From: MBOX::IN%"Jwrawles@aol.com" 28-NOV-1995 09:47 To: IN%"HUDSON@ualr.edu" CC: Subj: FN/FAL FAQ [revised 26/11/95] Return-path: Received: from mail06.mail.aol.com by UALR.EDU (PMDF V4.2-11 #4503) id <01HY67PG1QTC000XAF@UALR.EDU>; Tue, 28 Nov 1995 09:46:59 CDT Received: by mail06.mail.aol.com (8.6.12/8.6.12) id KAA22584 for HUDSON@ualr.edu; Tue, 28 Nov 1995 10:47:08 -0500 Date: Tue, 28 Nov 1995 10:47:08 -0500 From: Jwrawles@aol.com Subject: FN/FAL FAQ [revised 26/11/95] To: HUDSON@ualr.edu Message-id: <951128104707_60551689@mail06.mail.aol.com> Content-type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT In response to innumerable postings querying the types and makers of FN/FALs and L1A1s and accessories, here a brief summary of answers to some FAQs. (For more detail on the FN/FAL, L1A1, and variants, I highly recommend the three volume FAL Series by R. Blake Stevens. It is expensive, ($110 USD) but a great reference. It is available from Discount Gun Books. Their phone # is (800) 266-5251.) COLLECTIBILITY : The best collectibility/investment value in a FAL is in either in an original Belgian made FN/FAL (the earlier the better), or a true L1A1 built in a Commonwealth country on an original Commonwealth inch pattern receiver. (Such as the Joe Poyer semi-auto Australian L1A1s that were imported in the 1970s.) In the eyes of serious collectors, parts guns--no matter how nice they are--don't count. If it wasn't actually BUILT in a Commonwealth arsenal on a Commonwealth receiver, its just another parts gun. From a practical standpoint, the profusion of parts guns and "Century" sporters generally function fine, have decent accuracy, and are relatively inexpensive. However, they can hardly beconsidered investment pieces. It is noteworthy that there is starting to be marginal collectibility in the Argentine, Brazilian (Springfield Armory SAR-48s/4800s), and Israeli FALs. Rifles that were imported into the U.S. before the thumbhole stock and flash-hider restriction stupidity began are already considerably more valuable than the later emascualted rifles. Since the supply of the earlier style rifles is essentially frozen, this price spread is expected to increase in the future. MAGAZINES: Telling "inch" from "metric": Metric magazines have a small front locking lug (1/4 inch wide) that is merely punched out of the body of the magazine. Metric magazines also have a slim floorplate that is NOT wider than the body of the magazine. In contrast, inch pattern (British Commonwealth) magazines have a relatively large and beefy (1/2 inch wide) front locking lug that is welded onto the front of the magazine. They can also be distinguished by their floorplates, which are wider than the magazine body, and have a "button" release on the bottom. Metric magazine are fairly hard to tell apart, since nearly all were made on Belgian (FN) made tooling. Most are painted in black enamel. Here are some distinguishing characteristics: Original Belgian magazines have black enamel painted steel bodies and brightly blued followers. They are generally wrapped in clear plastic five packs. Some West German (G1) metric magazines were made of aluminum. Argentine and Brazilian metric magazines look just like Belgian magazines, except that they have grey parkerized followers. Most Israeli made magazines look just like Argentine of Brazilian magazines (black enamel painted bodies and grey followers) except that they have two Hebrew characters in an oval cartouche stamped in the side of the magazine, near the bottom. Some Israeli FN/FAL magazines are grey parkerized. Israeli magazines are generally found wrapped in brown waxed paper tied up in twine. They are packed either four or five to a bundle. Inch pattern magazines are even more difficult to tell apart. When you buy unmarked inch magazines, they are probably either Austarlian or Canadian. Inch magazines stamped with part numbers, production years, and/or a "broad arrow" proof mark are generally British. To clear up the perenial confusion on inch versus metric magazines: If your rifle is a Century International ("CAI") Sporter, then it can accept only METRIC magazines, not inch pattern. A Century Sporter is basically an inch pattern parts kit built on a metric receiver--not a C1A1 inch pattern receiver. Again, they can ONLY take metric magazines. Guidelines on "what rifle takes what magazine...": Belgian FN rifles accept metric magazines, only Israeli FN rifles accept metric magazines, only Brazilian FN (SAR-48/SAR-4800) rifles accept metric magazines, only Argentine FN (FM-LSR) rifles take metric magazines, only Australian L1A1 rifles will accept inch OR metric magazines British L1A1 rifles will accept inch OR metric magazines Canadian C1A1 rifles will accept inch OR metric magazines Indian ("RFI -Ishapore") 1A1 rifles will accept inch OR metric magazines (Note the exception to the above listing is that even though the receivers for Century Sporters are made in Canada, they are METRIC, and hence accept only metric magazines.) The general rule is that inch pattern receivers can accept EITHER inch OR metric magazines. However, when they are used in an inch gun, metric magazines do wobble a bit. This is because the front locking lug doesn't engage. They normally work fine, however. PARTING UP A FN/FAL OR L1A1: Putting together L1A1s from parts kits seems to have become the new national sport. I see dozens of "parts" guns at major gun shows. Most are built using British inch pattern parts kits assembled on metric recievers. Most recently, Entreprise Arms inch recivers have become predominant. Metric parts kits are relatively scarce, but British surplus inch pattern