>$1000 for a FAL - am I on crack?

[Battler]

I was talking to a local dealer - 'bout how I wanted to order another FAL.

When the topic turned to the amount I had payed/was probably going to pay for another they went nuts.

Now, I have a (great) smith-built FAL that cost over 1K; but it looks and works GREAT and it's a blast to go and shoot.

I was worried they were going to call a mental institution for me.

Now, this place sells scary guns. However, this isn't what you think - them wanting to sell me something - they have been VERY cool/willing with transfers. They weren't just trying to get me to buy one of their AR10s - although they did mention that the value of any postban FAL second hand would never get anywhere near that.

Just it got me thinking - no matter how dressed up (smith fal), or brand new (DSA), is it psychotic to pay so much for a rifle that probably cost $100 to countries that issued them?


When I thought about it - I wondered if my gun spending was out of hand in general.

I like'em and all - and the mags are VERY cheap and they don't seem as finicky or fragile as friend's AR guns.

I am terrified of the amount I will spend on mags if (or when) I acquire ARs - especially if I get an AR10 and decide I need a bazillion M14 mags modified. Or even if I get an M14 and just get the mags.

Don't take all this to mean I am bashing AR types or anything, or saying which is better. I'm sure they're both great, it's just about the money:


Is paying >$1000 just insane?


Battler.

 

[Hammy]

Prices on FAL's are constantly climbing, especially in the last month. Don't torture yourself by second guessing what you paid for yours. If you hang onto it, you might look back someday and feel you got a good deal. However, always.....always shop around before you put out your hard earned money. Also, you might be comparing apples and oranges. Are the FAL's they are talking about as nice as yours?

 

[hksigwalther]

"Just it got me thinking - no matter how dressed up (smith fal), or brand new (DSA), is it psychotic to pay so much for a rifle that probably cost $100 to countries that issued them?"

Well, in order to get them for $100 you probably have to live there. I like it here in the U.S. of A. myself so I'll pay the higher price.


"When I thought about it - I wondered if my gun spending was out of hand in general."

My gun spending is just plain crazy.

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- Ron V.

 

[El Rojo]

I have put down some big cash on some guns. I went on a spending spree and bought a M1A once. And this was while I was making $800-1000 a month in 1997 as a college student. It was a wierd feeling buying such an expensive item, but not a day has gone by where I said, "I wish I hadn't bought that M1A for so much money." 1) because they are more expensive now and 2) what a great gun!

However, limit your gun buying to a certain extent. Spend that money you would use to buy a new gun on a reloader or some reloading components. What is the point of having all of those guns if you don't enjoy the ones you have now?

 

[Battler]

This was in the context of getting a medium-contour DSA. I currently have an EXCELLENT smith-built kit stg58.

It would be a way of getting "brand new" components, and something a little different; but still similar enough to my STG that there is some parts interchangeability in an emergency.

And cause I thought it might be cool to have a DSA, a Fal set up for "long range" as well just because.

They told me thought that this would be the equivalent of getting a $30K gold-plated model of a $10K jeep.

They did not argue that the guns didn't go for that sort of money today; but that with the prices that high maybe I just did not want a FAL. They also said that there was no way I could ever trade it in for anywhere NEAR that.


However, I've been thinking about it (since the last post) and read a govt. web site from the country I'm originally from (Australia). That site has the "ban" buyback prices for all verboten weapons.

I have 2 NRA memberships and 1 GOA membership; but get the feeling that one day in the sad future there WILL be a willing buyer paying good money for evil weapons. . . . the US govt

Battler.



[This message has been edited by Battler (edited November 01, 2000).]

 

[Oleg Volk]

Willing buyer, indeed! That reminds me why I bought my first rifle, and SKS with which I knew I was not accurate. It was to have some chance of punching through armored opponents at 10 yards. An FAL, for all that it isn't a match rifle, is quite good for the goal of hanging onto it in spite of the opposition's worst efforts. Before they came "buy back" an FAL, make sure some buy the farm first.

 

[Oleg Volk]

Also: I recall passing up AKs at $325 and ended up getting one for $450 later. Too much money but I am keeping mine: cheap ammo, cheap mags, plenty of parts...same idea as the FAL. The only reason not to spend the money would be getting something better to cover the same requirements.

 

[Zen Arcade]

Hey Battler and others,

Your'e not "Crazy" spending that much money on a quality FAL. No sir. By the time I get done scoping my CGW built DSA/Stg-58 I'll have 1500 into it.

Is that crazy? Nope: According to the Violence Policy Center (brought to you via your friends at HCI), the "gun lobby" is brainwashing you into buying more and more guns. Think about it - why else would anybody 'need' more than one gun? So Relax, it just ain't your fault.

DAMN YOU GUN LOBBY!!! GET OUT OF MY HEAD!!!

PS: the only thing better than owning a FAL type rifle is owning two

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"A belief is like a guillotine, just as heavy, just as light."
-- F.K.

 

[JimR]

Zen:

So that's how I explain all this to the wife! It's all that brainwashing by the evil gun lobby!

On FAL's, from talking to others on range trips, it seems the normal path is buy one, buy a kit for the spares, realize you're not far from having another gun, buy a receiver and U.S. parts, assemble. Repeat.