Exerpt by Pat Kelley FULL STORY >

Guns and Gear

Heavy Metal, unlike all the other divisions is not ruled by the AR-15 platform. Major 3-Gun events have been won with FALs, AR-10s and the M1A series of rifles, placing additional truth to the adage “it is the Indian not the arrow.” For me, Springfield Armory’s National Match M1A feels like it was born for this division. Accurate and completely reliable out of the box, sporting a 22" medium weight barrel, match trigger, and excellent sights, expertly assembled and glass bedded to an oversize walnut stock, this rifle rocks! You might find more accuracy within the AR platform, but the M1A was built as a .308 from the ground up and was the original box-fed U.S. battle-tested “war club.” It lives up to this moniker very well indeed.

Of the AR platforms Armalite, DPMS and POF-USA all make .308 rifles that are fully suitable as manufactured. Many competitors, when making the switch to Heavy Metal, are just “super-sizing” their mouse guns, giving them a potential leg up on those cross training to a different platform. As mentioned before, FALs win matches too and it is no wonder. The FAL has proven itself in harm's way all over the world and is the most prolific self-loading .308 military rifle in history. If you just want the best, the crew at DSA would be happy to outfit you, offering several models suitable for the Heavy Metal enthusiast. For the more budget conscience, one could get under way with less initial financial expenditure if you are willing to undertake a do-it-yourself project by assembling your FAL from surplus parts.