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The Legend of "Ole Dirty" and FAL story (15,000 rounds without a clean)
This is the tale of Ole Dirty the Texas Legend. Contents of this post was taken from the FALfiles Forum. This rifle has gone 15,000 rounds without a clean, oiling only.
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James decided that he would conduct a duration experiment just to see how long a standard post ban FAL rifle could go without a cleaning of any kind. The rifle started life as a nice StG 58 kit built on an Imbel receiver with a DSA fake long Belgian flash hider and a spray can camo finish. Since I have known James, the rifle has always been very reliable and accurate and really one of his favorite firearms.
The experiment started as a challange to see if a FAL could withstand continued abuse and filthiness that a less robust rifle could only dream of. Ol' Dirty has had over 15,000 rounds of various surplus ammo fired through it without a cleaning. The chamber area has an incredibly nasty build-up of carbon (it actually now has an almost solid carbon feed ramp). The gas plug is pretty much frozen up from carbon fouling and I don't think the piston has been seen for some time now. The rifle still cycles perfectly and the accuracy is as good as ever. I have shot my rifles against this rifle many times and it is tough if not impossible to beat. Accurate shot placement out to 400 and 500 yards is common for James and Ol' Dirty.
It just goes to prove what the FAL can accomplish under the most extremely filthy conditions.
Update: I have been informed that this was never intended to be an experiment but that James just doesn't like to clean his rifles.
20 days into the test James finally decided to give Ol' Dirty a bath. A quick dunk into the nearest mud puddle should do the trick.
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Soak cycle.
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Drip Dry
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Blowing out the water, minnows and crud. Ol' Dirty is good for another 3000 rounds (and ofcourse as we later found out, much much more)
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At about the 9000 round count
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Lube on all the wear surfaces. 10,880 rds so far. Last 5-600 rounds there has been about 5 jams where the case did not extract all the way and was caught by the bolt closing. Also one where the case was stuck in the chamber and it ripped the rim off. Never had the problem of the case sticking and only when it was dry did the case not make it out. I've been trying not to do anything to it but if this keeps up I'll have to start looking for the cause. Here's a picture of the bolt and carrier.James
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It can only get so dirty and then it cleans it self, if you know what I mean. Sometimes it looks dirtier than other times. As I lube and shoot it crap falls off and then get added back on. If you have a chrome bore on your AK I don't think you have to worry about shooting the bore out on it. James
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Handguard exhaust at 13,000+ rounds
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Bolt at 13,000 + rounds
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OK here is my latest grouping done today 1-6-2008. It was very windy today and the sun was making my rear sight a little hazy so between that and the wind I'm surprised I got this. I did a little sighting in first and when I thought it was about right I covered all the holes and put on a 3" dot.
I don't know what happened on the first shot that is way high but the next four ended up pretty good. Back in November of 2003 Tex shot a 2" group with Ol' Dirty at the Turkey Day shoot at Gibsons. That was about 9000 rounds ago so I guess the barrel hasn't really changed. If I had the sun to my back and the wind wasn't blowing so hard I might could have done a little better.
With the cost of ammo what it is nowdays I don't think I will be shooting 9000 rounds during the next four years so it might be awhile till I get the total up a significant amount.
James
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Almost 15,000 rounds
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Notice the rusted hole in gas tube, but yet she still shoots
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This is the tale of Ole Dirty the Texas Legend. Contents of this post was taken from the FALfiles Forum. This rifle has gone 15,000 rounds without a clean, oiling only.
____________________________________________________________
James decided that he would conduct a duration experiment just to see how long a standard post ban FAL rifle could go without a cleaning of any kind. The rifle started life as a nice StG 58 kit built on an Imbel receiver with a DSA fake long Belgian flash hider and a spray can camo finish. Since I have known James, the rifle has always been very reliable and accurate and really one of his favorite firearms.
The experiment started as a challange to see if a FAL could withstand continued abuse and filthiness that a less robust rifle could only dream of. Ol' Dirty has had over 15,000 rounds of various surplus ammo fired through it without a cleaning. The chamber area has an incredibly nasty build-up of carbon (it actually now has an almost solid carbon feed ramp). The gas plug is pretty much frozen up from carbon fouling and I don't think the piston has been seen for some time now. The rifle still cycles perfectly and the accuracy is as good as ever. I have shot my rifles against this rifle many times and it is tough if not impossible to beat. Accurate shot placement out to 400 and 500 yards is common for James and Ol' Dirty.
It just goes to prove what the FAL can accomplish under the most extremely filthy conditions.
Update: I have been informed that this was never intended to be an experiment but that James just doesn't like to clean his rifles.
20 days into the test James finally decided to give Ol' Dirty a bath. A quick dunk into the nearest mud puddle should do the trick.
Soak cycle.
Drip Dry
Blowing out the water, minnows and crud. Ol' Dirty is good for another 3000 rounds (and ofcourse as we later found out, much much more)
At about the 9000 round count
Lube on all the wear surfaces. 10,880 rds so far. Last 5-600 rounds there has been about 5 jams where the case did not extract all the way and was caught by the bolt closing. Also one where the case was stuck in the chamber and it ripped the rim off. Never had the problem of the case sticking and only when it was dry did the case not make it out. I've been trying not to do anything to it but if this keeps up I'll have to start looking for the cause. Here's a picture of the bolt and carrier.James
It can only get so dirty and then it cleans it self, if you know what I mean. Sometimes it looks dirtier than other times. As I lube and shoot it crap falls off and then get added back on. If you have a chrome bore on your AK I don't think you have to worry about shooting the bore out on it. James
Handguard exhaust at 13,000+ rounds
Bolt at 13,000 + rounds
OK here is my latest grouping done today 1-6-2008. It was very windy today and the sun was making my rear sight a little hazy so between that and the wind I'm surprised I got this. I did a little sighting in first and when I thought it was about right I covered all the holes and put on a 3" dot.
I don't know what happened on the first shot that is way high but the next four ended up pretty good. Back in November of 2003 Tex shot a 2" group with Ol' Dirty at the Turkey Day shoot at Gibsons. That was about 9000 rounds ago so I guess the barrel hasn't really changed. If I had the sun to my back and the wind wasn't blowing so hard I might could have done a little better.
With the cost of ammo what it is nowdays I don't think I will be shooting 9000 rounds during the next four years so it might be awhile till I get the total up a significant amount.
James
Almost 15,000 rounds
Notice the rusted hole in gas tube, but yet she still shoots
