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Posted: 9/29/2016 3:46:05 PM EDT
I ordered a receiver last Friday.
I have now ordered a front end assembly so I can stop thinking about what length barrel I want, as well as the mag release and bolt hold open assembly. This will be my first FAL I have ever built. I will post here along the way with the progress of the build. It will end up as a 11" FAL Para. Likely be built into a pistol first until the form 1 clears. Hopefully some will find this interesting More to come once things start getting to me. Stay tuned Major parts progress Receiver : Ordered received, only missing the CH and locking shoulder Front end assembly 11" : Ordered Received PARA Lower end : will be ordered one day Ordered |
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I've got a stamp in progress for an SBR FAL as well, so I'll be following this eagerly to find out what not to do. Hopefully you won't provide any cautionary warnings, though.
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I ordered a receiver last Friday. View Quote If you don't mind me asking who did you order through and how much was it? I've got a basket case century gun that I picked up cheap, and want to replace the crappy reciever. |
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If you don't mind me asking who did you order through and how much was it? I've got a basket case century gun that I picked up cheap, and want to replace the crappy reciever. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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I ordered a receiver last Friday. If you don't mind me asking who did you order through and how much was it? I've got a basket case century gun that I picked up cheap, and want to replace the crappy reciever. What's wrong with the receiver? I may be interested in taking it off your hands if you're looking to recoup some money. I do weird projects which can work with bad receivers. |
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If you don't mind me asking who did you order through and how much was it? I've got a basket case century gun that I picked up cheap, and want to replace the crappy reciever. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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I ordered a receiver last Friday. If you don't mind me asking who did you order through and how much was it? I've got a basket case century gun that I picked up cheap, and want to replace the crappy reciever. Went with a DSA. They have always been prompt with me with any questions, and its an American company. Ill also be using a majority of their parts for this build. I am a little surprised I still haven't been hit for the charges as its been a week now. Figured I would have had it by now. But it really doesn't matter much as it will be awhile before I have a working gun. I would like to get it soon to get a form 1 rolling and to look over the receiver to make sure everything looks good |
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Just a heads up, there is a para kit for sale on the FAL Files with a short gas setup right now.
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Card got hit for the receiver today. So that should mean its headed my way
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As a side note, what optic should I throw on this beast when it becomes a thing
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That barrel looks great - Its going to be fun (and loud)
All part of the fun! |
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My plan is to source the tools I need this week to finish the build.
I was planning on using both a barrel vice and also a receiver wrench. However the gas tube is braised on... Which leaves me with only a few inches of bare barrel to get a barrel vice on which isn't going to happen. So I guess Ill just have to chuck the barrel in a vice on its flats since I don't have any barrel room to work with. |
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Don't forget to tape or wire the handguard retainer to the gas block before installing the barrel, or you'll get to install it twice.
I've never forgotten the handguard retainer when barreling a FAL. Nope, not once. Nosirree. |
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Don't forget to tape or wire the handguard retainer to the gas block before installing the barrel, or you'll get to install it twice. I've never forgotten the handguard retainer when barreling a FAL. Nope, not once. Nosirree. View Quote Ive seen this warning so much that if I forget now I deserve every bit of it Hoping to finish off ordering the rest of the parts this week. Minus the locking shoulder. Im going to get some gauge pins to try and determine the correct locking shoulder. So that will be the last part ordered for this beast Likely have this thing done by the end of the month |
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Don't forget to tape or wire the handguard retainer to the gas block before installing the barrel, or you'll get to install it twice. I've never forgotten the handguard retainer when barreling a FAL. Nope, not once. Nosirree. View Quote DSA makes a 2 piece retainer that is needed for a rail installation should he ever go that route... |
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DSA makes a 2 piece retainer that is needed for a rail installation should he ever go that route... View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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Don't forget to tape or wire the handguard retainer to the gas block before installing the barrel, or you'll get to install it twice. I've never forgotten the handguard retainer when barreling a FAL. Nope, not once. Nosirree. DSA makes a 2 piece retainer that is needed for a rail installation should he ever go that route... I have one of those but was never able to bring myself to use it. Just felt like failure. |
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All tools and parts have been ordered minus the locking shoulder.
