I love the FAL, and I'm not selling mine. That having been said, I can't do you better than relate what was told to me a few days ago.
There was a fellow shooter, working hard. His rifle for as many years as I've been married to the M14 is a FAL. By his estimate, he's put 25,000 rounds down the barrels (two barrels, that's cumulative over both). He fires that rifle WELL. Never has scored expert with it though.
One of our mutual friends has 'lovingly coaxed' him to try an M14 several times. This last weekend, it finally worked. The FAL shooter said that he felt like he was betraying his FAL, but opted to use our friend's M14. All he was told was "just do what you've been doing". He hit expert RIGHT THEN.
I love the FAL, but in my mind it's always been closer to a battle rifle than a Rifleman's Rifle. Can one make hits at 600 and out with a FAL? If one is REALLY good, knows his ammo, and knows his rifle as well as himself. Elsewise, there are more forgiving platforms. The '14 is one of those.
All this aside, I'm seriously contemplating buying one of those DSA lowers that includes a M16A2 rear sight, and even half-considering a para conversion.
There was a fellow shooter, working hard. His rifle for as many years as I've been married to the M14 is a FAL. By his estimate, he's put 25,000 rounds down the barrels (two barrels, that's cumulative over both). He fires that rifle WELL. Never has scored expert with it though.
One of our mutual friends has 'lovingly coaxed' him to try an M14 several times. This last weekend, it finally worked. The FAL shooter said that he felt like he was betraying his FAL, but opted to use our friend's M14. All he was told was "just do what you've been doing". He hit expert RIGHT THEN.
I love the FAL, but in my mind it's always been closer to a battle rifle than a Rifleman's Rifle. Can one make hits at 600 and out with a FAL? If one is REALLY good, knows his ammo, and knows his rifle as well as himself. Elsewise, there are more forgiving platforms. The '14 is one of those.
All this aside, I'm seriously contemplating buying one of those DSA lowers that includes a M16A2 rear sight, and even half-considering a para conversion.