Complete Rifle Lead Time:

Delivery time is influenced by our key component inventory (receivers and barrels) at the time we get to your rifle build order. Remember to add 4-6 weeks for rifles that will be ordered with Duracoat camo paint jobs.

We have received complaints about delivery time. I understand that in our instant gratification society, everyone wants everything yesterday. The reality is that DSA is in essence a custom shop. Anyone who has ever toured our shop will note that no two rifles being built are the same. This creates total havoc on a production schedule. We don’t assembly line produce these rifles, and we don’t always have 100% parts availability.

The other thing we hear on a daily basis is, “I did not have to wait 12 weeks for my AR-15.” It is important to compare apples to apples here. Getting AR-15 parts is not difficult, but getting FAL parts is slightly more complicated. There are 113 parts in a basic FAL, and we currently produce 150 parts associated with the FAL platform. DSA cannot exactly call anyone else when we are short on parts like all of the AR-15 manufacturers can.

The other issue is that many people seem to forget that we are at war. The industry has limited capacity for materials, and production time. Military, state, and local law enforcement get first priority across the board in the firearms industry.

Chrome Lined Barrels:

DSA does offer chrome lining for our ARs as an option.  Having said that, it is worth commenting as to why we offer most of our rifles without chrome lining.  We work with many of the nation’s battle labs on various projects from barrels to suppressors. We get the data that comes with building and testing hundreds or thousands of these items.  Chrome lining on military rifle barrels is done for various reasons. Reducing barrel wear and increasing barrel life is the main reason. The military uses chrome lining because of the higher barrel temperatures caused by using high rates of fire in select fire weapons or machine guns. This has nothing to do with using corrosive ammo. U.S. mil-spec ammo is non-corrosive. Does having a chrome lined barrel help when shooting corrosive ammo? YES it does, but can you remember the last time you saw any U.S. made corrosive 5.56mm or .223 ammo for sale? How about corrosive 7.62mm ammo? It is pretty rare, and really does not justify the need for a chrome lined barrel. Of course AK-47 type rifles are another story.  Another fact most people don’t know is that many of the “chrome lined” barrels out there are indeed chromed lined, BUT do not meet U.S. military specs for chrome lining.

It is a well proven fact that a non-chrome lined, standard chrome molly barrel will be more accurate than ANY chrome lined barrel 99% of the time. A poorly produced chrome lined barrel will experience plating peeling in less than 1000 rounds causing accuracy problems. Many companies state that they produce chrome lined barrels and they do BUT they are not plated to U.S. mil-spec requirements. Producing proper chrome lined barrels to military specifications is super expensive, and difficult to do correctly. There has been extensive testing on this issue over the last 3-4 years, and the data shows less accuracy is usually the result of a chrome lined barrel whether it is done correctly or in correctly.

Suppressors:

We get lots of requests for info and help using suppressors on our rifles.  We import B&T suppressors for military and law enforcement use. Because they are imported, they are not legal for civilian sale. We refer all suppressor inquiries to Gemtech. They know how to do it right, and they have been around for a long time. If you want the best civilian legal suppressor for your FAL (and you live in a state that this is legal), please contact Kel Whelan at Gemtech.

If you plan on using suppressors on your FAL’s and you are going to do a lot of shooting with a suppressor, be sure to get some extra gas piston springs. Shooting with suppressors is hard on any semi-auto firearm and the spring life is greatly reduced due to excessive back pressures and the extra heat associated with suppressor use.

Barrel Twist:

Barrel twist on all current production DSA FAL rifle barrels is 1 in 10. Older barrels may have a 1 in 11 twist. We are now standardized on the 1 in 10 twist regardless of barrel type. Thread patterns for all DSA barrels is 9/16 x left hand, and fluted Tactical Carbine barrels are all 1/2 x 28.

Ammunition Warning:

This is a reprint of the warning about certain types of ammunition from the DSA web site. We recommend NOT USING the following list of ammunition in any DSA rifle:

Any steel cased Russian ammunition
Any steel cased Chinese ammunition
Chilean 7.62mm that is marked "NATO"
Cavim 7.62mm from Venezuela
CBC 7.62mm from Brazil
Indian 7.62mm from State factory
1970's production Israeli 7.62mm Browning machinegun ammuntion

This ammuntion can cause failures or damage to a rifle. If in question, all and ask for one of our technicians. Some of the above ammunition may be dangerous to fire and put the shooter at risk. DSA wants our customers to have fun with our rifles and above all be safe!

