FAL, HK information PLEASE!

[NWO]

Hello All,

Well, the gun 'BUG' has bitten me as my Wife says. Perhaps she is right.

I recently purchased a MINI-14 that I love, but now I want a 'real' battle rifle.

Many years ago I was fortunate enought to be able to shoot an authentic HK-91 rifle. I immediately fell in love with the gun and vowed that someday I would own one.

Since they were banned from import they have become VERY rare, and EXPENSIVE!

Well of course now that I am actually in the market for one I CANT FIND ANY!

Well, that is not true really. I came across a BEAUTIFUL example of one at the local gun show this past weekend. It was in perfect condition. It looked right and felt right to me until I looked at the $2900.00 price tag. I gingerly put it back down on the table and sadly walked away.

I simply cannot afford that much money, as much as I would like to.

I figure that an original FN-FAL would be the same way.

I do know about the so called 'clones' of these two types of guns so my questions for all of you are these:

Are the 'clones' manufactured NEW, or are they from 'kits' of old guns?

Who makes the 'clones'. Is there more than one source?

Are the 'clones' of good quality, or are they junk?

I know about CENTURY INTERNATIONAL ARMS and the CETME type guns. I have read good things, and I have read bad things. What do I believe?

If I bought one of those (I would like the G-3 rifle) would I have a safe, shootable gun right out of the box, or would I have to struggle with it to work properly?

Do you know of the PTR type rifles? Are they good?

I guess what I am asking all of you is for ANY AND ALL information you could possibly give me on this subject. I need to make an informed decision because I dont want to waste my time or MONEY on a bad gun.

Thank you all SO MUCH!

[Pig Pen]

Getting a CETME to work out of the box is pretty iffy. Mine had canted sights, a messed up mag well, and ejection issues. It runs like a champ now, but it was a pain to fix. It shoots as well as any HK 91/G3 I've ever used, except my CETME has a nicer trigger, and zero recoil. You might want to avoid the CETME, and stick with the HK just becasue it's a LOT easier to locate spare parts for the HK.

If you're wanting to go with a HK 91/G3 style rifle, the latest PTR's seem to be just the ticket. The first 500 or so that had the polygonal rifling and match chamber were having extraction issues, but the new ones are really sweet rifles. Sarco is having a sale on them for only $660 right now. That's a pretty decent price if you really like the HK type guns. PTR sale! (http://www.sarcoinc.com/guns14-4.html)

Getting a good FAL is much easier than getting a good HK. Simply buy a DSA FAL. They run around $900 for the basic model. They should be good to go right out of the box since they build these right. It cost more than the PTR, but these have *lifetime warrantees*. That's a big plus in my book. You can take your chances with a Century Arms FAL for about $600, but be prepared to tinker with it. Atlantic Fireamrs has both.

Almost all of the HK G3 and FAL "clones" are assembled from mismatched, new or used surplus military parts, on a new out of spec USA made receiver. There are a lot of different companies building these kit guns nowadays. Some are excellent, some are horrible. Almost anything with "Century" stamped on it will have problem. They can't even build an AK right. :confused: The PTR and DSA FAL's seem to be done right though. I think they're all built from new or like new parts. They're as "authentic" as you can get since they passed the import ban.
:angry:

Tell the wife about that $2900 HK you turned down- and then tell her that you managed to buy a FAL,($900) a PTR-91,($660) an AK47($350) and built an AR-15($650) for LESS than the price of that ONE HK! She'll be so proud of your wise, and thrifty spending, she won't mind you spending that $2600 on guns!
:D

[GREYBEAR]

Yeah! What Pig Pen said.

:beer: :rapid:

[surbat6]

What Pig Pen said, goes for me, too. The DSA FAL's are awesome. Some articles I've read rate the DSA FAL better than the FN version ( more durable receivers) my son-in-law has an STG58 put together with a select surplus parts kit, a DSA receiver and the necessary USA-made compliance parts. It's at least as sweet as my son's pre-ban Springfield SAR48, or my (recently sold) full-auto SAR48HBar. Regarding other HK and FN clones, you'll likely get what you pay for. Many use surplus parts coupled with new receivers, and the US-made compliance parts may or may not be total crap. The cheap ones often require a bit (or a LOT) of work to function right. I don't have any experience with the PTR, so I can't help you there.

[GREYBEAR]

The one thing I will add, is that from all I have heard and seen the PTR-91 is one fine rifle.
If I hadn't bought my CETME, I would have one as I feel more comfortable holding and shooting this as to the FAL. As I have mentioned in a nother post, the best thing you can do is find a range that has these to shoot, try them and then see which you like best. You can always spend the rest of your $$ on ammo. ;)

:beer: :rapid:

[NWO]

Hello All,

Well I thank you for all the information you have given me. It is something to think about.

However, I have decided NOT to purchase any of the HK type 'clones'. This includes the CETMES, the PTR's, the SAR's, and all the rest.

I got to thinking that they are all just copies of what I REALLY want. Be they good copies, or bad ones, they are not 'the real thing'.

I think I am just going to save my money for a real HK-91, or G3, if I ever find another one. That is the only battle rifle I really want.

I just dont see spending allot of money on a 'clone' and not being really happy with it. I know the HK will be allot more expensive, but I will be happy about owning an authentic one and not a copy.

Besides, I cant really afford ANY gun right now. I have purchased FOUR guns in the last two months anyway. My Wife is getting kind of irked with me!

My latest is a brand new MINI-14 that I just love.

I can wait for a real HK.

Thanks everyone!

[GREYBEAR]

Actually the H&K is the copy, the CETME was developed first after WWII, then the H&K was made. <_<

:beer: :rapid:

[NWO]

Well to me, the HK is the shizzle.
It is the only one I really want, and I know that it is a quality weapon.

I can wait for one.

[RoosterTac]

NWO, here's one for you to look at.

http://www.falfiles.com/forums/showthread....threadid=127621 (http://www.falfiles.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=127621)

[NWO]

Originally posted by RoosterTac@Dec 7 2004, 09:28 PM
NWO, here's one for you to look at.

http://www.falfiles.com/forums/showthread....threadid=127621 (http://www.falfiles.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=127621)
Hi RoosterTac,

Thanks for the link to that one for sale! I think Ill pass on it though. I really want to be able to hold, and inspect the gun that I may buy.
Buying something that expensive with only pictures and text description is pretty risky to me.

I just MAY have a line on an HK 91 here locally, so I am keeping my fingers crossed. VERY crossed!

Thanks!