Century L1A1
Picked up a brand new, never fired before today `08 Century L1A1 in trade. Everything appears inch pattern; sand cut carrier, long flash hider and long cut in the receiver for inch mags. In typical CAI style, it came with a refinished metric mag instead of an inch mag; which works (as I understand metric should work in a inch rec) although it's hard to strip rounds from it. The feed lips are sharp and rough so basically the gun can't strip rounds from a full mag; I'm going to polish the lips some to solve that. Loading 5 rounds at a time during the range session, the mag began to smooth out and FTF started to go away, but still popped up mostly on the last round. Doesn't appear to be a feed ramp issue as the rounds don't even get that far and after another pull on the charging handle they chamber.
Question I have for the hive is about the last round bolt hold open, or lack of, on this style FAL. Bolt catch works manually, and appears drilled for a pin to catch the follower in the mag, but due to the lack of said pin it doesn't work. A quick search at Apex shows the extact same L1A1 BHO minus the pin, so are these FAL capable of last round BHO? If so where can I find the proper BHO, the pin or will a metric unit work? Looking at the pics on Apex's website the metric and inch BHO look very similar. If it makes a difference I plan to continue to use metric mags due to price and availablity.
if it is cut for inch mags, i would use them...would probably solve some of your problems....the brits deactivated their BHO....you could find someone to install a pin....metric may work but might be too loose or too tight....if you can find a canadian BHO, the pin is still installed.....
Originally Posted By Kurt_D:
Picked up a brand new, never fired before today `08 Century L1A1 in trade. Everything appears inch pattern; sand cut carrier, long flash hider and long cut in the receiver for inch mags. In typical CAI style, it came with a refinished metric mag instead of an inch mag; which works (as I understand metric should work in a inch rec) although it's hard to strip rounds from it. The feed lips are sharp and rough so basically the gun can't strip rounds from a full mag; I'm going to polish the lips some to solve that. Loading 5 rounds at a time during the range session, the mag began to smooth out and FTF started to go away, but still popped up mostly on the last round. Doesn't appear to be a feed ramp issue as the rounds don't even get that far and after another pull on the charging handle they chamber.
Question I have for the hive is about the last round bolt hold open, or lack of, on this style FAL. Bolt catch works manually, and appears drilled for a pin to catch the follower in the mag, but due to the lack of said pin it doesn't work. A quick search at Apex shows the extact same L1A1 BHO minus the pin, so are these FAL capable of last round BHO? If so where can I find the proper BHO, the pin or will a metric unit work? Looking at the pics on Apex's website the metric and inch BHO look very similar. If it makes a difference I plan to continue to use metric mags due to price and availablity.
https://www.apexgunparts.com/product_info.php/cPath/53_115/products_id/2217
A metric BHO will work fine. This is a common upgrade for L1A1 builders.
Problem with the rounds not wanting to strip from the mag is probably due to the feed rails in the receiver being rough. It is common practice among F A L home builders to smooth out the bottom of these feed rails with emory cloth in order to get the rounds to feed properly.
Good deal, I'll pick up one of those bolt catches when I order my M16a1 parts. Strange they would delete such a useful feature.
I'll also hit the bottom of the rails with a emory cloth. The gun was gritty and bone dry, I didn't think of bringing my bottle of CLP and neither did the guy I was getting it from. That would have probably helped as well, the oil really smoothed everything out playing with it at home. I'm going to really clean it out tomorrow.
Originally Posted By Kurt_D:
Good deal, I'll pick up one of those bolt catches when I order my M16a1 parts. Strange they would delete such a useful feature.
I'll also hit the bottom of the rails with a emory cloth. The gun was gritty and bone dry, I didn't think of bringing my bottle of CLP and neither did the guy I was getting it from. That would have probably helped as well, the oil really smoothed everything out playing with it at home. I'm going to really clean it out tomorrow.
Just FYI: A twisted paper towel is a great wick for dipping into the power steering pump and retrieving some lube for your firearms.
Originally Posted By Hebrew_Battle_Rifle:
Originally Posted By Kurt_D:
Good deal, I'll pick up one of those bolt catches when I order my M16a1 parts. Strange they would delete such a useful feature.
I'll also hit the bottom of the rails with a emory cloth. The gun was gritty and bone dry, I didn't think of bringing my bottle of CLP and neither did the guy I was getting it from. That would have probably helped as well, the oil really smoothed everything out playing with it at home. I'm going to really clean it out tomorrow.
Just FYI: A twisted paper towel is a great wick for dipping into the power steering pump and retrieving some lube for your firearms.
there's in inventive mind in there HBR. I remember showing up in the military on the MG range and they had no lube for the M60's which need to be wet. Stole er um borrowed a 5 gallon can of motor oil off a tank. We had a slight surplus that day.
Grabbing from the engine or tranny is a good resourceful move. I'm filing that one away.
Over on FAL files they talk about retrofitting the removed pin into the original British bolt hold open. I forget which size drill bit was used to make the pin from. Silver solder the pin in the existing hole and you have a British functioning AUTOMATIC last shot bolt hold open. Still on my list of things to do.
IIRC the reasoning the british removed the pin was to reduce exposing the innards to blown in sand in combat/field ops. Not something I think was a great idea.
