I want a new rifle, help me decide...

Yeah, I was going to ask you about an adjustable gas block on these machines, So do you still get ripped rims when the brass falls at your feet?

 

And there is both the strength and weakness of the platform! The strength being its absolute speed in cycling, that roller lock bolt is the fastest system yet devised, only problem is dampening it effectively in the space of the rifle! That is partially done with an extra heavy slug of steel milled out and attached to the bolt, and partially with a heay set of recoil springs. An un tuned rifle will beat the snot out of your shoulder and it amplifies the effect of recoil far greater then the chambering normally produces! Tuned and properly dampened, its almost a pussycat to shoot! The German G3 was able to make some improvements to the origional design and it equipped many countries armed forces!

 

The Cetme I had the opportunity to shoot was a tame one. but the recoil pulse felt kind of weird. it almost felt like there was a pogo stick in there. Maybe it's just me.
But it had the fluted chamber and it beat the hell out of the brass.
Still, if someone offered it for purchase for the right price .. i'd be adding another caliber to the collection and try to smuggle it into the house with out Missus VT finding out. .. just gotta get it to the safe .. and she'll never know it wasn't in there before.

 

Adjustable gas system on a familiar gas operated tilting breechblock action, so the FAL is very gentle on brass. It does occasionally make a little ding on the case mouth when the case spins around on ejection and kisses the outside of the receiver. These are easily removed during decapping and sizing.

The rim damage on G3/CETME brass is from the violence of the delayed blowback action. I'm sure some H&K aficionado will be along shortly to give a more detailed tutorial, and to defend the design, but their roller locking system keeps the bolt closed during firing until chamber pressure has dropped to a safe level. The fluted chamber helps "float" the brass (or steel) cartridge to make it more easily removed from the chamber. I have to wonder if a lot of the trouble isn't with the original design, but with the build quality when parts of cut up machine guns are reassembled as semi-auto rifles by the angry beavers at Century Intarnational Arms and others.

 

I continue to hear people say really good things about the FAL, actually, come to think about it, I have never heard anyone say anything bad about one. I almost bought one about a year ago but settle on a PWS instead (long-bolt piston) for a lot of reasons but that was in 5.56 so when I get around to looking for a 7.62 NATO the FAL will be right at the top of the list.

 

The FAL is my favorite battle rifle. Not as easily customized as the AR, but parts are available to make it a more perfect fit for your needs. It's unfortunately outside Tempstar's desired price window nowadays. With a .22 conversion (barrel insert/bolt/magazine) it's a decent squirrel rifle.

 

I live 20 miles from PTR, so a lot of folks have them and I have had many opportunities to fire them. I'm a little turned off by them (Cetme clone). I like a FAL but they are a little large. I'm looking into building what I want as well. This will be transferred to my work truck and back each week and will have to live hidden under the back seat I also know it will get the crap beaten out of it.

 

I like the CETME because of the history. Built in Franco's Spain by German designers that built the SG- 44 and then returned to Germany to make the G-3.

 

Tool up, make some trades with FAL guys who have spares, and build something like this:

With the stock folded it's a pretty compact package.