A buddy at work has an FAL he is trying to sell and I'm debating whether or not it's worth buying.
The gun is an inch pattern built on an Imbel reciever. He says the reciever was built prior to '94, but I'm not sure if that's good or bad. I know Imbel makes a lot of stuff but I'm not too familiar with them in terms of quality.
The lower is an FN and after he bought it the rifle was sent to a smith in VA who replaced the gas tube, adjusted headspace and gave the gun a good once over. Several of my other buddies also shot the rifle and said it functioned fine and shot well.
I asked him for some detailed pictures and some other information but I'm new to FALs and dont really know what to look for. Any guidance? the rifle includes two inch pattern mags, an original sling and a trilux scope (not sure of the mfg on the scope)
For the package he wants $500. My initial impression was "fuck yeah!!" but I remember the shitty L1A1 sporters CAI imported years ago and I'm thinking this may be one of those. Also, I've heard inch magazines are expensive and hard to find. Is this rifle worth getting, if for nothing else to clean up and re-sell?
thanks.

the only shitty thing I recall about the L1A1's imported by Century was the ugly thumbhole stocks and the barrel being chopped, other than that they were solid IMO.

I'd pull the $500 out of my so fast to buy that FAL that I'd have paper cuts, buy it.

Don't worry about searching for inch pattern magazines for that inch pattern receiver as metric mags work just fine.

Well I'm pretty happy guys, I think I totally cleaned up on this one. Got a hands on look at the rifle package today. Its a Century (groan) built with L1A1 parts on metric reciever with a metric lower (metrinch??) reciever is unmarked but the guy swears his gunsmith saidit was an imbel, only markings are CAI, serial number and caliber. Nice, non abused rifle. But heres the bonuses; included were a British L2A2 trilux scope, a spare bolt carrier, a spare complete israeli lower, a spare top cover, two magazines and a sling. Fired the rifle at the range where we met. Rifle cycled perfectly and windage was nearly perfect with no sight adjustments. However, the groups were about two feet low at 75 yards. Front sight blade is grr'd up from the set screw being over tightened so I bought a replacement front sight blade as well as an L1A1 rear sight. Between the two I should have this beast shooting point of aim as soon as parts arrive. I need to figure out how to use the L2A2 sight but otherwise this bitch is ready for war. Pictures will be inbound tomorrow some time. Pretty good for only five bills

Finally got pictures uploaded. Still trying to positively ID the reciever.The only markings are L1A1 sporter, CAI, CAI address and a SN on the mag well. The previous owner swears his smith said it was an imbel reciever, but this guy also told me it took inch magazines, which aint the case. Overall the gunlooks good, it has the dual feed ramps, not the"unibrow" single feed ramp and everything is tight and solid. I replaced the battery in the trilux and got post illumination.

Wow. You did very good.

As for the inch mags, did you try metric and an inch mag? L1A1s are inch pattern rifles. They also accept metric mags. I have several me tric rifles built on inch pattern receivers. They accept either mag. The metric mags fit a tiny bit looser but all function well.

Ok, as you're finding out you can't mix a metric and inch sight parts from front to back. Since you said set screw on the front sight and I can see open ears on the front I'll assume you do have an inch front end and sight. You're 2' sight offset is from using metric rear sight with the inch front. I highly recommend buying an inch lower with inch sight. It'll just look better. (I like inch rifles). I'm not sure if you can just swap the sight or you need the whole lower. Someone will straighten me out on that. Anyways you def need them to match fore to aft.

As far as the mag cut on your receiver, if it's a milled wide horizontal slot for the mag, it's inch cut which to me is a good thing. The metric front cut would be a cone shaped cut. If you have inch mags and they have a tab welded to the top front of them (and the tab width wasn't reduced to the center third) you're rifle and mags are inch. The metric mags have a cut and the magazine tube metal is pushed out, no extra metal welded on. Inch cut mag recievers will run both inch and metric mags while the much smaller notch on the metric receiver mag cut will only accept metric mags not inch.

Great price, I would have gladly bought it myself if it was inch cut for the charging handle and the mag well. Imbel recievers are TOP tier quality despite having the Century name associated with them. The Imbel centuries have none of the domestic cast century issues. Carry on with confidence.

ETA- with the trilux you stole that setup. Reading your later post about the metric mag cut makes me feel like you could make that gun in either direction, metric or inch looking. Since you have an inch barrel and flash hider, it'd be easiest to go inch style or just make the sights agree and drive on! More than one mix mash FAL out there for sure. I'm betting it originally had a thumbhole stock brit lower at one time and someone took it off as they're an ergonomic abortion nonstarter to most.

Mags have gone up, the metrics are less expensive than the inch which run about $20-25 depending on condiiton. The metrics are 15-20 depending on type and rarity.

That is an Imbel receiver.. i have one stamped exactly the same.. with the ' Sporter ' lettering out to the right ..

Not entirely true. Inch pattern front sights will work with Israeli or Argentine rear sights. Just FYI and not an attempt to be a contrarian.


OP: That barrel may be a Parker Hale barrel. They have a reputation for better than average accuracy. WWB is goo ammo, but I'll bet that either Radway Green (British surplus) or Australian surplus would produce even better results.

One other thing: IMBEL makes excellent products.