parts kits with Marnyl pebble grain plastic stock furniture are still available from Century International. Their phone # is 1(800) 258-8879. Entreprise Arms has made large numbers of receivers, most of them inch pattern. I've heard that they still have a few pre-ban inch pattern receivers available. Their phone # is (818) 962-8712. The biggest supplier of metric receivers (and barreled metric receivers) is D.S. Arms. Their phone # is (708) 223-4770. This firm is owned by Dave Selvaggio. I've done business with Dave for many years. He very reputable, his merchandise is top notch, and his prices are reasonable. There are only only two minor problems with building up a L1A1 on a metric receiver. The first is that you have to notch the folding charging handle (to match the metric receiver configuration), or if you want to be crude, just grind the inside of it flat (like Century does). The second problem is that you will be limited to using only metric magazines. BTW, if you use a metric receiver and have any inch pattern magazines, they can be converted to metric configuration with a bit of judicious grinding to the front locking lug. However, due to their current scarcity and higher price, you are better off swapping your inch magazines at a gun show for metric magazines. (You can generally swap them at a 3 for 2 or even 2 for 1 ratio.) Barrelling and headspacing are the only difficult tasks in parting up a FN/FAL or L1A1. Make sure the barreling and headspacing is done by someone who has worked with FALs before! It is tricky, since on L1A1s there are two different parts that establish headspace. There are +/- 12 different thicknesess of breeching rings (a washer with an I.D. the same as your barrel thread's O.D.). There are also +/- 8 different thicknesses of locking shoulders (the little oval shaped block that crosses the receiver). BTW, there is no equivalent to a breeching ring with a metric parts kit. On metric guns, headspace is established with only a locking shoulder. In terms of spare "breakage" parts for an L1A1, it is currently far more cost effective to get a complete spare parts set (everything except the receiver), than to buy parts separately. Three years ago--before the glut of parts kits--I used to pay $150 just for a set of Maranyl L1A1 stock furniture. Nowadays, for around $190, you can buy a complete spare parts set! Needless to say, the full parts set will leave you prepared for any eventual parts breakage, et cetera. Even if you don't foresee the need for all those spares and just want to keep a few critical items such as a firing pin and stock furniture, you might be able to sell off all or part of the remaining parts from the set at a gun show, to recoup most of your investment. TELESCOPIC SIGHTS AND MOUNTS: The best scope mount for putting a traditional scope on a FAL or L1A1 is is the A.R.M.S. scope mount. My personal favorite set-up is to use a Trijicon 3-9x and an A.R.M.S mount. This is like the best of both worlds. It has tritium gas lit crosshairs like a Trilux, but has optics that are better suited to "reach out and touch someone" work. The A.R.M.S. mount is a replacement top cover with a Weaver rail. (It takes standard Weaver style rings.) It is much more trim and compact than its competitors (such as the B-Square monstrosity), and has excellent return to zero when it is taken on and off the rifle. A.R.M.S. even makes a version with a return spring guide for the paratrooper FAL. The following on Trilux "SUIT" sights is courtesy of David Young of New Zealand: With SUIT sights, the correct point of of aim is dead center. The ranges at each of the positions for the cam lever are as follows: The lever should be set back for 300 yards, and forward for 600 yards. The gun should be sighted for 300 yards. You can do this by shooting at 25 or 100 yards. The (short) instruction manual that came with these sights has all the specs. for this. On original unaltered SUIT sights, there is a small handle that you can rotate to expose the tritium. Unfortunately, most of the SUIT sights in the U.S. have had their tritium vials removed to meet some stupid N.R.C. import restriction. The spot where the vial went is filled with a black plastic plug. You can "reanimate" a Trilux that is sans its tritium vial by using one of the battery powered LED units sold by Entreprise Arms. The early ones were too bright. The new ones reportedly work much better. Entreprise Arms sells them for $49.00. I hope that you find this posting useful. Please e-mail me with additions or corrections. Jim Rawles, Proprietor The obligatory quote... Clearwater Trading Co. "A billion here, c/o P.O. Box 2289 and a billion there... Orofino, Idaho 83544 And pretty soon you're talking voice: (208) 476-4440 REAL money." e-mail: Jwrawles@aol.com - Senator Everett Dirksen P.S.: If you can't find any locally at a reasonable price, let me know if you need any magazines. I still have lots original Belgians and Israelis (metric) brand new for dirt cheap. Let me know if you'd like my UPDATED and expanded catalog of shootable antique guns (primarily pre-1899 production "No FFL" Mausers and Winchesters), gun accessories (mainly clips and magazines), ammunition, backpacks, sleeping bags, and waterproof gun/gear cases. (Due to AOL e-mail length restrictions, you'll get the catalog in two parts.) You can also now read my new shareware novel, The Gray Nineties. It is piece of speculative survival fiction about a socio-economic collapse and its aftermath. Hard copies are *NOT* available, but you can download a soft copy of the entire text free of charge from the web site at: http://www.eskimo.com/~hmcom/4/db/gn/cover.html