Compliance Parts:

DSA makes the following compliance parts for the FAL (subject to change without notice):

Hammer, Trigger, Sear, Receiver, Lower Receiver, Barrel, Hand Guards, Gas Piston, Pistol Grip, Flash Hider.

TP-9 Pistol and SBR

In 2001, B&T acquired all patents, drawings, materials and production rights for the TMP pistol from the firm Steyr in Austria. Steyr briefly offered the SPP or TMP in the US market before it was banned from importation in 1994. In 2004, Brugger & Thomet re-introduced the improved and redesigned pistol as the MP-9. Since then, it has been adopted by various government and police units around the world. Since its re-introduction, the MP-9 has become a standard for quality and a benchmark for creative design. No other product in the world delivers the features found in the MP-9. It is the smallest, lightest, most accurate, most modular platform of its kind.

DS Arms received ATF approval to import the MP-9 into the US market as a semi-automatic only pistol, with no vertical fore grip or stock. This US import model has been designated the “TP-9” pistol, short for “Tactical Pistol- 9mm”. The pistol is made entirely at Brugger & Thomet’s Thun, Switzerland facility, and DSA is the exclusive importer for the TP-9 in the USA.

The TP-9 pistol is probably the most unique and exciting new pistol product to be introduced into the US market in the past decade. Made of polymer and steel, it is the smallest, lightest, most compact product of its type. The TP-9 is also the most modular pistol in the world, as it is capable of mounting a host of accessories from high capacity magazines, optical sighting devices, weapon mounted lights, laser sights, single point sling, and brass catcher. It is available in (3) colors: Black, OD Green, and Desert Tan. The TP-9 accepts 15 round magazines that will fit flush in the pistol grip, and 30 round extended magazines. Magazines are of light weight, durable polymer construction, and available in a see through “smoked” finish. Ten round blocked magazines are offered for use in states with magazine capacity restrictions.

The TP-9 can be upgraded to feature up to (4) M-1913 Picatinny rail surfaces on its frame. One rail on top for optics, one rail on each side of the top cover, and one under the barrel. This can all be accomplished while keeping the weight and profile of the pistol to a minimum.

TP-9 Pistols are available for sale through the following wholesalers:

RSR Group
Ellett Brothers
Sports South
Zanders

DSA will not sell the pistols dealer direct. Your dealer must contact one of the distributors listed above.

DSA will sell Short Barreled Rifle TP-9’s dealer direct, and all inquiries for transferable semi-auto TP-9 SBRs should be made to DSA sales at (847)277-7258. Select Fire TP-9’s are available to Military, Law Enforcement and Qualified dealers only.

Robar NP3

DSA is pleased to offer SA-58 and ZM-4 Bolt and Carrier groups treated in Robar NP3 finish. This option is available as a custom shop upgrade. After extensive testing, DSA has concluded Robar NP3 treated internals such as bolt and carrier groups actually gain operational reliability and show less wear. The parts become almost completely self lubricating, which improves reliability even under the harshest conditions. We can’t believe just how saponaceous this stuff really is.

For those who are unfamiliar with this process and care to learn more, please check out the Robar website at Robar. Please call DSA for pricing.

With a combination of Robar NP3 internals and Duracoat Finishes, DSA has created the most corrosion resistant FAL ever fabricated for mass production. Truly, the FAL in it’s finest form.

ZM-4 Rifles

DSA ZM-4 rifles are built the same way as our SA-58’s. When you by a DSA ZM-4, you are getting a custom rifle, built on a bench, not a production line. We offer practical configurations with exceptional value.

In a world of over accessorized, over done AR-15 rifles, DSA offers a streamlined series of AR-type rifles that are both practical and well rounded to meet any operational requirement. Modifications facilitate improved function and performance, while retaining the weight and dimensions of a true carbine.  The Spartan series of ARs offers many custom features and upgrades enhance the functional performance of our rifles, providing tremendous value for the price.

Tech Support Via E-Mail

DSA is very serious about providing our customers product support in a timely manner. We know that sometimes our phone lines are jammed with people placing orders. We thank you for your support and patience. Please remember that DSA is a small company. We are unable to provide detailed tech support via e-mail. If you would like to use e-mail to report an issue or request help, that is no problem. We may be able to solve your problem via email. However, for complex issues such as parts installation, ballistics, optics, and rifle function, we encourage you to contact us for live tech support. Customers can reach us 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM CST Monday-Friday. If you can’t call us, we would be happy to call you if you provide a time and contact info. Accurate verbal communication leads to the quickest fix possible. Please note as well that John Howard, the DSA Internet Rep is not based at DSA and cannot be reached there by phone. Please use instant message or email to contact him.

