With about 500 rounds down range with this rifle now, i feel pretty confident in giving it a fair review, so here goes.
Before we get too deep, i want to talk a bit about what it took to get this rifle. DSA quoted me a 4 month wait time. I will also note I had them also do their speed trigger upgrade to the rifle. In the same order, a friend ordered an 18" BRS rifle, with the same trigger job
On month 4, we received shipping notification for the BRS rifle, they said they were waiting on the bipod. For the next several months i tried several times (through call and email) to just ship the rifle without the bipod, to no avail. At about 8 1/2 months, I talked to them through Arfcom, and managed to get them to ship the rifle without the bipod.
So at 9 months, i get the rifle, with the bipod.
Whatever.
As it came
As i made it
60 rounds in, i have my first issue, the right rear sight screw head shears off. I also have the buffer tube unthread, which kinks up the recoil spring pretty bad. Fortunately i was able to fix these issues when they happened. Since then i have had no issues, outside of getting the gas system tuned, or crappy surplus mags
Ergonomics, good. The selector is a stretch, but aside from that, the standard FAL is real hard to beat. Not quite as good as an AR, but very good.
The bolt catch is right where your thumb is when changing a mag
Mag release is right in front of your trigger finger
Trigger, if its standard, its bad. DSA's speed trigger is good, though not as good as an M1 trigger. Standard FAL triggers are at least 9lbs, the DSA speed trigger drops it to around 5lbs. Reset is good and tactile.
Sights, OK. Better than an AK, or PTR. Not as good as an M1, this is due to the fact the front and rear sight sights are on separate receiver halves. According to the manual, the rear sight adjustment is 1cm at 100m, or *roughly* a little over a quarter of an inch at 100 yards. The front sight post is quite large, and nearly covers a 13"x19" target at 100 yards.
Accuracy. For a combat rifle with a chrome lined barrel? Fine. My average group size with Malaysian M80 surplus is around 3" to 4" at 50 yards
That group was cut short by a certain broken screw
With M118LR, group size is around 2" to 3" I would like to try other, better loads, but sourcing them... Has been an issue.
Group size would improve should i mount an optic (and became a better shooter), but as it sits, i am happy with the rifle. Should you get one, i do recommend keeping some spare parts around should something break.
Before we get too deep, i want to talk a bit about what it took to get this rifle. DSA quoted me a 4 month wait time. I will also note I had them also do their speed trigger upgrade to the rifle. In the same order, a friend ordered an 18" BRS rifle, with the same trigger job
On month 4, we received shipping notification for the BRS rifle, they said they were waiting on the bipod. For the next several months i tried several times (through call and email) to just ship the rifle without the bipod, to no avail. At about 8 1/2 months, I talked to them through Arfcom, and managed to get them to ship the rifle without the bipod.
So at 9 months, i get the rifle, with the bipod.
Whatever.
As it came
As i made it
60 rounds in, i have my first issue, the right rear sight screw head shears off. I also have the buffer tube unthread, which kinks up the recoil spring pretty bad. Fortunately i was able to fix these issues when they happened. Since then i have had no issues, outside of getting the gas system tuned, or crappy surplus mags
Ergonomics, good. The selector is a stretch, but aside from that, the standard FAL is real hard to beat. Not quite as good as an AR, but very good.
The bolt catch is right where your thumb is when changing a mag
Mag release is right in front of your trigger finger
Trigger, if its standard, its bad. DSA's speed trigger is good, though not as good as an M1 trigger. Standard FAL triggers are at least 9lbs, the DSA speed trigger drops it to around 5lbs. Reset is good and tactile.
Sights, OK. Better than an AK, or PTR. Not as good as an M1, this is due to the fact the front and rear sight sights are on separate receiver halves. According to the manual, the rear sight adjustment is 1cm at 100m, or *roughly* a little over a quarter of an inch at 100 yards. The front sight post is quite large, and nearly covers a 13"x19" target at 100 yards.
Accuracy. For a combat rifle with a chrome lined barrel? Fine. My average group size with Malaysian M80 surplus is around 3" to 4" at 50 yards
That group was cut short by a certain broken screw
With M118LR, group size is around 2" to 3" I would like to try other, better loads, but sourcing them... Has been an issue.
Group size would improve should i mount an optic (and became a better shooter), but as it sits, i am happy with the rifle. Should you get one, i do recommend keeping some spare parts around should something break.
