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  1. #1

    Default FN Fal magazine burst

    Good morning, Henk van Zyl here. I was shooting a club shoot at KSSC Saturday the 17th. It was very hot and dry. A friend of mine were on coarse with my DSA FN FAL with a 20 round magazine. After the 11th round the magazine's bottom plate flew open, ejecting the spring and rest of the ammo. The magazine was also blown up out of proportion at the bottom. The case was cracked open near the rim. I will try to post pictures. Ammo was reloaded by myself PMP cases, S321, 143 CMJ's.
    Does anyone know why this happened? Did it fire out of battery? Thanks.


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  2. #2

    Default Re: FN Fal magazine burst

    After inspection of the rifle and barrel, I shot a 20 round magazine slow the first 10 and faster the last 10 and it was good again.


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  3. #3

    Default Re: FN Fal magazine burst

    Certainly looks like an iut of battery discharge. Suggest start by checking the firing pin. Remove, clean, lubricate and check for free movement. Simple enough to do.

    What ammunition?

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  4. #4

    Default Re: FN Fal magazine burst

    Quote Originally Posted by Wanderin' Zero View Post
    Certainly looks like an iut of battery discharge. Suggest start by checking the firing pin. Remove, clean, lubricate and check for free movement. Simple enough to do.

    What ammunition?

    Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk
    PMP cases, S321, 143gr CMJ'S


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  5. #5
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    Default Re: FN Fal magazine burst

    I would take that gun to a gunsmith to check out properly. Including headspace.

    Someone who knows FALs.
    Cattle die, kindred die, every man is mortal:
    But I know one thing that never dies,
    the glory of the great dead.
    Havamal

  6. #6

    Default Re: FN Fal magazine burst

    Quote Originally Posted by henk.spioenkop View Post
    PMP cases, S321, 143gr CMJ'S


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    What's the ejected case look like?

    You sure it wasn't an overcharged / overpressure round?

    If the gun ran fine for another 20 rounds and you were using reloads, that would be my first suspicion.

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    Quemadmodum gladius neminem occidit: occidentis telum est.

    Seneca (4 BC - 65 AD)

  7. #7
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    Default Re: FN Fal magazine burst

    Could also have been a defective case.

  8. #8
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    Default Re: FN Fal magazine burst

    That was almost definitely the result of an overcharged case, which is not difficult with S321.
    The fact that the weapon worked properly afterwards tells a story.

  9. #9
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    Default Re: FN Fal magazine burst

    I would also suspect an overloaded, flawed or weakened case. All 3 could cause a case rupture over the feed ramp.

    An out of battery ignition is possible with any SLR, given the right (wrong?) conditions (like a stuck firing pin). In the case of an FAL, that could easily lead to damage to the 2 camming lugs on the rear end of the breech block.

    Also keep in mind that, while the FAL may be chambered for the 308 Win cartridge, it was designed for the 7,62x 51 NATO round that operates at significantly lower pressures, especially with the 143 gn FMJ service load. A quick QL calculation shows that S321 should generate peak pressures around 50 000 PSI while pushing a 143gn PMP FMJ at 2700fps from a 21" barrel. This is significantly lower than the 60 000 PSI max allowable pressure.

    Add that to the inherent flex of a rear locking lug action, and you have quite a few opportunities for creating a problem with 308 W bolt gun level loads.

    There are also other possibilities...

  10. #10
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    Default Re: FN Fal magazine burst

    Quote Originally Posted by henk.spioenkop View Post
    Good morning, Henk van Zyl here. I was shooting a club shoot at KSSC Saturday the 17th. It was very hot and dry. A friend of mine were on coarse with my DSA FN FAL with a 20 round magazine. After the 11th round the magazine's bottom plate flew open, ejecting the spring and rest of the ammo. The magazine was also blown up out of proportion at the bottom. The case was cracked open near the rim. I will try to post pictures. Ammo was reloaded by myself PMP cases, S321, 143 CMJ's.
    Does anyone know why this happened? Did it fire out of battery? Thanks.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

    Would need pictures of the case to even guess if you had an out of battery slamfire. All I can tell, from your pictures, is that you had a massive gas leak.

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