Different Types Of FAL Upper Receivers

DS Arms is happy to provide a number of different receiver options to our customers.  Currently we are offering a Type 1 - With and Without the carry handle cut, a Type 2 With the carry handle cut and the Type 3 With the carry handle cut.  Additionally we do small runs of custom receiver types so please check out our site or give us a call to see what we have available.  

Customer Service:

Due to the current environment we are really overloaded on the phone. Customers have been experiencing longer hold times or they may have to try several times to get through.  We are aware of this, and we are doing the best we can. Jeff, Nicole, and Jennifer answer literally hundreds of calls and e-mails every day.  Panic buying caused by the election has also strained our ability to answer calls or emails.  Please bear with us and be assured DSA will take care of your requests.

Surplus Parts & Building Rifles:

Building a FAL has is own particular issues. Every type rifle of rifle build has issues that need to be mastered. However, building rifles is not like putting together Lego’s or Tinker Toys. Just because you can fit the pieces together and make it look like a FAL, does not mean it will work properly. That is where skill and experience comes in. Some projects go smoother than others, but if you are going to mix and match surplus parts from various manufacturers, you can’t assume that everything will just snap together like a plastic model airplane. We lap in bolt carriers all the time, and fortunately we have the luxury of having a bin of carriers to go through if we want to be lazy. Some times we get lucky, sometimes we don’t. The people building the FAL’s at FH Herstal did the same exact thing we do. Don’t ever assume you may not have to hand fit parts when building a rifle, or the odds are you may be disappointed.  DSA cannot answer questions regarding assembly of a rifle from surplus parts on our receivers.  DSA does offer gunsmithing services.  Please call DSA for a quote on labor for your particular need.

Forum House Rules

   Your DSARep is a pretty patient fellow but does have a few simple rules in addition to those of AR15.com.  

1. Be nice to each other.  If a thread gets nasty it will be removed.
2. No DSA bashing.  I tried to tolerate negative posts on FAL Files and all it led to was insults directed at me, and some guys with an axe to grind taking over the forum.  So on here it is our forum and I will remove anything negative. If a person has a complaint, call DSA directly.  The office staff will treat everyone fairly.  Similarly personal attacks on DSA staff will result in deleted threads and a report to the AR15.com staff.
   
3. I will respond to posts as quickly as possible.  I do take off weekends, have a day job, and unfortunately get ill from time to time.  I will get everyone answered in a timely fashion.
   

We thank you for your business, and be safe!  

DSA

I have a question about ordering;

Does my CC get charged at time of order or time of shipment?

Thanks

At time of order. I placed an order 5 weeks ago, still haven't received items, but they did make sure to charge my card days after the order.

Heya,

I was curious about a couple QC things that DSarms does:

1) do you headspace the barrels after being mated to an upper?

2) do you do any sort of MPI testing of the barrels?


Also, I was curious if there was anything you were willing to share about how you are able to achieve such a reasonable price point on your uppers?

The Headspace for an AR15 is set by the barrel extension.  Because we purchase barrels with the extension already in place the headspace is already set.  However part of our inspection process is to go through and recheck headspace.  Also if you purchase an upper with a bolt group and it is sent to you complete we will check headspace before we pack and ship.

We do not do MPI inspection on any of our barrels currently.

The biggest way that we are able to offer such a competitively priced product is the fact that we manufacture so many parts ourselves.  Not having to pay a middle man is great way for us to pass along savings to our end-users.  On a complete AR15 barreled upper for instance we pretty much make everything minus the barrel blank and springs.  There is a list HERE of parts we manufacture, however this is an older list and is not complete, we make more than what is listed here.

If there was anything specific or more detailed info you were looking for please do not hesitate to ask, I will provide you with any answers I am able to.


Thanks, Mike
DS Arms

That's a fantastic answer! Thank you!

Your welcome!


Thanks, Mike
DS Arms

I know this is old but I wanted to piggyback off of it.

The SA58 FAL rifles from DSA now come with chrome lined barrels.  Their budget "Warrior" line does not, but the standard SA58 rifles do.

deleted

Do you have a list of FFLs you ship to? I am not sure what the procedure is for ordering a rifle from DSA and have it sent to my FFL. Please let me know.

Is DSArms experiencing any delays in processing orders? I have an order in at my local dealer, and so far, at 7 weeks into the expected delivery time of 4 to 8 weeks, I haven’t heard a peep.

@TOM1911

How long did it end up taking to ship?