I say the FNFAL is the greatest battle rifle of all time. Prove me wrong.

[fnfalguy]

Wanting to start a gun thread here, go figure.

My position (as you can guess, slightly biased) is that the FNFAL and its variants are the greatest battle rifle of all times. The definition that I am using for a battle rifle is an autoloading military service rifle chambered to fire a fully powered cartridge. So what is a fully powered cartridge you may now ask. Well, a fully powered cartridge (or full-sized cartridge) is a type of rifle cartridge capable of being used interchangeably between service rifles, sniper rifles, and general purpose machine guns. It was originally a retronym for rifle cartridges used prior to, during, and immediately after World War II. Examples include the 7.62×51mm NATO, .30-06 Springfield, 7.62×54mmR, .303 British, 7.92×57mm Mauser, 7×57mm Mauser or 8mm Lebel cartridges.

So why the FNFAL you say? Wide spread adoption, 90+ countries, 60 years+ of use, used by both sides in one conflict (Falklands) and an elegant design. And for those of you who will suggest the M14 is the greatest battle rifle. Well, you are wrong and we probably cannot be friends.

 

[Karpteach]

I concur with you on the FNAL. In the 80’s while serving I had a chance to hold and shoot many. The Rhoddesian model is one if my dream rifles

 

[GUNSICK]

Had a L1A1 and it was the softest shooting and accurate military auto loader I’ve owned.

 

[dsdmmat]

You have obviously lost your mind. Gen George Patton declared the M1 Garand was the finest battlefield rifle of all time. Everything after that is just hoping to live up to its glory.

 

[prambo]

Have to go with the FAL.

 

[togmaster]

But but 'merica.

 

[JaguarJaguarGolf]

The FNFAL for me has always been the battle rifle I shoot best off hand, open sights, out to 300 yards.

 

[ArmedCorgi]

Definitely not the prettiest.

 

[218bee]

Had a like-new metric Belgian Match 50:00, that I bought from John Jovino gun shop in lower manhattan, the week before they were banned in the 5 boroughs. (Early 90's?).. paid $1600.. Kept it for many years. Used to literally draw a crowd when I brought it to Blue Mountain range. Sold it during a momentary lapse of judgment. Might be one of the top 3 dumbest things I've ever done. Should have been tipped off when the buyer from out west said, "dude, why the hell are you selling this"?

 

[dsdmmat]

When I was younger I wanted the HK91 and 93 never got one. Around 27 years ago I picked up my First AR15, SKS and AK47 type rifles and still have My original AKs to this day. About 12 years ago I got an M1A, 8 years ago I got a Garand and 6 years ago I got an LRB M25 (Fancy M1A) all of them are fun to shoot. I make and build my own AR 308s and have been for about 8 years. The AR10 in 6.5 Creedmoor is probably the finest big semi I have ever shot. Even my big ARs in 308 are very accurate and easy to to manipulate. While they are all heavy as hell I they would be my go to rifles for urban combat. I am not young anymore and my tactics have changed over the years. I am no door kicker but I can lock down an intersection if need be.

I never have had an FNFAL in my hand cannot say anything good or bad about them. I am sure they are fine rifles for what they were designed. With all of my experience being in other type rifles it would be hard to convince me they were the best battlefield rifle of all times.

 

[FRB]

Interesting read on this subject (one I had zero knowledge of until right now). Looks like this is not an easy build, so how could it be the best battle rifle?

An Official Journal Of The NRA | The FN FAL: 5 Facts You Might Not Know

There's a lot to learn about the FN FAL, one of the best battle rifles of the 20th century. Here are a few facts you may not have heard before.

www.americanrifleman.org

 

[SomeSoldier]

AK

 

[meketrefe]

The FAL served its purpose at the time, reliable and in a popular service cartridge, and filled a role but it is not the best design
ever and why its lineage was lost. I actually like it but I am also quite pragmatic about design principals.
I mean almost every single popular firearm has influenced another posterior model or a generation of firearms.
That is why I think "the greatest battle rifle" is a rather arbitrary type of discussion subject to lots of opinion based positions
whether you are taking from historical perspective, cost, accuracy, etc...

 

[Robin]

As much as I like the M-14, I freely admit the FAL is the better gun, hands down. Best of all time? I'm not so sure about that.
Robin

 

[Steal2B]

M1 no doubt, the rifle I qualified / medal as Expert at 500 yards without corrective lenses has got to be a gift from the heavens.

As I recall, I scored damn close to 350 and only needed 305 for Expert and couldn't really see. It's not skill it's the rifle.

 

[Donniehotts]

I concur as well

 

[Plater1]

I built an L1A1 years ago on a Enterprise receiver and a British parts kit. It shot fine. It's a good rifle but i'm not sure i can say "best of all time"?

 

[Edwardteach72]

AK

Isn't a battle rifle

 

[Edwardteach72]

I love the FAL but it's a hard call for me next to the G3

 

[fnfalguy]

Ill throw out a couple of thoughts. The collapsible stock on the HK91 is probably one of the most uncomfortable cheek welds I have ever experienced. Having shot the FAL, a G3 and a M14 using a giggle switch, I found the FAL as the most controllable. To be fair, I had minimal time with M1A or M14 prior to that. I’ve owned both a CETME and HK91 so I’m familiar with that platform.

I will add that the Garand is a lovely rifle, but the 8 rd en bloc vs. a 20 rd mag?

I’ve personally built or helped folks build a few dozen FALs and it is quite a step up from an AR build.

 

[fnfalguy]

@meketrefe you are 100% accurate that it is an arbitrary title, but shhhh, it’s actually a gun related thread

 

[Edwardteach72]

Ill throw out a couple of thoughts. The collapsible stock on the HK91 is probably one of the most uncomfortable cheek welds I have ever experienced. Having shot the FAL, a G3 and a M14 using a giggle switch, I found the FAL as the most controllable. To be fair, I had minimal time with M1A or M14 prior to that. I’ve owned both a CETME and HK91 so I’m familiar with that platform.

I will add that the Garand is a lovely rifle, but the 8 rd en bloc vs. a 20 rd mag?

I’ve personally built or helped folks build a few dozen FALs and it is quite a step up from an AR build.

It's funny you bring up the giggle switch

 

[SomeSoldier]

Isn't a battle rifle

The AK is not a standard issue battle rifle of Russia?

 

[GOPerfect]

I am a huge fan of the M4. Sorry, I know it is boring, but I love all about the platform.

 

[Edwardteach72]

The AK is not a standard issue battle rifle of Russia?

Not a battle rifle nope

 

[Edwardteach72]

The AK is not a standard issue battle rifle of Russia?

Last Battle rifle Russia used would have been the short lived SVT-40

 

[meketrefe]

@meketrefe you are 100% accurate that it is an arbitrary title, but shhhh, it’s actually a gun related thread

Oh, gun related thread on this forum? How dare you?!!! lol

 

[Edwardteach72]

@fnfalguy not to much FAL in this video but some.

 

[Podmonkey]

Well @Edwardteach72 beat me to it but the above is a good counterpoint. Also define "battle rilfe" if the definition includes the Garand then it must be considered as a strong contender in the running.
For that matter, by which criteria are we using to determine what is "best"? Historical significance? Production totals, adoption rates and total dispersion? Raw performance? Or a combination of all these things? If longevity is a criterion then the G3 certainly must be considered as it is still in use by several services.

 

[Robin]

That guy shooting the G3 and FAL says the FAL was easier to control but my observation before he said that was that he had a tougher time controlling the FAL.
Robin