Drool, slobber, drool --- I want one!

Hi Sunray

I'm not trying to be a wise *** but it is funny that you mentioned M113's being made of aluminum. I was a gunner in an M60A1 tank. We use to shoot at some 113's that were positioned in various spots on the moving firing range. The .50 cal bullet (not even armor piercing) would go in through the one side and bounce around the inside, obviously turning anything inside to hamburger. I always said I never want to be in one of those things unless I was getting MED/VACed. Anyway I still have my doubts about an aluminium receicer on a FAL design. Hey at least we have a good thread going here.

I'm not an engineer and i didnt even spend last night in a Holiday Inn but I can tell you that any highpower rifle that locks up with any part of the breach bearing on aluminum is an insane design. As the man said-M16/AR15 rifles lock steel to steel.

Hey Paul; Did you ever pick up that ATR1 you was writing about?

No Mate. All I can do at the moment is drool and dream. It's just not in this year's budget. Not with a trip home for the No. 1 granddaugter's wedding in the not too distant future. That will be a month to two month stay with the usual weeklong pilgrammage to Canberra (wife's family) and the AWM.

I haven't seen an ATR1, if it uses the same toggle bolt system, the energy from the bolt is transfered to the receiver through the locking shoulder.
5.56mm isn't 7.62 but the energy is cycling still is on the locking shoulder which is set in aluminum, after repeated usage, wouldn't the headspace change?

The FAL is a different kind of beast, The idea of a locking shoulder is uniqe, easy to change head space after a barrel change.

Comparison to any other type of action that uses a rotating bolt that uses lugs to lock into battery, is apples to oranges.

Just my humble opinion.

Having had a FAL alloy receiver, I can tell you they are bombs waiting to explode.

A .223 cartridge FAL will eventually crack the receiver at the locking shoulder and fail. The locking shoulder is the weakest point among many on an alloy FAL receiver.

The only 'successful' uses were pistol caliber, like .45 ACP and I have not heard of any of those after long term use surviving.

I checked them out on the internet, they are a cool looking rifle but I wouldn't shoot one, I value my face too much.

Well, yes, M113's used aluminum armour. Worked great as long as nobody fired an RPG at it, or for that matter, a 12.7mm mg

If they had made the upper receiver out of good quality steel, then maybe it would be OK, but with aluminum receiver with a locking shoulder pressed into it, I will pass.
The AR10/15 design is completely different and does not use the receiver to contain the chamber pressure.