Would like to build a FAL

[6bg6ga]

After seeing several FAL's a friend owns and getting to shoot them I have to own one. I have narrowed my search down to either a G1 or a STG-58. I have shot Garrands and M1A's and while they were good they just didn't trip my trigger. I am seeking a good G1 or STG-58 kit and I realize I will have to purchase an upper. I have a friend with the necessary tools to install and time the barrel correctly as well as set the head space. So, if you have one lying around that you wish to sell or for that matter a complete G1 or STG-58 let me know. Also I would welcome any comments associated with a build of this nature.

[Electric88]

I've long entertained the idea of building a FAL. The conclusion I eventually came to was that it would have better served my interests to just buy one, due to parts becoming a bit more scarce and labor involved.

However, I did not have the tools or knowledge either. It sounds like you are pretty set, so go for it and I'll live vicariously through you :drinks:

[376Steyr]

Check out the latest "Firearms News" (formerly "Shotgun News") for an article on building an FAL.

[JSnover]

Getting parts will be the hardest part of the build. I did mine about 7 years ago when the kits from DSA could still be had. Sounds like that's not the case these days.

[nicholst55]

Join the FAL Files (http://falfiles.com/forums/index.php)for all things FAL-related. Parts have become expensive and some are hard to locate (and thus more expensive). If I were just starting out in FALs, I think I'd either haunt the Marketplace at the FAL Files looking for an already assembled kit gun, or else buy a rifle from DSA. By the time you buy a good StG kit, an upper receiver, and the required 922r-compliant parts, you'll already have equaled or surpassed the price of a DSA rifle - and still need to have it assembled and refinished!

[6bg6ga]

Join the FAL Files (http://falfiles.com/forums/index.php)for all things FAL-related. Parts have become expensive and some are hard to locate (and thus more expensive). If I were just starting out in FALs, I think I'd either haunt the Marketplace at the FAL Files looking for an already assembled kit gun, or else buy a rifle from DSA. By the time you buy a good StG kit, an upper receiver, and the required 922r-compliant parts, you'll already have equaled or surpassed the price of a DSA rifle - and still need to have it assembled and refinished!You could look at things that way and say I'd have either the same amount of money invested or possibly more and you could also consider my labor involved in setting the FAL up correctly. You could also say that I brought back to life a piece of history that is better engineered than the present day rifles. Either way I expend a certain amount of cash and I can either say look what I bought off the shelf or look at the kit that I restored to its former glory. I'm not trying to save a few bucks here.

[roysha]

I have always maintained, with the possible exception of the Garand, that the FAL is/was the BEST combat rifle ever made. Quite simple, sturdy and very easy to maintain, both in the field and at the armoury if repairs are necessary. The only reason the M-14 came into existence is because of politics. Certainly the FAL has it's faults but nothing made by humans will ever be perfect, but for a BATTLE rifle, the FAL comes close.

Check GunBroker for parts kits. The original STGs and G1s (kits) are getting almost impossible to find but you can find one or the other occasionally. The selection of uppers has condensed a great lot also. I have had good results with Coonan but haven't done any FAL building for a couple of years since I built my 6.8 SPC on steroids rifle. Probably won't be building any in the near future because I have what I want.

You can still find a few Imbel kits at a reasonable price, that with the addition of certain parts, can be assembled into either STG or G1 configurations. Depends on what you want. You're starting with a mishmash of parts and a non original receiver so making one configuration or another or something that didn't exist in the first place, doesn't really matter. That's the beauty of the FAL. No matter how you do it, it is still an FAL.

[Moleman-]

I only ever put Imbel kit back on Imbel receivers which was very easy. I've heard of timing issues, but had none myself.

[Lonegun1894]

After seeing several FAL's a friend owns and getting to shoot them I have to own one. I have narrowed my search down to either a G1 or a STG-58. I have shot Garrands and M1A's and while they were good they just didn't trip my trigger. I am seeking a good G1 or STG-58 kit and I realize I will have to purchase an upper. I have a friend with the necessary tools to install and time the barrel correctly as well as set the head space. So, if you have one lying around that you wish to sell or for that matter a complete G1 or STG-58 let me know. Also I would welcome any comments associated with a build of this nature.

The good news is that this is easy by installing the correct "locking shoulder". The bad news is that this was designed for an armorer who had a bin full of assorted sizes and was free to swap them in and out until he got the correct size, and you and I don't have that luxury usually. But they're easy to modify, so it's not a lost cause cause taking a few light strokes with a fine file, trying it, and the repeating til it fits is easy, even if it is time consuming.

[roysha]

I admit the first time I built one I was stressed to the max because of the timing horror stories I had heard and read about. To put it bluntly, NONSENSE. A little common sense and thinking about it for a minute is all it takes to time the barrel correctly. I have put, or helped put, Imbel, STG and G1 barrels on Coonan. Entreprise, DSA, and gear logo Imbel uppers in various combinations and had to time every one of them. Most assuredly not brain surgery!

Lonegun1894, please don't take offense but I beg to disagree with you on the swapping of locking shoulders. While I agree that the armourer had a variety to choose from, he also had pin gauges that were used to determine the correct size. I never could justify the cost of a set of precision pin gauges for the few FALs I built so I used small hole expandable gauge to measure and then got the nearest size locking shoulder. Pressing them in and out too often can loosen the friction fit to the point they can shift a bit. Indeed, the shoulder can be "adjusted" with a file but that is a "last ditch" thing to do and must be done carefully so as to maintain the correct angle and not remove too much. Several places have a good variety of sizes and they are not terribly expensive.