I have headspace gauges coming from brownells. A receiver wrench coming from faltools and the rest of the fun stuff coming from DSA. Bittersweet, as that was a chunk of change to drop on parts |
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I cant use a barrel vice for this build unfortunately. I am pretty bummed about it as that's the way I wanted to do it to make sure this goes easily. The gas tube is braised in, leaving only a few inches of bare barrel to work with . So, I guess the plan is to chuck the barrel in a vice on its flats and do the best I can See below http://i.imgur.com/UpKsJS0.jpg View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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Ah, the joy of using a receiver wrench and barrel vice. I cant use a barrel vice for this build unfortunately. I am pretty bummed about it as that's the way I wanted to do it to make sure this goes easily. The gas tube is braised in, leaving only a few inches of bare barrel to work with . So, I guess the plan is to chuck the barrel in a vice on its flats and do the best I can See below http://i.imgur.com/UpKsJS0.jpg Wouldn't it be easier to remove the two pins holding the gas block on, clamp and install barrel, then re-install gas block? |
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Wouldn't it be easier to remove the two pins holding the gas block on, clamp and install barrel, then re-install gas block? View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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Ah, the joy of using a receiver wrench and barrel vice. I cant use a barrel vice for this build unfortunately. I am pretty bummed about it as that's the way I wanted to do it to make sure this goes easily. The gas tube is braised in, leaving only a few inches of bare barrel to work with . So, I guess the plan is to chuck the barrel in a vice on its flats and do the best I can See below http://i.imgur.com/UpKsJS0.jpg Wouldn't it be easier to remove the two pins holding the gas block on, clamp and install barrel, then re-install gas block? I believe them to be pressed in as well as the block. It has crossed my mind however. The pins wouldn't be an issue as much as the block itself depending on how tight it is. Im just gunna see how it rolls with throwing it in a vice. Worst comes to worst I do have to find a way to press the pins and sight off then go about using a barrel vice. |
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Pressing out the gas block pins is no big deal. The wrench flats near the chamber are very small for the amount of torque that needs to be applied, so a barrel vice is recommended.
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Pressing out the gas block pins is no big deal. The wrench flats near the chamber are very small for the amount of torque that needs to be applied, so a barrel vice is recommended. View Quote Ill give it a look tonight. Im not so worried about the pins as much as I am the block itself. DSA still hasn't shipped the rest of the parts so I suppose I do still have time to get a barrel vice here if I can get the gas block off without any damage |
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That barrel looks a little heavier than normal. Is that just my imagination, or is it more of a medium contour barrel?
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That barrel looks a little heavier than normal. Is that just my imagination, or is it more of a medium contour barrel? View Quote Not your imagination Its pretty thick. Reminds me of the SOCOM profile AR barrels. It tapers down right before the gas block. Im still waiting on the stuff from DSA. My card hasn't even been hit yet. I was hoping to have this gal atleast assembled so I can order a locking shoulder to complete this build this week. |
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neat build! Sorry to hear your stuff is taking so long. I just ordered 2 different times from DSA over the past 2 weeks and got both w/in 3 days.
Look forward to seeing the finished deal. |
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I cant use a barrel vice for this build unfortunately. I am pretty bummed about it as that's the way I wanted to do it to make sure this goes easily. The gas tube is braised in, leaving only a few inches of bare barrel to work with . So, I guess the plan is to chuck the barrel in a vice on its flats and do the best I can See below http://i.imgur.com/UpKsJS0.jpg View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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Ah, the joy of using a receiver wrench and barrel vice. I cant use a barrel vice for this build unfortunately. I am pretty bummed about it as that's the way I wanted to do it to make sure this goes easily. The gas tube is braised in, leaving only a few inches of bare barrel to work with . So, I guess the plan is to chuck the barrel in a vice on its flats and do the best I can See below http://i.imgur.com/UpKsJS0.jpg I think that this vise would work. as long as you have 2" of barrel to work with. |
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With the parts still not being here I may actually give a good hard look at getting the gas block off this week and ordering a barrel vice from faltools(good price and he was super fast about getting the receiver wrench to me)
I do want to do this the right way if possible to minimize any damage when barreling the receiver |
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One option is to clamp the receiver in a wrench and then place the wrench in a vise, then use a wrench to torque the barrel on. If you have access to a milling machine, it may be possible to cut a custom wrench for the flats tight enough to tap on, which should alleviate any fear of rounding the flats. It seems like the most appealing of the options at this point, inasmuch as you're not going to find a non-custom vise that will fit that barrel.
