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Posted: 2/11/2009 8:29:35 PM EDT
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I've got a DSA SA58 on order with a 16" barrel. I chose a 16" barrel because:
1) I'm wanting to hang a suppressor on the end 2) I've been told you only loose about 100fps velocity as compared to an 18" barrel. 3) Muzzle flash shouldn't be an issue with a suppressor. This being said....after reading some other posts, most everyone recommends getting the 18" barrel. Would I be better off getting the 18" even with the suppressor? -dmack |
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To me the whole point of stepping up from an Intermediate round to a full power round like the .308 is to take advantage of the superior ballistics. In other words, higher Terminal Ballistics and Increased Intermediate Barrier Penetration. Being that the SA58's have a 1:10 twist, versus a slower 1:12 like the 91's, you get some pretty good velocity from their 18" barrel. But the 16.25" barrel model ain't too bad either.
Anyway, I would always recommend an 18" or 21" FAL, unless the compactness of a 16" barrel is really needed. But then, I would say go for a 16" folder. If you want to pretty much always run it with a suppressor, I would say the shorter barrel is fine. The last thing I would want to remind you is that if you buy an 18" barrel, you can always have her cut down to 16" if you so later decide. 
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I've carefully considered your plight and I believe the answer is get both, clearly you need two FALs. Quoted: I've got a DSA SA58 on order with a 16" barrel. I chose a 16" barrel because: 1) I'm wanting to hang a suppressor on the end 2) I've been told you only loose about 100fps velocity as compared to an 18" barrel. 3) Muzzle flash shouldn't be an issue with a suppressor. This being said....after reading some other posts, most everyone recommends getting the 18" barrel. Would I be better off getting the 18" even with the suppressor? -dmack |
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yeah...i like that answer too.....in fact I've got a DSA receiver that I'm looking to build up a second rifle with. I kind of like to tinker...so taking your advice, I thought I'd build the second rifle with the 18" bbl.
I just need to find a good parts kit. Not sure if I should go with a parts kit from Sarco or Entreprise and johnny cash it with some DSA parts. Any recs on kits would be appreciated. -Dmack |
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16" FALs are great.
I own 21's and 16s. All the "oh 16" will make it slower" is BULLSHIT. Sure it slows the bullet down SOME, but lets face it. If you get hit with a 147gr bullet going 2750 or 2600 you aren't going to be walking away from either. Nor would you be laughing "wow that guy shot me with a 16" FAL and teh bullet only hit me at 2580 FPS, what a sucker". Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight. 16" FAL is fine, esp for moving and concealability in tight spaces. I'd get both, but not fret if I only owned a 16". Plenty of guys running 11" FALS as contractors in iraq, 11" FAL still outperforms 16" AK-47. Food for thought. |
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Quoted:
11" FAL still outperforms 16" AK-47. Food for thought. Yeah even the 11" OSW still has ballistics "slightly" above a 16" AK-47. But I still say that if you are unsure as to which barrel length to get, go with the 18" and cut it down later if you decide you want her shorter. My 18" barrel Para is only about 30.25" when folded. |
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I own a couple 308's in 16" and i have no issues, all of the powder is burned by the time the bullet is 16" down the barrell so you really dont lose that much. Stability issues aside, I think you would only start to see a difference between 16" and 18" inches at maybe 500 yards, and none of these FAL's are that accurate at that far any ways. I look at these shorter semi auto 308 as having a useful range of a couple hundred yards. I think your good with the 16", if you buy another get a 21"
CJG |
Is it just my experience, but muzzle flash is not a real problem on semi-automatics, right? I've watched a friend (Class 3 FFL) shoot a select fire AK Krinkoff shorty at dusk. I never saw any muzzle flash as long as he shot in semi. However, when shooting full-auto that thing was a fire breathing dragon!!!  In other words, you have to shoot pretty rapidly in semi to ignite unburnt powder from the previous round. After witnessing this, my thought is that barrel length doesn't really impact muzzle flash as much on semi's. Is this consistent with everyone else's experience?
-dmack |
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