothing has been done to this except the SUIT. It's OK, don't ditch your regular top cover.

I can't say I've seen anyone use the term, so I'll re-introduce it:

Minute of Dinner Plate

Meaning, put a bullet in a 10 inch circle. A lot of rifles can do this, in fact the standard for many is 4 minutes. At 2-300 yards I'm certain I can ruin someones day.

Can these be accurized? Kinda. While the M-14 saw service as a DMR, these rifles and the variants continued on as is, some are probably still doing the job. Just like an AK it'll run without the dust cover...

I think DSA carries the torch for these now, good luck finding a parts kit.

quote:

Originally posted by arcwelder:
While the M-14 saw service as a DMR, these rifles and the variants continued on as is, some are probably still doing the job.

Yep. Currently being used in Ukraine, in fact. (As are M14s...)

That's actually an old picture. I accidentally left the L1A1 in my back pocket and it went through the wash:

I picked up this L1A1 around '85, or so, at the old LA County Gun Show. It consists of a really nice British L1A1 kit assembled on an Entréprise receiver. Every component has a British marking. Interestingly the receiver does not have the Entréprise name engraved anywhere on it. Doing some research, I found that in their past, Entréprise had some financial difficulties and could not pay their subcontractors. It seems one contractor who did their engraving took some of their receivers in leu of payment. This receiver was one of those. I called Entréprise and they verified it was one of their receivers, but they would not comment on why their name wasn't engraved on it.

I liked the Canadian C2A1 sight because I can adjust it to a full kilometer. That ain't too bad.

Many strange things could be found at the old Los Angeles Gun Show. Sadly, the LA County Gun Show is no more.

Sold my L1A1 a few years ago, and can’t find pictures, but I do have one of my G1, unfortunately also sold.


From back when parts kits were everywhere dirt cheap, and the SA battle packs of 7.62 were selling at the gun show for like $20. I went so far as to buy all the assembly tools. I remember fitting the locking shoulder was always fun.

Great rifles!

Bill R

I always meant to pick up new wood for it, then the guy who was Ironwood Designs died of a heart attack. I wish somebody would do what he was doing.

An interesting design.
Likely one of the last styles built to withstand abuse, neglect and life on a dirty battlefield.
Others in the group:
The M1 Garand was built to withstand some crud in the action and keep working. Similarly the M1 Carbine had some “looseness” to the action for the same reason. The AK was obviously built along the same lines. In addition the AK was also built to be maintained by the soldier with less than a high school education.
Even the ‘03 Springfield and the Krag could tolerate a little grit in the bolt/magazine areas. While the actions may be smooth, “tight” doesn’t exactly describe the movement of the bolt.

The counterpoint is obviously the AR. It is largely a precision tool. It has been proven and refined over the years and I would trust its reliability if the need arose. That said, I would handle the L1A1 differently than an AR if either one was called to defend life or limb.

Personally I like them both. One is an old truck, the other a Porsche.

Nice rifles, probably my all time favorite since I seen one in the 80's.

My build from years ago, only gun I truly regret selling.

quote:

Originally posted by arcwelder:
I always meant to pick up new wood for it, then the guy who was Ironwood Designs died of a heart attack. I wish somebody would do what he was doing.

Flypaper on the Files makes and sells some awesome wood furniture. You might check out his offerings.

Good grief I forgot that place existed.

Anyone recall the 70 HRA FALs at Quantico ? Those are some fine rifles. All still new and unfired. Greasy and their Lil flash hiders still wrapped in protective paper. Brings a tear to my eye. A HRA FAL, be still my heart.

Gorgeous L1A1! FALs just have a certain magic to them. It certainly doesn't derive from their accuracy potential.

I still have your old DSA

I'll have to post pics soon when my dealer gets it, but ATF just approved transfer to my dealer of a '68 amnesty registered full auto G-Series FAL I purchased.

quote:

Originally posted by fnforme:
Gorgeous L1A1! FALs just have a certain magic to them. It certainly doesn't derive from their accuracy potential.

I still have your old DSA

I'll have to post pics soon when my dealer gets it, but ATF just approved transfer to my dealer of a '68 amnesty registered full auto G-Series FAL I purchased.

They certainly have a charm. I'd prolly still have that DSA if'n I wasn't going hard on the M14 at the time. You should definitely share pics of that.

Was a mule issued with those for when you go on long walks ?

Might be the first time I've seen one on this forum

Naw, somebody has posted these, maybe it was me?

Do you have any recommendations on where to buy parts for a FAL?

I had an older lady turn one into the station a few years ago that was all in pieces and parts. Apparently, it was her husband's before his passing.

I need a few pieces for it

quote:

Originally posted by bendable:
Was a mule issued with those for when you go on long walks ?

Might be the first time I've seen one on this forum

The FN FAL and its various iterations like the L1A1 are a bit heavy by today's standards at 10-12+ pounds, but not really any heavier than the other 7.62 battle rifles used during the same mid-20th century era.

(And there are plenty of folks nowadays who start out with a lighter weight AR or similar rifle, and then load it down with enough stuff that it ends up weighing 10-12+ pounds anyway.)


There have been several FAL threads on the forum over the years. I used to have one, an Austrian Stg58 on an Imbel receiver, but sold it when I settled on the M1A as my preferred "early Cold War battle rifle" ~4 years ago.

Of course I'm a huge M14 fan, but the FAL demands respect. One feature sets it apart.