I buillt three FAL kits, two for others and one for me.

It's an Imbel Kit, great shape, I reparked it all and built it on an Entreprise receiver.  Config is 16" total barrel length, including the brake.

After I got the gas port/setting squared away for the new length, it has never failed me in over 1,000 rounds fired.  Dirty, clean, milsurp, factory, it doesn't care.

I topped it with an EoTech, and it is spot on from 50-200 yards or so, after which my eyes can't distinguish targets anyway without magnification.        

I know I made this thing, sort of.  I  know some have had trouble getting kits running on Entreprise receivers, no problems after that that I've ever heard of.

But it's as dependable as any rifle I own.  My Ar has never hesitated, either.

But I love the 16" 7.62 package.  Sure, it's loud.  Nobody stands next to me at the range.

But I keep wondering if I should use it as a go to rifle for any, uh, situations.

DISCLAIMER--The rifle is equipped with a fixed, non removable 10 round mag in compliance with state law.

Please ignore capacity for purposes of answering my query.

Well if it have never had a failure I would say it's a go to rifle. I don't care what brand it is, if it isn't 100% reliable it's not a go to type of weapon.

It's fairly simple to figure out if a firearm "works" for you. If it runs without a hiccup, sucks down any ammo, and you can consistently hit what you're aiming at----------It's good to go.

Quoted: DISCLAIMER--The rifle is equipped with a fixed, non removable 10 round mag in compliance with state law. Please ignore capacity for purposes of answering my query.

neat. I had no idea CA-DOJ had 'approved' any such thing as a fixed-mag FAL. Thought the AR-Vulcan was the only such beast.

I'd like to read more about it.

Quoted: But I keep wondering if I should use it as a go to rifle for any, uh, situations.

If it can be loaded with stripper clips w/o having to 'shotgun' the rifle then it's looking good.

Take it to a carbine class - they run rifles hard for a couple of days.  If it survives that, then yeah, trust it.

Quoted: Quoted: DISCLAIMER--The rifle is equipped with a fixed, non removable 10 round mag in compliance with state law. Please ignore capacity for purposes of answering my query. neat. I had no idea CA-DOJ had 'approved' any such thing as a fixed-mag FAL. Thought the AR-Vulcan was the only such beast. I'd like to read more about it.

Well, now you see why I worded it the way I did.

The law, as I read it, specifically exempts any weapon that takes a magazine that holds ten or fewer rounds and cannot be removed without tools, IIRC.

On mine, I got someone out of state to blcok and weld a 20 rounder (for looks).

Then, following instructions I think you can find in the hometown forum, I followed Redhorse's instructions for drilling out the spring detent in the mag catch for a set screw, which holds the mag in place and cannot be removed without said allen wrench.

So it's not specifically "approved," but it is compliant with the law.

DOJ must know, because I bought the Entreprise receiver in Cali, DOJ goes by Entreprise allt he time and know what they are selling.

SO it's one of those things.  I'm comfortable that I'm complying with a rather simoly written provision.

The sticky part will come when someone ASKS DOJ if the "approve" of this practice.

I don't think we will like the answer, but they didn't write the law I'm complying with.    

Quoted: Quoted: DISCLAIMER--The rifle is equipped with a fixed, non removable 10 round mag in compliance with state law. Please ignore capacity for purposes of answering my query. neat. I had no idea CA-DOJ had 'approved' any such thing as a fixed-mag FAL. Thought the AR-Vulcan was the only such beast. I'd like to read more about it.

Go to DSA's website. They offer their guns in "CALIF" configuration.

Fixed 10r mag

Stripperclip dustcover


The gun charges with strippers just like most of the post WW2 Battle rifles.



Or you can make your own...



www.dsarms.com/catalog-list.cfm?Category=01&Subcat=SA58%20California%20Models&storeid=1

my eyes are getting old - I read your post to mean should I trust al franken...!   I was going to say no...

I saw pictures of one that had been shot to I think 80,000 rnds.  The picture showed that there were cracks to each side of the locking shoulder extending through to the pivot pin portion of the reciever.  This is the normal point where the reciever will fail after thousands of rnds.  The locking shoulder was also, smashed like a piece of ice on one end.  So, this should tell everyone what to look for as you inspect your rifle periodically.  I trust all of mine and have no worries about it being a go to weapon.

Quoted: it has never failed me in over 1,000 rounds fired.  Dirty, clean, milsurp, factory, it doesn't care.

You're unlikely to fire more than a few hundred rounds in any realistic SHTF scenario. So, if it's lasted over 1,000 rounds without failure, what are the chances of it failing within the next several hundred? Answer: Slim to none.

If you really want to use it as your go-to rifle, set it aside exclusively for that purpose. You've found a sweet spot in the reliability curve - setting the rifle aside now will ensure that you don't wear your way out of that spot by putting upteen thousand more rounds through it.

Have you noticed your FAL making phone calls at odd times?

Suddenly wearing new and exotic furniture?

Does your FAL shoot match grade ammo when normally you run wolf?

Classic signs of a cheating FAL.  Dirty Dirty Slut.

Quoted: Have you noticed your FAL making phone calls at odd times? Suddenly wearing new and exotic furniture? Does your FAL shoot match grade ammo when normally you run wolf? Classic signs of a cheating FAL.  Dirty Dirty Slut.

Now that you mention it, she showed up with nasty black furniture, the way I like it.

But....suddenly, she's wearing Izzy wood, refinished and beautiful.

Hmmm.l