For years, I lusted after a Springfield M-1A. I knew I wanted a .308 battle rifle.
However, after trying to save up for a Springfield for several years, I discovered FALs.
I went the route of buying a parts kit and an Imbel reciever and building the rifle.
The only thing a gunsmith did for me was to attach the barrel to the receiver and headsapce it.
I put every other piece on that rifle, and the kit was broken down all the way to the roll pins. Every spring, pin, magazine release, handguard, buttstock screw, everything on the rifle I put there, except for screwing the barrel into the receiver.
For the same price as a Springfield, I built a FAL, bought a ton of 20 round mags, and 500 rounds of ammo along with a British pattern SUIT scope, which is a 4X prismatic combat scope....not a precision scope, but a visual aid to assist combat style shooting out to 600 yards.
Battle rifles are not precision rifles. Battle rifles are designed to get hits on man-sized targets out to 600 or so yards.
I love my FAL.
And you can find 20 round mags for as little as $5 a piece!!!!!!
Try picing M-1A or M-14 mags. Hopefully, that will change once the AW Ban sunsets.
But my FAL will shoot, with military surplus ammo, about 2.5 inch groups off the bench at 100 yards if I do my part.
I have not tried any other ammo as I think a 2.5 or 3 MOA battle rifle is plenty good. If you can hit a gallon milk jug at 300 yards, that's 4 MOA shooting.
hillbilly