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One option is to clamp the receiver in a wrench and then place the wrench in a vise, then use a wrench to torque the barrel on. If you have access to a milling machine, it may be possible to cut a custom wrench for the flats tight enough to tap on, which should alleviate any fear of rounding the flats. It seems like the most appealing of the options at this point, inasmuch as you're not going to find a non-custom vise that will fit that barrel. View Quote given how easy it is to remove the gas block, that seems like a terrible waste of time. |
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given how easy it is to remove the gas block, that seems like a terrible waste of time. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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One option is to clamp the receiver in a wrench and then place the wrench in a vise, then use a wrench to torque the barrel on. If you have access to a milling machine, it may be possible to cut a custom wrench for the flats tight enough to tap on, which should alleviate any fear of rounding the flats. It seems like the most appealing of the options at this point, inasmuch as you're not going to find a non-custom vise that will fit that barrel. given how easy it is to remove the gas block, that seems like a terrible waste of time. If the barrel vise is a custom job, then you're going to need something fabricated either way. At least the flat wrench lets you skip gas block removal. I might be biased due to having to deal with a DSA barrel where they introduced a burr between the gas block and the journal, making removal of the gas block an exercise in pain. That said, DSA uses a special vise that engages the flats (see here and here), which is probably why they don't care that their short barrels make it hard to use a vise that clamps the rounds. |
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If the barrel vise is a custom job, then you're going to need something fabricated either way. At least the flat wrench lets you skip gas block removal. I might be biased due to having to deal with a DSA barrel where they introduced a burr between the gas block and the journal, making removal of the gas block an exercise in pain. That said, DSA uses a special vise that engages the flats (see here and here), which is probably why they don't care that their short barrels make it hard to use a vise that clamps the rounds. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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One option is to clamp the receiver in a wrench and then place the wrench in a vise, then use a wrench to torque the barrel on. If you have access to a milling machine, it may be possible to cut a custom wrench for the flats tight enough to tap on, which should alleviate any fear of rounding the flats. It seems like the most appealing of the options at this point, inasmuch as you're not going to find a non-custom vise that will fit that barrel. given how easy it is to remove the gas block, that seems like a terrible waste of time. If the barrel vise is a custom job, then you're going to need something fabricated either way. At least the flat wrench lets you skip gas block removal. I might be biased due to having to deal with a DSA barrel where they introduced a burr between the gas block and the journal, making removal of the gas block an exercise in pain. That said, DSA uses a special vise that engages the flats (see here and here), which is probably why they don't care that their short barrels make it hard to use a vise that clamps the rounds. Holy cheater bar! That's one cool apparatus.I wish it was in my garage. |
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The parts are going to be here tomorrow.
Honestly I'm thinking about just chucking it in a vice. My work has some nice vices that are solidly mounted so I may just give that a shot |
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The parts are going to be here tomorrow. Honestly I'm thinking about just chucking it in a vice. My work has some nice vices that are solidly mounted so I may just give that a shot View Quote Just make sure it has smooth jaws. Chewed up flats make FAL lovers cry. How do you plan to time the barrel? |
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Just make sure it has smooth jaws. Chewed up flats make FAL lovers cry. How do you plan to time the barrel? View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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The parts are going to be here tomorrow. Honestly I'm thinking about just chucking it in a vice. My work has some nice vices that are solidly mounted so I may just give that a shot Just make sure it has smooth jaws. Chewed up flats make FAL lovers cry. How do you plan to time the barrel? Well I'm gunna chuck the barrel in a vice and use a receiver wrench and eye ball it I may use a level on the receiver and then the sight tower once I think it's close |
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I use a laser bore site, just a thought. They're relatively cheap these days too.
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Well guys wish me luck.
I went to look at the vices this morning. They are pretty smooth. Those flats are a lot smaller when actually chucked up into a vice Parts should be here in a few hours. Im excited . It is going to suck doing the hard part today of building the rifle pistol and not being able to shoot it until I get a locking shoulder in though |
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Everything arrived but the locking shoulder and the brace to build it into a pistol
I see why the para stocks are held in such high regards for a folder now. Locks up very tight with no play at all. |
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Well I'm gunna chuck the barrel in a vice and use a receiver wrench and eye ball it I may use a level on the receiver and then the sight tower once I think it's close View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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The parts are going to be here tomorrow. Honestly I'm thinking about just chucking it in a vice. My work has some nice vices that are solidly mounted so I may just give that a shot Just make sure it has smooth jaws. Chewed up flats make FAL lovers cry. How do you plan to time the barrel? Well I'm gunna chuck the barrel in a vice and use a receiver wrench and eye ball it I may use a level on the receiver and then the sight tower once I think it's close A level is what I used on my first build without issue. The timing rods sold on the FAL Files might be better, though. |
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Alright I eye balled it. The level proved utterly useless.
The piston moves freely so it has to be damn close. I think it's right on. It seems a .266 locking shoulder is the way to go from my gauges. I can get the go gauge to go home on .268 but it takes a good amount of force to close it and unlock it Oh I can't free the damn screw that holds the para stock on for the life of me. I swear they torqued it to 1000 ft/lbs. I did remove the set screw. But it won't budge at all. I'm almost done getting it built however |
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