FN versus G3 versus M1A

[280man]

I get a little confused about the pros and cons of these three rifles.

I am inclined to get a US assembled HK 91 or some variant thereof..

BUT! a guy at work is trying to sell a Fulton Armory assembled M1a... always wanted one of those for about 12 years... but the cost!

Then of course the good old FN and the inexpensive mags...

Can someone give me an objective rundown on the pros and cons of the three. Money is always a prob...

[GREYBEAR]

About a year ago GUNTEST Magazine did a test of all three of these.308 BRs. There were two of each, the M14/M1s were a Springfiedl Armory and a Polytech copy. The FALs were an Argentine FAL and a British L1A1, the G3/HK91s were a Greek built and a German built.
The results were that both the M1s shot the best with the least problems, the FALs came in 2nd then the G3s.The costs were also given, the M14/M1s were between $500-1400. The FALs were $500-1000, and the HKs were both at $1800.
It will all depend on what can be afforded, and what feels good. Personnally I went with a CETME for the cost and feel, eventually I'll get an M1, but for now...

:beer: :rapid:

[AR15_Fanatic]

Greybear gave a pretty good summary on this subject. Ultimately, it is up to what works and feels right for you. I would probably say that the M1A is the most accurate of all these guns (not to bad mouth the FAL - its still a very good rifle and shoots exceptional). G3s / HK 91s are also nice guns as well (as are practically any other weapons built by Heckler and Koch!). Heck, if I had the cash, I'd buy all three! If you like the FAL the best, but are turned off by the thermoplastic furniture standard on the FAL rifles, check out Bill's VERY NICE wooden furniture that he custom built for his Stg 58 as seen in the FAL gallery in this forum!

[280man]

HEY! Y'all thanks a million for the informative replies. MAN! I would have bet the HK would have outshot them all, from what I have heard about outstanding HK quality. Real interesting! Maybe an FAL is in my future after all...

Its primarily the issue of inexpensive hi-cap reliable mags...

[GREYBEAR]

You can get Hi-Cap mags for all of the rifles, the thing is the price. One thing I would recommened is that you go to a gun store or show and see which rifle feels good and comfortable in your hands. If possible find a range that rents out rifle to shoot to weekenders, where I live there are at least 2 ranges that cater in this manner to the tourists. Also with the FAL, for mags you have to remember that some mags are metric and some british inch and won't be compatable.

:beer: :rapid:

[AR15_Fanatic]

Yeah you can't beat the prices on those FAL 20 rounders. I think that's the big reason that Bushmaster's new quasi-AR-10 .308s were designed to accept the FAL mag.

[SCCogswell]

Having lived with (and shot a bunch) a Standard M1A, a Bush Rifle (18" M1A), a PolyTech M-14S, 2 CETMEs and G-3 clone from Century Arms, and 3 FALs, I'd personally go for the FAL.
The M-14 design is certainly robust and accurate, but the mags are expensive and it's pretty much a "get what you see" proposition: no easy customization. Given that it is really a product improved Garand (a 1930s design), it has that old fashioned solid feel of a serious rifle.
The CETME/G-3 as done by Century is a pretty decent, inexpensive, full-power rifle with fairly good reliability and decent accuracy. That said, it's about as handy as a tuba and has all the personality of a toaster. I haven't really warmed to a Germanic design since the M98 Mauser.
The FAL is to the 7.62 battlerifle world what the AR-15 is to the mousegun world: you can have it your way pretty easily. If you decide later you don't like the configuration, it also changes easily. Like the AR-15, you can build one with a few tools and a minimum of mechanical aptitude. Parts are still readily available and cheap, and mags are damn near free. FALs are probably not as accurate as the M-14/M1A, but unless you regularly shoot @ 600m, you won't notice. The ergonomics and ease of maintenance are worlds better than the G-3, and even a bit better than the M-14. There's a reason 90 countries bought 'em.
Basically, the $$ math works out to (1) M1A = (2) FALs = (3) CETMEs; for dollar value the FAL wins hands down.

Easy answer: take the $ you would have spent on the Fulton Armory M1A and buy a SA Standard model M1A and build a FAL. You may even have enough left over for one of Century Arm's CETMEs (or a buncha magazines).

[surbat6]

I shot the M14 in the Marines and since, as a civilian...Great rifle, accurate and reliable. The only mags worth the space they take up are the surplus military ones (around here, figure $60 apiece). Some (but not all) of the Chinese M14 clones have poorly heat-treated receivers and durability may be a problem.

I have owned an HK91 since '79 and, except for flinging the fired brass into the next zip code, have ZERO problems with function or reliability. Also reasonably accurate. It fires all kinds of .308 and 7.62 NATO ammunition and reloads without a hitch. It even worked great with a cheapo after-market 30-round mag I bought out of curiosity. Good mags are probably as cheap right now as they'll ever be, often around $5 for mags identical to ones costing $20 - $35 a few years back.

I've owned 2 FAL's (actually SA SAR48's), a standard semi-auto and a heavy-barrelled select-fire model. I had a couple of minor malfunctions with them at first, but since breaking them in (around 500 rounds for most semi-auto pistols or rifles), they have worked fine. I'd estimate accuracy on a par with the M14 or M1A. And, as stated before, mags for these are dirt cheap right now, for those who shop around a bit.

Unfortunately, I haven't owned or shot any of the current (post-'86) versions of any of these rifles or their clones, but gather from other shooters that quality varies greatly, even within the same manufacturer.

If you have the opportunity, handle examples of all 3 rifles to see how they feel to you (you'll shoot better with a rifle that fits) and how the safety and charging handle work for you. When you narrow your choice down to one type, go looking for a well-made example by a reputable manufacturer or gunsmith.