Can you run an FAL as fast as an AR?

General Firearms Other Semi-Automatic Rifles
1

A couple of mates and I decided to have some fun at the range yesterday, and ended up shooting the Viking Tactics 1-5 Rifle drill; 3 targets at 5 meters with 15 rounds.

We were trying to see if you could run a FAL as fast as an AR…

Both FAL and AR15 have 16" barrels and A2 flash hiders, both are shooting mil spec ammo 150gr and 55gr respectively.

Click pics for youtube video

[b]VTAC 1-5 Rifle drill with 16" 5.56 AR15[/b]

[b]VTAC 1-5 Rifle drill with 16" .308 FAL[/b]

For comparison I also shot it was a 10.5" AR15 with A2 flash hider.
[b]VTAC 1-5 Rifle drill with 10.5" 5.56 AR15[/b]

even shot it with a Glock 19
[b]VTAC 1-5 Rifle drill with Glock 19[/b]

Not at all scientific but interesting none the less. These runs (out of several) had good hits in the A zone on an IPSC target.

Fastest run of the day was with the .308 FAL…

Cameron

2

Good stuff!

It looks like the FAL’s notoriously bad trigger was making itself known in the last 5, but great stuff all around.

3

Nice working that FAL.

I’m always amused at how people that shoot FALs regularly don’t seem to be bothered by the notorious FAL trigger.

4

For full disclosure the FAL has a Bill Springfield trigger job, 4lbs and very very short travel.

Cameron

5

Wow, I need some work on my FAL. Went to a little shooting get together with Marshall Dodge and Chadbag in November and I was about .75 slower with the FAL than the 10.5". No trigger improvements on the FAL though. Still, nice work Cameron.

6

Great shooting! (for a kiwi ;))

Nah, really, great shooting.

7

Interesting to see the times pretty similar between the four.

Conventional wisdom says the “high recoil” 308 should be slower than the 556 in a CQB scenario.

Thoughts?

8

Interesting but not totally surprising. I’ve seen a highly trained individual run a Mk 17 with pretty much the same speed and precision as his M4. Not that it’s easy. Very nice shooting Cameron.

9

Unless I’m way out in the desert, I don’t get to run my FAL like that (or my AR for that matter). I am enjoying shooting the FAL with my H1 sight. It is easy to shoot quickly and accurately.

Thanks for posting the videos.:slight_smile:

10

I think this thread is in line with some of my concerns about range as laboratory, but…

I ran a 16" DSA FAL for a few years in action shooting matches of various types. Essentially IDPA with long guns. Most stages were “CQB-like”. I was able to be competitive, but the manipulations on reloads were a problem when required. There were other concerns, but strictly speaking the microcosm of shot-to-shot wasn’t noticeably affected other than by the pretty atrocious trigger. I moved on from the FAL due to manipulations, load carriage, rising ammo costs, and lack of support for things like accessory mounting. This was nearly 10 years ago now, so some things have certainly improved.