FN FAL - ArniesAirsoft - Review Archive

Author

Nirach

Registered: October 2007
Posts: 40

Review Date: 9/10/07

Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: �330.00 | Rating: 8

Positive aspects of the product (pros):	Length:weight ratio, construction, looks and length!
Cons:	Length, magwell, stock

King Arms FAL (KA-AG-02)

I put the length in both the pros and cons section, because for me it's really comfortable (Hence a pro), but for someone not of my build, it could be cumbersome, a carbine version may solve that problem if you were desperately in love with the FAL.

First Impressions:

First off, the thing really is huge. My local delivery driver for Parcel Force was barely taller than the box. The King Arms instruction manual could do with a better translation, but anyone buying one of these has probably had at least some experience to be able to interpret said instructions. The build quality is pretty damned good, there are some minor pits in the aluminium, I solved those with some JB weld and Humbrol paint (The number and name will be useless to you � It�s at least three generations behind the current naming scheme). Admittedly, not something one would expect to do with a gun of this price, but that really was just nitpicking on my part.

I ordered the scope mount base (KA-MB-11) with it, and well, the instructions provided with that are poor at best. However, with enough experience it�s no issue to work it out. However, you will need a LONG screwdriver, or some good jerry-rigging abilities. Once you get the stock off, it�s nothing difficult to work out after that. With some decent prep time, the entire job could be done in about ten minutes, if that.

The weight is nice, Zeroone class it as a medium weight rifle, but the aluminium construction really does lend it to a light-medium weight rifle. Without a battery in, the rear does feel awfully light, but of course, the battery weight sorts that straight out. It does have a nice balance when loaded and completed with battery, and feels much more stable.

I had read somewhere that the stock felt particularly flimsy, and the author of that remark said they�d not risk the mod for fitting a 9.6 volt battery in there. I disagree and agree with this. While the stock doesn�t feel flimsy or unstable out of the box, I can imagine it being somewhat less solid when you cut the appropriate bits out.

The magazine and magazine slot were where I had the first problem. The magazine was marginally too wide for the slot, thanks to an apparently badly formed piece of aluminium, the magazine would fit, but it threatened to take a layer of paint with it. A bit of file work on the slot sorted that straight out.

The cocking handle is somewhat stiff at first, but I found using a bit of lubricant on a cotton bud and working that into the runners of the slide, and the internals of the ejection port solved that, and it now has a much smoother action to it. The hopup adjustments are easy, thanks to a large adjuster. My experience with TM AEG�s has be a problem for me, as the hop is typically too small for my fingers, the FAL does not have this problem. It was a shade stiff at first, but a light spray of the silicone lubricant sorted that right out. Speaking of the hop, the manual suggests that lubrication will cause the initial hundred or so shots will be slightly off, because of the lubrication on the hop. Personally, I didn�t find this to be true. However, I have not had a chance to put more than a mag through the gun (ICS black BBs being used).

The box contents are pretty standard, really. The cocking handle, the iron sight adjustment tool and the magazine are accompanied by a �speed� loader, which so far has proved to be more of a pain than a speed loader. Other than that, typical polystyrene bottomed AEG box.

Usage Impressions

After using the FAL, it really does suffer in some areas, fortunately not related to the performance of the gun. I found that the ABS doesn�t come even a little bit close to the comfort of real wood furnishings for extended use. While real wood would potentially push the cost up due to the relatively complex design of the stock and the grip, it would be beneficial for the user experience. Currently I�m planning to make my own wooden stock and grip. Tuning of the motor is as easy as a TM M6 or similar. The slight tuning of the iron sights isn�t too messy, and the tool provided is more than adequate, provided you don�t lose it of course.

Since purchase, King Arms have started to offer an RIS foregrip, I've not bought one yet, but am hoping to get one from my favoured supplier in the coming weeks.

I have fitted a Star tri-rail scope (1-4x20), it doesn't suit it quite so well as say, a SUIT or ACOG scope would, but for my needs, it's more than adequate, and more suitable than the other scope I had on there. However, it's important to remove the rearmost iron sight before trying to install a scope with medium/low scope rings.

All in all, I so far love the feel of the gun, however, I will edit this after TA:LS at the weekend, and some pictures too.

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