Fabrinic National, opinions please

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Fabrinic National, opinions please

Posted: 10/22/2003 8:54:31 PM EDT

I have never heard of this manufacturer, I am working a trade for a AR and its a Busmaster lower and a Fabrinic national upper with a 16 in barrel. Bushmaster is no problem but I have never heard of the upper, any comments please.

Posted: 10/22/2003 9:10:52 PM EDT

[#1]

FN does not make parts for the civilian market, so if you are getting FN parts, they are stolen or rejects. More than likely, they are simply low end parts and not really from FN.

Posted: 10/22/2003 9:12:53 PM EDT

[#2]

Quoted:
I have never heard of this manufacturer, I am working a trade for a AR and its a Busmaster lower and a Fabrinic national upper with a 16 in barrel. Bushmaster is no problem but I have never heard of the upper, any comments please.

View Quote

I am afraid FN was making fine military rifles long before Bushmaster was even a notion in someones mind.

Have you never heard of the FN FAL and its many variants,what was once the right arm of the free world during the cold war? For more than 100 years Fabrique Nationale SA of Herstal Belgium has made fine weapons of war. They are now the primary contractor for the M16 rifle for our military (Colt makes the M4s). I would certainly love to aquire an FN FAL, L1A1, C1 or FNC if only I could afford one. They also make the notable P90 and Five-Seven, and FN 2000 (LE and military only).

Beware of companies that claim to sell FN parts, however, that may be really just selling parts made by some of FN's subcontractors. If it isn't stamped FNMI on it, it probably isn't made by FN.

Posted: 10/22/2003 9:15:14 PM EDT

[#3]

FN also makes the M-240 and M-249(SAW).

Posted: 10/22/2003 9:27:22 PM EDT

[#4]

Yeah from their military-LE website:

[url]http://www.fnmfg.com/products/m16/m16main.htm[/url]

M249 Machine Gun
M240 Family of Machine Guns
M2 50 caliber Machineguns:
M2HB
M2 Pintle
M3P
M3M
F2000
FN A1SPR Police Sniper Rifles
M16A4 USMC
M16A4
M16A2
FN STANDARD POLICE SHOTGUN
FN TACTICAL POLICE SHOTGUN
P90
Pistols:
FN Five-Seven tactical
FNP-9
HPDA

and more... fairly impressive

Posted: 10/22/2003 9:30:47 PM EDT

[#5]

Fabrinic national? Sounds kinda fishy to me. FN (Fabrique Nationale) parts already sound fishy, but Fabrinic national?

Ghost

Posted: 10/22/2003 9:32:38 PM EDT

[#6]

Quoted:
Fabrinic national? Sounds kinda fishy to me. FN (Fabrique Nationale) parts already sound fishy, but Fabrinic national?

Ghost

View Quote

Fabrinic national and sons,
It's the version K-mart sold before chapter 11 - made by slaves in Honduras under contract for Kathy-lee.

Posted: 10/23/2003 2:58:48 AM EDT

[#7]

Yotehunter, work out a trade for just the Bushmaster lower, don't bother with the upper...

Posted: 10/23/2003 4:24:38 AM EDT

[#8]

id bet my whole pay check youre buying a kit gun which is ok. ive had great luck with kits from JT-Distributing but i think you should avoid it simply because the guy is lying to you. FN does not make a 16inch barrel

Posted: 10/23/2003 5:52:37 AM EDT

[#9]

Thanks for the replys. You have been a big help here.

Posted: 10/23/2003 7:21:41 AM EDT

[#10]

What I have squeezed out of the parts houses when I queried them is that when they claim they are FN uppers or FN parts, they are not stamped FNMI, as only the Military parts are, but they claim that they are made by the same subcontractors that FN uses. The guy selling this rifle may have been told that by the parts house, but I do agree I have never seen anything but a 20' barrelled upper that is claimed to be made by an FN subcontractor. Then again who knows what they could put out. Regardless, a parts gun can be a perfectly good rifle, but they generally have lower resale than rifles that shipped as complete from the original manufacturer. I suppose the difference between a "parts gun" and a "custom rifle" such as Les Baer's wares, is who built it. If you are a famous highly skilled gunsmith it is "custom rifle". If you an ordinary Joe like me, it's a parts gun. No disrespect to Les intended.

Posted: 10/23/2003 9:03:14 AM EDT

[#11]

[rolleyes]
[url=ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=3&f=4&t=141117]Are FN parts prohibited parts?[/url]

Posted: 10/23/2003 9:32:32 AM EDT

[#12]

[/quote]

I am afraid FN was making fine military rifles long before Bushmaster was even a notion in someones mind.

Have you never heard of the FN FAL and its many variants,what was once the right arm of the free world during the cold war? For more than 100 years Fabrique Nationale SA of Herstal Belgium has made fine weapons of war. They are now the primary contractor for the M16 rifle for our military (Colt makes the M4s). I would certainly love to aquire an FN FAL, L1A1, C1 or FNC if only I could afford one.
[/quote]
Could only afford one? You can build a very nice rifle for less than you would pay for an AR my friend. Say about $650.00 or so depending on what you want.

