I don't think that assault rifles are valid survival weapons except, of course, in combat. You don't need such a weapon to survive in places like Nome, Iquitos, Namsos or Waimea. Certainly, having a gun of any kind could be a plus for hunting and signalling, but dese rifles and the corresponding ammunition (7,62 x 59 mm. NATO) have been designed specifically for war purposes. If you are planning to purchase a survival gun, you should consider other options first because there are less-expensive and more suitable designs.
As for which one is better, it depends on how you look at them. The G3 locking design is - in my opinon - better because it does a better job at avoiding jamming, but the FAL is slightly cheaper - the rolling block mechanism of the G3 is particularly expensive -, there are more versions available, including the FAL Para, designed for paratroopers (shorter, lighter and with a quality, stable folding buttstock) and is a little bit better at throwing muzzle-launched grenades. As you see, these considerations pertain to the military usage of both assault weapons.
Curiously enough, both weapons were designed around the same principles and for the same ammunition, which was a different one than the standard 7,62 NATO: the basic concepts behind the FAL, the G3 and the AK families were born in WWII, in German labs. All these weapons, at the prototype stage, used the then common 7,96 Kurz German cartridge. This was an excellent ammo design, and was considered very fitting for any further work in the realm of military weapons.
During the fifties, and due to pressure and lobbying from the United States, the much heavier and powerful - needlessly, for many - 7,62 x 54 was adopted, and both the Gewehr 3 and the Fusil Automatique Leger became heavier and bulkier in order to accept the new standard; there was also a pretty good 7mm design made by the British for a very advanced assault weapon that ultimately evolved into the one they have now. The Soviets, however, adopted the German concept of a shortened cartridge using their then-standard 7,96 bullets, and did the same with the ammo they used in their Moissin Nagant rifles, which were also 7,62 mm bore, and shortened their cartridge cases to 39 mm.
The Germans knew that the 7,92 rounds that they were using in their bolt action Mausers were far too powerful to be practical in mobile, urban combat. They had their 9mm. Parabellum rounds for their pistols and submachine guns, and while they loved the concept, they also thought that something a little bit more powerful, with a slightly longer range - albeit shorter than the standard 7,92 mm. shots -, combined with a weapon that could fire automatically, in bursts, as well as in semiautomatic mode would be a winner. They and in the end, won the bet.
German engineers and military officers just sawed off their standard cartridges and produced the new model, without letting Adolf Hitler know about the idea because he vehemently opposed it. However, when he saw the first results of the use of the 7,92 Kurz and the Stg 43 and Stg44 assault rifles, finally accepted the design without executing its engineers and logisitcs officers.
People might like such weapons - semiauto versions, in most cases - for hunting or just shooting, so I guess that they are fond of their rifles and like to use them in their hunting or outdoor expeditions. For me, other weapons such as short shotguns are better for survival purposes.
_________________ A God that plays dice and doesn't win gets you, your cat and me in trouble, so make the old chap stop!
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