[Lonegun1894]

Roysha,
No offense taken. My experience with the FAL is extensive in use, but VERY basic in building as I've only built a dozen or so, and that was with parts cannibalized from various sources and without the "proper" tools. If anything, I appreciate anyone willing to share any information on these because it is one of my favorite designs of all time. So the more I can learn to do right, the fewer problems I will have in the long run.

[6bg6ga]

I assume I still need 7 american parts?

[Electric88]

I assume I still need 7 american parts?

I believe that is a correct statement

[roysha]

I assume I still need 7 american parts?

Yup. The most common are: hammer, trigger, sear, (usually bought as a HTS set), pistol grip, piston, forearm or butt stock, depending on the condition and style, and of course, the upper receiver. You can cheat a bit by using USA marked followers and floor plates (each counts as one part) but they must be used in the rifle that only has the other 5 parts. If you only have one FAL it's no big deal but if you have several, and some magazines that are not using the USA parts, it can be confusing. In truth, I doubt if 1 in 1000 cops has a clue about the compliance thing. Unfortunately, the FAL is an "evil assault rifle" so one could get in a lash up with the powers that be, because of that fact, even if they weren't aware of the compliance requirement.

At one time there was a great lot of other compliance parts available but as the demand dropped so did the manufacture of those parts. Now it can be a bit of a struggle to find them but they are definitely out there.

Obviously, by putting the USA parts into the rifle it no longer is a lean, mean, fighting machine, but some sort of tame, make nice, can't hurt a fly, no longer a real "assault rifle" kinda gun.:kidding:

[6bg6ga]

Just received a Heavy Barrel Israeli FAl at a reasonable price for what it is. I have new DSA 30 round magazines on their way also and they have three parts which should count in my total parts count. So, three parts there, a new upper receiver ..four parts, a new top cover/scope mount ..DSA five parts.

[Moleman-]

Don't think the top cover counts for 922R. http://922r.com/ I did the stock set(buttstock, pistol grip, forearm), piston, hammer trigger sear.

[6bg6ga]

I don't see it on the list but then again how old is the list and when did the top covers become available. It doesn't make sense to allow a magazine total 3 parts to be allowed and not allow a US made top cover which allows one to mount a scope to it. I'll buy the hammer, trigger ,and sear another three parts.

[roysha]

I don't see it on the list but then again how old is the list and when did the top covers become available. It doesn't make sense to allow a magazine total 3 parts to be allowed and not allow a US made top cover which allows one to mount a scope to it. I'll buy the hammer, trigger ,and sear another three parts.

You could have stopped right there and been totally correct. However, the list has not changed.

[justashooter]

a new top cover/scope mount ..DSA five parts.

DSA mags have a poor rep for feed reliability, especially the 20 round versions. they are not within manufactured tolerances or of the correct alloy.

top covers are not one of the parts specifically enumerated in the title 18 Sec 922r US "no more than 10 critical foreign parts" rule list. there are 17 parts on the critical parts list for a FAL, 16 for an AK, assuming a muzzle attachment and bayo mount for each.

most people use piston, charging handle, receiver or muzzle brake, and 3 piece fire control group. you get 7 that way while retaining the original appearance and being able to use whatever magazine was cheap. nowadays US made magazines are the same price as imports. back in the day they were considered expensive. as a reach around FSE and similar makers provided follower and floor plate sets to use in imported bodies.

http://thegunwiki.com/Gunwiki/BuildFalVerifyCompliance

[6bg6ga]

Here we go again... Don't have any 20 round mags only 30 rounders. Again I purchased DSA. They went to the range this last weekend and fed ammo to my friends FAL. The result was NO malfunctions. Wrong material? I uncovered ONE you tube video where the person making the video had problems with his 20 round magazines. I would have liked to have been able to check his OAL on his .308 ammo. You really have me hanging on the wrong material comment. I believe a poster correctly mentioned the reference to the 922R in post number 16.

[justashooter]

wrong material as in wrong steel alloy. I am a steel products guru, and can tell you that DSA has used an alloy that is not as mechanically strong as the alloys used in original magazines. this can be demonstrated through destructive analysis. the strength deficiency shows up in feeding problems because the feed lips are weak, and improperly shaped, in many reported cases. this issue was widely discussed on the FALFILES 2-4 years ago.

[6bg6ga]

wrong material as in wrong steel alloy. I am a steel products guru, and can tell you that DSA has used an alloy that is not as mechanically strong as the alloys used in original magazines. this can be demonstrated through destructive analysis. the strength deficiency shows up in feeding problems because the feed lips are weak, and improperly shaped, in many reported cases. this issue was widely discussed on the FALFILES 2-4 years ago.I guess I'm safe then since I purchased 30 round mags instead of 20's. By the way there are a few video's on you tube showing the 30 round mag feeding ammo without a hitch under full auto conditions. No doubt since you are a steel guru as you put it you can probably tell me what alloy it is by just looking at it. Dude, really? No doubt you have a hard on for DS Arms for some reason. To be honest here I have taken everything you have posted as nothing more than a vendetta against DS Arms.

[richbug]

I was on the waiting list when DSA announced their US made mags. Had some 20s and 30s, neither was reliable as shipped. Some lip bending and deburring and eventually I got them to work, but would never trust them. The plastic "Moses" mags are the only aftermarkets mags I have tried that worked for me, but I still don't trust them.

DSA has had their share of issues. Too many to enumerate. Not many other FAL players still left, lack of options forces you to them. I have seen a dozen suppliers/manufacturers or more come and go in the last 15+ years I have been playing with FALs.