Took my new FAL to the range last night
Last night I made time to take my new FAL to the range. The range was really hot and my glasses kept fogging over, which is the excuse I will choose for my poor accuracy.
Initially my shots were grouping under 2″ at 25 meters, but way low from the point of aim. I had to turn the front sight three full turns (clockwise, which is opposite the AR-15 adjustment direction for raising the point of impact) but finally started hitting roughly the point of aim. My accuracy was still pretty bad, with a 3″ group at 25 meters firing from standing, and 2″ from benchrest, but the shooting conditions were far from ideal. Now that I’ve got it zeroed I’ll go back again and see how it performs.
I put 100 rounds through it in about 40 minutes, and man did the barrel get hot. By the last magazine, the fore grip was too hot to touch, and I had to hold the gun by the mag well. Hopefully six weeks from now DSA will finish the quad rail handguard, so I can attach a vertical fore grip and avoid the whole mess.
Finally I would just note that I never understood before the M1A and Garand guys who looked upon the AR-15 with such disdain, calling them ‘poodle-shooters’ and such. I still think you have to be a real prick fanboy to make fun of guns other than the ones you like, but I do finally understand the feeling of superiority that comes from firing a heavier cartridge. There’s something about knowing your gun turns cinder blocks and huge tree stumps from cover to concealment that makes you want to ridicule the guy next to you shooting an AR-15.