Well, I just bought a L1A1.  The lower receiver was full of cosmo and shavings, so to clean it with brake cleaner, I need to remove the stock.

I removed the screw, pistol grip, and a metal pin that looked like it was holding it (Actually, it must have retained the upper/lower receiver release lock, because it flops around now)

How do I take this friggin thing off?  I haven't even shot it yet!  I gotta clean it first!  I don't have a manual, and FALfiles is talking about a stock removal tool, please tell me this can be done without it.  (Also, the rear sight seems stuck and will not slide forward or backward)

The best way to learn a rifle is to tear it down, but I think I should have asked before I did so this time.

There is a VERY LARGE and GREASY spring in the buttstock, thats why you need the buttstock removal tool.
The removal tool is a T-shaped handle with a driver on the end and about a 7 inch extension to keep the spring straight when you take it out/put it back in. you can get it at www.tapco.com for about 8 bucks. just look under FAL stuff.
OR
you can rig something up with a cleaning rod and a screwdriver but i've never seen that done.
After you take the recoil spring out of the recoil tube (in the buttstock) you then take off the small screw behind the pistol grip that screws from the lower into the stock. it should slide right off.
As for the Frame lock pin that you removed, you probly shot the frame lock spring plunger into the stock so BE CAREFUL when you remove the stock, it will be rolling around somewhere.

Oh yeah, get a manual they help alot. you can probly get one at www.tapco.com also

You do NOT need to spend $30.00 for the buttstock tool! Use a coathanger and a large screwdriver. Its easy.Straighten out the coathanger and use it as a guide for the spring. Use the screwdriver after you get the nut started. Come back later and thank me for saving you some money.

Some of the rear sights don't slide. The ones that do don't slide easy.

There are a lot of free manuals@  http://www.biggerhammer.net/manuals/
If someone will make that an active link you can download it free without wasting money with Tapco. Tapco is not a good source for FAL parts.Its all beat up old surplus crap at top dollar. Try DSA.

Quoted: You do NOT need to spend $30.00 for the buttstock tool!

horse shit. The tool is 6.99 at tapco. probly 2 or 3 bucks shipping. it comes in VERY handy. i know 'cause im building a G1 and i am fixing my R1A1 and on a usual range day i have to take the buttstock off 15-25 times per trip. But that is a different story. a coat hanger and screw driver wont cut it, unless you like the recoil spring flying 50 feet in to the sand and losing the plunger, washer and nut. believe me, that sand is a PAIN in the ASS if it still has grease on it.
"Tapco is not a good source for FAL parts.Its all beat up old surplus crap at top dollar. Try DSA. "
Tapco has fine used parts. I have ordered lots of stuff and always got good-used parts. DSArms is high quality over priced stuff. I am pleased with both DSA and tapco.

As for the sight, it can be fixed. I had the same problem.
First remove both the adjustment screws from both sides. then remove the sight mount (if its stiff, a brass hammer should get it out)a small pin should lower, not drop out, of the mount. you shold be able to slide the sight all the way FORWARD off the mount. give it a good cleaning, dont lose the Z spring at the bottom of the mount, work it a little and it should be fine. DO NOT LOSE THE BALL BEARING/SPRING. these give tension to the sliding sight on the mount.
good luck

THANK you so much guys for the wonderful information.  I'd be up shit creek or taking a hammer to it if it weren't for you.

I have the upper all scrubbed down (And good god was there alot of cosmoline on this thing, especially in the gas tube.  Worse than an AK believe it or not.) so the next step is the lower.

I'll say one thing, this rifle is borderline on pure genious.  I am really starting to grow on it.

Why in the world would you take the buttstock off 15-25 times a day? I've had my buttstock off three times. The first time was to clean the rifle after purchase, the second to install an adjustable cheekrest, the third to add a mercury recoil reducer. Thats 600 rnds ago! C'mon. Are sure its not the Airsoft BB gun from Tapco?

I made the mistake of buying a century built gun. to make a long story short, the receiver tab was out of spec. this caused the frame lock to break open while firing.
to fix the problem i had to remove the frame lock lug, file a little, reassemble, test fire, rifle would break open again, break it down again, file some more, etc, etc, etc. go to the falfiles and do a search for frame lock. ive got about 3 months worth of posts on this single problem. shouldnt be hard to find at least one describing the problem.

LMAO :D  I got it.  One bloody nose later, I got it.

It turns out it was REALLY tight.  After alot of searching I found a prybar in the basement that fit the recoil buffer nut alot better than the large screw drivers I was using.

I was unscrewing it, keeping downward pressure on it.  At the last moment, I stepped back a little to get a better hold to release spring pressure, and stepped on my dog's tail.  She yelped, I jumped, and caught the friggin spring with my nose.  Due to the soft fleshy part it hit, it kept from damaging the spring too much.

To make a long story short, I put it back on with a screw driver and a section of cleaning rod.

And a special thanks to Shrike, Grimshaw, and MickeyMouse for helping me out.  Without you guys, I'd have said "Fuck it.  I'll do it tomorrow"

Dood! Sorry! This rifle of yours has life in it! You must master it and make it unlike any other. Mine is superior to anyone's who posts on this page. If you study what I've done you can improve yours beyond mine. Buy tight parts. Don't buy used barrels or bolts.

.308 Australian HB, 1 in 11 twist 21" JP Enterprises muzzle brake, Springfield 4x14x56 .308 reticle, ARMS Picatinny scope mount permanently attached to an Imbel receiver, folding cocking handle,no carry handle,British black plastic furniture, PSG1 adjustable pistol grip,custom trigger job breaking @2 1/2 lbs,custom trigger rewelded 3/4" longer, Parker-Hale bipod reworked to provide adjustable tension in tilt and twist with spring loaded retractable legs with rubber foot pads,custom iron sights,12 oz. mercury recoil reducer in buttstock,B&A adjustable cheekrest in buttstock, Israeli fold-up buttplate(this is really important)3 new bolts,10 Israeli mags, (.030 longer than any other metric mags really helps if you reload for accuracy), L2A2 scope on Trijicon TA51 mt, and ALSO; a complete reloading set with too much stuff to mention. The load is H380 @ 50.0 gr(nice round number, come down as low as 48, go no higher, thats a compressed load) using Hornady 150FMJBT. (Better accuracy than Sierra!)

This baby has almost imperceptible recoil. At 700 yds you fire, reshoulder and spot your own hits. The follow up shot reacquisition comes so fast! With the .308 reticle if you get it back down quick you can see where in the grid the wind is taking it. It takes .308 1.1 seconds to cross that distance, so you can get it back down if you practice. Eventually you learn to just let the Semi bear down on a target.Accuracy is 3/4" at 100 yds. Headspace and building your own loads will get you there. Don't hire a gunsmith. There is nothing on this rifle that requires mystical knowledge. Its a progression toward a goal of being able to shoot at an enemy at will beyond the reach of what he is carrying, with repeat shot capability beyond what he is carrying.


This rifle could be taken quite a bit farther. Next time I would be interested in a 24" .260 Rem barrel from DSA. Other areas to pursue would be a night vision capability without removing the scope, 30 rnd mags that don't jam, gas adjuster that allows micro adjustments, and a Chinese railroad coulee to carry this cause its 17 1/2 lbs loaded!