Posted: 10/23/2003 8:34:39 PM EDT

[#13]

I could build one from a parts kit and say an Imbel receiver from that price, or buy a decent clone, but a true FN manufactured FAL or L1A1 would be preban, and well over $1500, out of my price range now. A true FN, not just a variant is what I meant. I certainly wouldn't touch a Century Arms FAL or L1A1 clone, I have had two of their abortion CETMEs,and sent them both back for serious problems. Also, I don't have the expertise or tools to press the barrel in the receiver, if building from a parts kit. FN made C1 models made for the Canadian Armed Forces are very rare and sky high in price. I will probably buy a quality clone some day, but true Fabrique Nationale manufactured FALs and L1A1s are banned from import by a separate law, and so will probably not drop in price, even if the AWB sunsets.

[img]http://gunthings.com/C1A1.jpg[/img]

they are so pretty.....

Posted: 10/23/2003 8:37:12 PM EDT

[#14]

Quoted:
[rolleyes]
[url=ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=3&f=4&t=141117]Are FN parts prohibited parts?[/url]

View Quote

They can no longer be imported (receivers and rifles) but the parts, no,they are not banned. Tapco sells almost everything you need to build one, if you have the expertise. Not as easy to build as an AR15, alas. There are Metric and Inch parts to worry about, plus headspacing the barrel and pressing the trunnion is tricky, beyond my capabilities and tools.

Posted: 10/24/2003 3:03:13 AM EDT

[#15]

Quoted:

Quoted:
[rolleyes]
[url=ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=3&f=4&t=141117]Are FN parts prohibited parts?[/url]

View Quote

They can no longer be imported (receivers and rifles) but the parts, no,they are not banned. Tapco sells almost everything you need to build one, if you have the expertise. Not as easy to build as an AR15, alas. There are Metric and Inch parts to worry about, plus headspacing the barrel and pressing the trunnion is tricky, beyond my capabilities and tools.

View Quote

FYI,
I have built 4 FALs, the FAL does not have a trunion.
The barrel screws into the reciever and headspaces off of the locking sholder behind the bolt.
They are harder to build than an AR, yes
but not really that difficult.

Scott

Posted: 10/24/2003 7:32:56 AM EDT

[#16]

Quoted:

Quoted:
[rolleyes]
[url=ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=3&f=4&t=141117]Are FN parts prohibited parts?[/url]

View Quote

FYI,
I have built 4 FALs, the FAL does not have a trunion.
The barrel screws into the reciever and headspaces off of the locking sholder behind the bolt.
They are harder to build than an AR, yes
but not really that difficult.

Scott

View Quote

Really!? I am misinformed. I must be thinking of the G3/HK91 with the trunnion. So there are no presses or special tools needed other than a special wrench and a vise block? What about metric vs Inch which is better to build? Can you point me to any FAL/L1A1 building resources or guides online for the inexperienced (detailed instructions)?

I would love to make an FN build my next project, I saw a new Imbel(Gear Logo)receiver for $249 the other day on the Web.

Posted: 10/24/2003 10:42:41 AM EDT

[#17]

Try these places for your building information.
http://wecsog.org/fal/
http://www.cruffler.com/trivia-April01.html
And finally the famous FALFiles
http://www.falfiles.com/forums/index.php
Check the reference section for all the info needed.
As stated they are not hard to build. I have built 4 already and also assembled an AR for my father. IMO the FAL was alot easier. To many small parts in the AR.

Posted: 10/24/2003 1:05:53 PM EDT

[#18]

Quoted:
Try these places for your building information.
http://wecsog.org/fal/
http://www.cruffler.com/trivia-April01.html
And finally the famous FALFiles
http://www.falfiles.com/forums/index.php
Check the reference section for all the info needed.
As stated they are not hard to build. I have built 4 already and also assembled an AR for my father. IMO the FAL was alot easier. To many small parts in the AR.

View Quote

_DR,
A lot of good info in these links,
check it out.

Good luck,
Scott

Posted: 10/24/2003 1:17:27 PM EDT

[#19]

FN doesn't make M16 barrels at all, they make the receivers. The law is FN cannot produce parts to be sold to civis on the same machines as the military. There are absolutely no rules or laws restricting FN from exporting uppers to the U.S. this is an AR15.com fairy tale. I am a big Bushmaster fan but sometime compare a Bushy upper to an M&A upper and you tell me the difference. I know the M&A guys well they are far from liars and they do not make the silly claims that some of you guys say they do.

Posted: 10/24/2003 3:27:02 PM EDT

[#20]

Quoted:
FN doesn't make M16 barrels at all, they make the receivers. The law is FN cannot produce parts to be sold to civis on the same machines as the military. There are absolutely no rules or laws restricting FN from exporting uppers to the U.S. this is an AR15.com fairy tale. I am a big Bushmaster fan but sometime compare a Bushy upper to an M&A upper and you tell me the difference. I know the M&A guys well they are far from liars and they do not make the silly claims that some of you guys say they do.

View Quote

FN does make barrels, they are marked FNMI.
Thay actually make complete rifles.
Try here.
[url]www.fnmfg.com[/url]

They are also made here, in Columbia SC.

Best regards,
Scott

Posted: 10/24/2003 3:56:54 PM EDT

[#21]

I do not believe they are actually manufactured by FN, they are marked but I believe they are subed out, I could be mistaken

Posted: 10/24/2003 4:24:34 PM EDT

[#22]

Quoted:
I do not believe they are actually manufactured by FN, they are marked but I believe they are subed out, I could be mistaken

View Quote

Bushmaster and Colt use subcontractors, as do
all Govt contractors.

I have seen FN M-16 barrels and have a friend who owns one.
Uppers and lowers are just machined by Colt,
not forged by them, but everyone regards
them as Colt.

Scott