Home Forums Hunting & Shooting AR and Tactical Rifles FN-FAL, MIA, AR-10 question

I have an FN-FAL. I like it, but it is heavy and now parts and accessories are getting harder to find. I was going to buy an M1A.

However in looking at the AR-10, it might give more possibliities. With the 308 size action, can you buy uppers in 243, 7mm08, 338 Federal, and 358? All of these calibers one can find at Walmart if you don't reload. You would not have to change the bolt or magazines, just the upper with barrel. Also, many of the same accessories will fit the uppers, like scopes, lasers, flashlights, sights, etc.

Would the AR-10 be a better buy in the long run if you want to accessorize with different calibers and hang on "stuff"?

I have a FN FAL and love it

If you are wanting something different, I would go for the AR-10

It is by far more versatile, much more aftermarket support, and probably more reasonable

Personally, I have never been a fan of the M14/M1A platform to begin with

I have two AR10's, both Armalites, which are excellent shooters. The M1A was a nice rifle in its day, but has a few quirks, and to me the AR10 is easily a better choice. One of mine is a heavy barreled SASS rifle, the other is a carbine. There are a number of different sources for accessories. I have a new 18" Rainer Arms barrel, made from a Shilen blank, to go on the carbine.

I wanted an FAL for years, and still find them intriguing, but the last I heard getting one to shoot really well could be a challenge, and they aren't cheap rifles to build.

If I were doing it over (I have an M1A with SOCOM rails), I would go with a LAUE 308. More accessories, easier scope mounting, and caliber changes are possible (though you probably will have to change bolt and mags with some of the calibers.)
as always, YMMV.
If you are going to scope an M1A, the most practical method is with the rail system, and that adds a lot of weight.

Do all the AR-10 platforms handle all the different accessories. I know some older Olympic AR-15's had different diameter pins to attach the uppers.

There is less commonality in the .308 AR's than AR-15's. The AR-10 was actually the first AR of any type, back in the 1950's, and over the years the Armalite AR-10 name was bought by Eagle Arms. DPMS and others sell similar, but not identical rifles.

In general Armalite and Noveske (and maybe others) can share components like uppers, barrels, and magazines, and I would say they are fairly well supported in aftermarket parts. Many of the parts will interchange with AR-15's, such as stocks and triggers, and folks like Rainer Arms and Krieger sell barrels for them. I have a CMC trigger in my SASS, and a Magpul ACS stock on my carbine. I just ordered a Timney trigger for it as well.

Armalite just introduced an AR-10A model that accepts PMAG's, which is also used by DPMS, Knight's, and others.

I'd say that you want to do some research by picking the basic rifle model AND accessories you'll want, then checking to make sure it is feasible to mount them on the desired rifle, before you choose a system.

M1A family is best left to those who have the time and desire to learn to shoot well. It's a tremendously accurate platform in the right hands but will make joe average look the fool.

The AR10 is more forgiving in addition to having more goodies readily available.

I've heard the military was having magazines made to fit both the M-14 and the AR-10 variants. Is this true? Are they available to the public?

This is all you will ever need.

I already have that. Just thinking about the various caliber options avalible for the AR-10 platform, like 243, 338 Federal, etc.

To answer your last question specifically, yes, I think there are more accessories available for AR-10 types.

I've owned an FN FAL but have never owned an M-14 type. I have owned two or three Garands. To me the other big thing about AR-10's is, they kick significantly less. At least mine does. I didn't like the FAL I had because it was a stiff kicker. Garands recoil pretty soft for a 30-06. So you've got two pretty hard kicking platforms there. My AR-10, a DPMS, seems to kick less than my M-4 style 6.8 SPC. Of course, I've got a full stock on the 308 vs. a collapsible on the 6.8, but it still is more comfortable, at least to me.

I'm not particularly recoil sensitive nor do I normally get a lot of enjoyment out of hard kickers for the sake of the recoil itself. That said, for a battle gun/assault rifle type of weapon, I want something that if I really got into a situation where I needed it for defense, it wouldn't batter me to the point that I was ineffective. Plus I've got a wife that is recoil sensitive and two kids that could/would shoot in a pinch even though one is really young. They'd be using 5.56 but still...I don't want a heavy recoiler in this type gun. No problem for a few shots, but lots of them? No effing way.

If I go the AR-10 route, I will obtain my AR-10 and plenty of mags before I sell my FN-FAL system. I just like the idea of having the option of other calibers like the 338 Federal, 243, 7mm08 or 358. All with the same bolt.

One other question. Do the AR-10 magazines interchange with the M1A's or M-14's? I read somewhere that the military is modifying their magazines to fit either since they have both in their inventories.

I have a Rock River LAR-8 in 308 and it is extremely accurate and uses FAL mags. My Brother has a Rock River LAR-8 in 243,and he consistantly shoots groups you can cover with a quarter at 100yds, and he doesn't even shoot newarly as much as me.

I had a FAL and the LAR-8 is so much more accurate, handy, and comfortable to shoot it's a night and day difference. My LAR-8 isn't picky about ammo and feeds Flat Pointed bullets as easily as Spire points. As a matter of fact, it's smallest group shot was with a 170gr Speer FN over Rel-15.

Didn't know the Rock River used the FAL mags. I assume it is an AR-10 style platform but made for FAL mags. Most of my mags are metric. Does it matter? Do you know what a Rock River costs these days? I assume it is an AR platform. Also, Does the DPMS AR-10 use the same mags? or specifically AR-10 mags? Would the Rock River LAR-8 take say a DPMS 338 Federal upper or a 243 upper?

The LAR-8 was designed to shoot the FAL metric or inch mags along with new RRA mags. Because the FAL mag is LONGER, the LAR-8 reciever is longer than the DPMS guns'. The 243 and 708 don't USE FAl mags, they use RRA mags.

I've seen and handled the DPMS/R-25 guns and IMO, they are cheaply made compared to the LAR-8. The Lar-8 is also available in 243 and 7-08.

For the same money as an R-25, you get a better trigger, better barrel, better gun, and a lifetime warranty.

Here it is next to it's little brother [LAR-15].

I'm with Splatter on this.

At one time, Armalite was using a modified M14 magazine for AR-10's(Gen one), but for a few years now they have had a proprietary mag(Gen 2). They both work in all AR-10's, with the late model bolt stop catch. Supposedly an unmodified M14 mag will work but has to be manually held in place, and I've not tried it. Armalite will sell a 5 pack of 20 round mags for $150, which really isn't that bad of a price, IMO.

Yes, you can go to the LAR-8 and use FAL mags, which could save you buying new mags. So does the Kel-tec RFB.

Here is a bunch of FAQ's from Armalite:

http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_3_62/378850_AR10_FAQ_and_information_Small_Update_2012.html

The LAR-8 will do anything that FAL will do and more. Old and outdated doesn't win many fights. Show me a FAL that will even come close to shooting as well as my LAR-8. I have yet to see a FAL that would shoot under 2" with ease much less group under .5".

Thanks, that is a wealth of information. I have about 12 FAL mags, so if I went the RR-LAR 8 I wouldn't have to buy mags, and you said they have other barrels also available. Hmmm.

Or you could be the only kid on the block to have one of these super soft recoiling, and accurate rifles;



A quarter measures 7/8ths inch. It covers the group entirely.


And the M1A/M-21 platform does not need to be hot rodded to perform.