More FAL adventures...

[ny32182]

For those of you who have been following my issues with my SA-58 (thanks again) here is an update.

I hit the range today with 120 rounds of the following: Aussie surplus, and two Walmart specials: Remington CorLokt 150gr SP and Winchester SuperX 150gr SP. 80 rounds of it was Aussie Surplus.

Since my last range session, I have polished the underside of the rails in the receiver, and added a taller L1A1 style rear sight.

I decided to completely redial in the gas. I set it all the way back to "7", expecting failures. I slapped in one of my two tight mags, chambered the top round, set the new rear sight at 200 meters, didn't touch the front sight (it is a #1 bottomed out, from where I had to have it before), flipped off the safety, exhaled, and squeezed.

To my extreme surprise, the spent case was ejected, and the next round loaded. Fired another round... same result. At that point, I unloaded the rifle, topped off the mag, and went down range.

I didn't hit paper. I *raised* the front sight (something I'm not used to doing). Fired two more rounds, from one of my two topped off "tight" mags. Still way high, but on paper.

This process continued for about 60 rounds, before I finally experienced a failure to eject. Cleared it with a rack of the charging handle, fired two more rounds, then set the gas to "5" and left it there for the rest of the session with no more failures. ....I'm still in shock that I fired ~60 rounds off the top of my two tightest mags (stopped to top them off every two rounds) with the gas on "7" before a single failure occured.

After getting the sights dialed in to my satisfaction (had to adjust the windage ever so slightly as well, after replacing the rear sight) I fired some semi-rapid strings, then let the rifle cool, and fired these with my last 5 rounds of each ammo brand. I was sitting on a bench, with the forearm rested on a cardboard clay pigeon box, stock shouldered, iron sights, 100 yards:







New rear sight:



Pre-range trip picture:



In conclusion, I can only declare my polishing job and new rear sight to be complete successes. I guess if I ever start reloading, I can use "7" as my "pretty brass" range setting, and "5" as the reliability setting.

I'm also all out of ammo. I'm going to get a sample of SA, and if it looks good I'll order a case.

Also shot some 10mm... it was a good day.

 

[kfranz]

Glad to hear things went well.

 

[ny32182]

I think it did...

There were some better groups fired with that Aussie as well; that just happened to be what I did with the last five rounds.

 

[warth0g]

Good shooting there!

I am myself looking for a better rear sight for my L1 A1, also the front sight sight is nearly out of threads.

I zeroed the rifle at 100 meters, instead of 300 yards. Still when I put the rear sight two "notches" up I did hit the target at 286 meters.
What kind of rear sight are you using, and do you find it better than the original? I would like a rear sight with a smaller hole than the original, for long range, but I kind of like the original for work up to say 70-80 meters/80-90 yards.

warthog

 

[Bwana John]

I'm going to get a sample of SA, and if it looks good I'll order a case.

Only one case?
Id also try Port, Hirt, RG, N.Z.(DAG), LC, or Malaysian. At least a case of each
I'd stay away from Indian.
Also be aware there are 2 different "SA". One is Mil-spec and marked R1, the other is modern commercial and marked PMP.

Did you ever try to contact DSA and see if they want to "make it right" (i.e. free new rear sight) with your rifle? With the price you paid for it the sights "should" have been able to be regulated right out of the box.

P.S. Didnt you want it Zeroed ~2" high @ 100 yds, on the 200 m setting?

WarthOg: looks like you have the oppisite problem as TTBB, you need the "short" metric rear sight. I think TTBB got his hooded match style one from DSA.

 

[DMK]

Glad you got your FAL working good.

Once you run a hundred rounds or so through it to break it in, you may want to use the FN factory recommended procedure to set the gas system:

1) Open the gas valve all the way.

2) Load a mag with just one round and fire it.

3) The mag should lock open. If it doesn't, close the gas valve one or two clicks then repeat step 2.

4) Once the bolt locks open repeatedly, close the gas valve two more clicks for added reliability.

You can get a manual here and here

 

[ny32182]

Warthog, I'm using DSA's taller rear sight. It worked well for me.

