Home Rifles DS Arms: The ‘Right Arm Of The Free World.’ Only lighter.

DS Arms: The ‘Right Arm Of The Free World.’ Only lighter.

January 18, 2012

I’ve always had a fondness for the venerable FN-FAL design. It’s been called the ‘Right Arm Of The Free World,’ having served in dozens of armies since production began in 1953. It probably should have won the 1955 U.S. Army trials that replaced the M1 Garand with . . . a warmed-over M1 Garand. But the 10-pound FN has always been a pig to carry and shoot; the 20-round steel magazines weigh almost two pounds each. So DS Arms has put the FN on a diet . . .

The new gun uses an alloy lower receiver that shaves just less than 16 ounces. But I didn’t know that when I picked this rifle off the display rack. I expected to be lifting a cinderblock, and the gun was so much lighter than I expected that I almost juggled it.

FN Fanboys take note: DS Arms FNs are also available with 30-round magazines (not pictured) and machined Picatinny dust covers that attach securely to the upper receiver. (See all those screws?) The only trashy thing about this rifle is the cheesy SAW-style pistol grip. What were they thinking?

MSRP: $1700.

16 COMMENTS

CarlosT January 18, 2012 At 13:14

Is it just my imagination, or are we in the dawning of a new age for 7.62? It seems like everyone is coming out with new or updated guns for the caliber, and even in the AR-15 world, the new news is the .300 BLK, which is a way to fire 7.62 projectiles.
- Chris Dumm January 18, 2012 At 13:20
  
  The gun world is casting about for something with more range and punch than the 5.56 class of cartridges, but IMHO any full-power 7.62 is still too much gun for most jobs.
  
  Which doesn’t in any way diminish my desire to own one.
  - tdiinva January 18, 2012 At 17:09
    
    Had the US Army selected the AR-10 instead of going with nostalgia and the ultimatge M-1, aka the M-14, 5.56 would have been left to farmers and ranchers to shoot groundhogs.
  - okto January 19, 2012 At 18:56
    
    *cough*7.62x39solvesallthoseproblems*cough*
    - frankgon4 January 22, 2012 At 09:01
      
      Shhhh. Seems to be a secret.
- n January 18, 2012 At 14:17
  
  AR-10 is a way to fire 7.62 projectiles. 300 BLK meets the needs of subsonic loadings in an AR-15. If you have that need.
TTACer January 18, 2012 At 13:43

Izzat $1700 MSRP with the folder?
- TexanHawk January 18, 2012 At 16:35
  
  Actually if you zoom on the 2nd photo it says:
  
  PRICE:
  RETAIL – $2150
  DEALER – $1825
  - Chris Dumm January 19, 2012 At 02:42
    
    $2150 is for the Para model with the folding stock.
Joe Zip January 18, 2012 At 14:21

Man you guys need to get one of these FAL’s from them for a T&E
- Chris Dumm January 18, 2012 At 15:39
  
  Now why didn’t I think of that? (We’re working on it already.)
Matt Gregg January 18, 2012 At 14:31

Well from what i’ve heard DSA’s usual wait time for a regular FAL is measured in years so we should probably see these things in the next few years.
Derek January 18, 2012 At 16:19

Those DSA 30 round FAL mags are standard metric pattern fyi. They fit my RRA LAR-8.
Matt G. January 18, 2012 At 16:47

Lol @1700$. I think I’ll just go with an ar-10.
O.N. January 18, 2012 At 17:25

Woah woah woah…..a black rifle that isn’t an AR derivative? Niiice. Hope to see more of this. Speaking of battle rifles Chris, does PTR91 have a booth?
OldLawman January 18, 2012 At 20:16

Sorry to break it to you, but DSA has been making alloy-lower FALs for years.
Likewise the scope top cover mount. The screws are needed so that it can both slide on and off, and retain zero.

Many of us who own FALs replace the standard pistol grip with the SAW grip, which reduces the angle.