Just to be different L1A1/FAL

[mongoose]

Just to be different, I am contemplating hunting antelope and elk this year with my L1A1 (FAL) and debating the best round to use for max ranges around 400m.

The rifle is service grade with a standard 21" barrel.

Any thoughts? I'm seriously leaning towards 168grn or 175grn rounds.

 

[Bravo 4]

Just to be different, I am contemplating hunting antelope and elk this year with my L1A1 (FAL) and debating the best round to use for max ranges around 400m.

The rifle is service grade with a standard 21" barrel.

Any thoughts? I'm seriously leaning towards 168grn or 175grn rounds.

If it's accurate enough for 400 yards, why not? A fella I work with has several of these and often builds/assembles them for others, one of the best battle rifles ever designed. I would like to have one myself. However, as a whole they are usually not known to be great shooting rifles. It's hard to compete with a .308 AR platform for around the same price. Usually an AR 10 variant is gonna be heavier, but now companies like DPMS are addressing that issue.
Yours probably has a 1-12" twist for shooting "ball" ammo so your options are going to be limited to mid weight to lighter bullets like you mentioned. Plus add to that the cartridge OAL is going to be limited to about 2.8" by the magazine, so it sounds like you know what you're searching for.

 

[mongoose]

Lots of research, review of charts, and a few phone calls to manufacturers has resulted in two basic options: 150grn and 165-168 grn.

 

[benchracer]

Just to be different, I am contemplating hunting antelope and elk this year with my L1A1 (FAL) and debating the best round to use for max ranges around 400m.

The rifle is service grade with a standard 21" barrel.

Any thoughts? I'm seriously leaning towards 168grn or 175grn rounds.

I was going to recommend that you use a pairing like a 165 grain SST for antelope and a 165 grain Interbond for elk. That should allow you to use the same load for both, with the same POI. The problem is that the Interbond bullet does not seem to be available.

I was looking for a similar pairing by other bullet makers. Nosler shows a 180 grain Ballistic Tip and a 180 grain Accubond.

You could maybe try a mono metal bullet of some kind (TTSX, GMX, or E-Tip) for both antelope and elk if your FAL will shoot them well.

Another option to consider might be the Berger 168 grain Classic Hunter hybrid. It could be a viable single bullet option, given that you won't be pushing it too fast.

I would expect component availability to figure prominently in which way you choose to go.

BTW, the standard twist for a FAL is 1:11, so your bullet choice will not be dictated by twist rate. Mag length will be the limiting factor.

 

[mongoose]

Thanks for the insights.

Funny thing about ballisitcs, according to the Hornady chart 150 Interlock and 168 GMX are almost identical at 300m. Both fit the magazine but the price difference HS! There is a $20 price difference between the two and yes, I purchased one of each for testing.

 

[Tnwhip]

I shoot 165 sst in mine. They do pretty good. I get around 2" at 100. I have never shot mine over 200 yds. But it did keep them all in the black with the iron sights. The FAL is not a tack driver but it is cool.