From my recent experience, I would say that the first thing you need is a shorter rear sight... that should let you lower your front sight a bit.

As far as that gas procedure goes: Obviously the people at FN know a lot more than I do, but... I doubt mine would work every time on "6". Maybe I'll give it a try sometime and see how long it runs. It will lock open all day long with an empty mag and the gas valve wide open, but the problem comes when the mag is full, and there is a lot more resistance to the rearward travel of the carrier.

 

[Bwana John]

TTBB
I have also found that the amount of gas needed changes with how you hold the rifle, I set the gas with the rifle held as loosely as is safe, from the hip for the best reliability.

PS- do you know "The Pogo" for getting a case out that does not eject? It involves "bounceing" the butt of the rifle on the ground while trying to retract the charging handle at the same time. Its the only way to clear a empty brass that has half way extracted then been jammed back into the chamber because of not enough rearward motion of the bolt to eject. (this happens without enough gas).

 

[ny32182]

Hmm... I've never needed to do the "pogo". All my problems before the rail polish were feeding problems... empty case would eject, but the bolt would get hung up on the rim of the next cartridge. Enough gas solved this problem through brute force. My only malf on Tuesday was a failure to eject, but the bolt didn't return forward. I'm not sure what was holding it open, actually. I assume the carrier just didn't make it back far enough for the case to hit the ejector. The extractor was still holding the rim of the case.

Anyhow, it ejects halfway accross the firing line on "5" now, so I think its in good shape.

 

[Bwana John]

Anyhow, it ejects halfway accross the firing line on "5" now

Close it all the way down and you can attack it two directions at once.

 

[ny32182]

attack in two directions

I've heard you can pretty much do exactly that with an HK91.

 

[Bwana John]

It is somthing to think about at the public range, to be polite I try to use the far right position so Im not showering folks with hot brass.
For High Power Service Rifle compititions, however I try to get the far left position, so no one is showering ME with hot brass.
Im glad your rifle is making you happy, by the size of your groups you got a shooter. Remember that pogo thing though, sooner or later with different ammo, or a dirty gas system, or cold temps you will get a Failure to Eject, and because of the way the bolt locks up without a camming motion it is the only way to clear it short of banging on the charging handle with a 2X4.

 

[ny32182]

A shooter? Is that good or bad? The rifle wasn't super-well-rested, and I have no professional rifle training, so if the groups are big, I wouldn't be to quick to blame the gun. They are still better than I expected, given that many people compare FAL accuracy to AK accuracy. I don't shoot much, if any, better than that with my 20" Bushy. I've never run any real high quality ammo through it though.

The hardest ejecting rifle I've ever seen is my buddy's mini14. It will throw brass with serious velocity straight across 8 lanes and into the woods on the other side of the range. I wouldn't want to get pelted with a case from that thing.

 

[Bwana John]

A shooter? Is that good or bad?

That is good. 5 shots into ~2" @ 100 yds is outstanding for a FAL, especially shot off a "old clay pigon box".
Try making sandbag out of the cut off legs of old jeans, and fill with lead shot, pea gravel, or pinto beans. Two under the forearm, one under the heal of the buttstock, and one between the buttpad and your shoulder.

If you fill them with pinto beans DO NOT let them get wet.

 

[John Deere]

Warthog, You need the sight that ttbadboy is using (DSA tall match sight). It is shorter than your L1A1 sight, but taller than a metric rear sight. Regards, Bill

 

[usp_fan]

ttbadboy,

Is that DSA's match sight or a stock inch patern sight?

What did it run you if you don't mind me asking. I've got a carbine that needs a taller rear sight.

Thanks,

--usp_fan

 

[ny32182]

The part I ordered was 110B in this diagram:

http://www.dsarms.com/item-detail.cfm?ID=110C&storeid=1&image=rearsightbelghood.gif

I used my existing ramp, which I believe is different from a stock L1A1 ramp, but not sure. It says .052" aperature. I don't know if that qualifies as a match sight or not.