What is this? More so is it worth keeping and fixing up? **Updated the rebirth begins**

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - What is this? More so is it worth keeping and fixing up? **Updated the rebirth begins**

Posted: 11/27/2005 7:25:36 AM EDT

Ok,
Trying to figure out what I've got here. I haven't seen an FAL like this, it's a little confusing.
First off the barrel is 17-1/4 " from the front of the rec to the tip of the barrel.
Cut down and threaded I'm guessing?
But the bore is excellant. No pits no dark spots, rifling looks great.
Gas regulator is broken, Gas tube has a little crack in it.
Is there supposed to be a pin that holds it in the correct place when you thread it into the gas block?
There's a hole but no pin.

As for markings on the receiver, it says:
FA-FAL F.A.C OF AMERICA
FRIDLEY,MN
D.C.INDUSTRIES ST.PAUL, MN

No carry handle cut, takes metric mags but it appears to have an inch(L1A1) charge handle.
The lower has no marking what soever that I can find and has been what looks like nickel plated ?
Take down lever is turned horizontal (haven't seen that before)
Take a look at these pics and let me know what this is if you can.

If I keep this and fix it up that plated crap is gone.
Any ideas ?????? Worth fixing up ??

Posted: 11/27/2005 7:36:18 AM EDT

[#1]

Imbell lower, Coonan upper. I'll give you $50 to take it off your hands.

Posted: 11/27/2005 7:37:55 AM EDT

[#2]

Ok. I'm guessing that means I should keep it and fix it up?

Posted: 11/27/2005 7:45:31 AM EDT

[#3]

You have a high quality, type one upper reciever made by Dan Coonan Industries for, the now defunct, FAC of America. Without more info I would guess built on an Imbel parts kit.
The horizontal takedown lever is common on later metric FALs.
Yes there is supposed to be a pin that secures the gas tube. Thread the tube in until it stops, back it off until one of the flats aligns with the pin hole. I've read that wire coat hanger is the right size pin, seriously.

You will need to check the headspace after you finish the assembly.

For more information go here FALfiles.

Posted: 11/27/2005 8:39:38 AM EDT

[#4]

With a little work and a few parts that should end up a nice FAL carbine.

So , what did you pay for it?
Cmon , you can tell us , we're all Buds here.

Posted: 11/27/2005 8:46:37 AM EDT

[#5]

Well,
From what I've gathered I pretty much lucked out and stole this.
As it sits right now I've only got about $250 in it.
Don't hate me.
I guess this is my spot of good luck for selling off basically every other rifle I have.
From what I've seen, I'm probably gonna have right around $350 in it when I get it done.
A friend of mine said he would bead blast it and do it in Norrell's socom black for about $25 or $30 bucks as long as I disassembled it.
I'm looking at about $65 - $70 in parts (all us made stuff) to make sure I'm compliant.

I guess somebody up there likes me today.

Posted: 11/27/2005 11:08:19 AM EDT

[#6]

The upper you have is a "Coonan" DCI typeI upper w/no carry handle cut. A standard 17.3" para barrel (probably Imbel) and a converted L1A1 folding charging handle.
The lower is an Imbel typeIII with an Akron Armory semi-auto pistol grip. I can't see enough detail, but it looks like the hammer might be marked (FSE)?

Posted: 11/27/2005 12:08:55 PM EDT

[#7]

Well,
I've got it all stripped down now.
Here's what I found:
Hammer, sear, and trigger are all marked FSE/USA
Gas piston is marked FSE
Both halves of the handguard are marked P.S.A.W. Made in USA
Couldn't find any markings on the butt stock or grip.
As for parts, I found a US made gas regulator, US made flash hider ( Short steyr design, kind of looks like a vortex to me)
New gas tube and pin,
I think with the Coonan receiver I'm well above my US parts count.
Hopefully in the next few weeks I'll be able to get some pics put up of the progress.

Posted: 11/27/2005 12:15:03 PM EDT

[#8]

Just a guess, but does the receiver have "BOHICA" just before the serial #??? From the looks of the magwell, it might be one of those blem Coonans... Not that there's anything wrong with them - I built a couple, and they turned out just fine... I'd say you got a good deal on someone's project - check headspacing and barrel timing, finish it off, and you'll have a nice rifle that's worth more than you have into it(never a bad thing)... Congrats on the score...

- georgestrings

Posted: 11/27/2005 12:18:02 PM EDT

[#9]

Nope, No bohica on there anywhere.
It looks bad because the person it came from had buffed or did something totake almost all the finish off.
What would designate or denote it as a blem ?

Posted: 11/27/2005 2:03:53 PM EDT

[#10]

The value just went up considerably.

Posted: 11/27/2005 2:09:15 PM EDT

[#11]

Quoted:
The value just went up considerably.

Why?
I guess the lack of the bohica on it means it's a top grade item?
Not trying to seem dumb here but FAL's aren't my strong suit but I'm researching.

Posted: 11/27/2005 2:29:54 PM EDT

[#12]

All the parts mentioned are of the highest quality and most desireable.

Posted: 11/27/2005 2:32:24 PM EDT

[#13]

I would finish building it. Then if you don't like it you could sell it. My mutt was not a complete kit when I started.

Posted: 11/27/2005 2:33:45 PM EDT

[#14]

Quoted:
All the parts mentioned are of the highest quality and most desireable.

That's what I was hoping to hear.
Thank you for all the info.

There will be pics to follow.....

Posted: 11/27/2005 4:17:31 PM EDT

[#15]

Quoted:
Quoted:
All the parts mentioned are of the highest quality and most desireable.

That's what I was hoping to hear.
Thank you for all the info.

There will be pics to follow.....

Well, you have $250. in it, basically the price of the receiver, including a top-line US parts count.
All you need is a can of matte black Brownell's AlumaHydeII and you'll have a really cool rig.

Posted: 11/28/2005 6:14:16 AM EDT

[#16]

Quoted:
Nope, No bohica on there anywhere.
It looks bad because the person it came from had buffed or did something totake almost all the finish off.
What would designate or denote it as a blem ?

If it had "BOHICA" before the serial#, it would be a blem - AFAIK, there weren't very many of these, and they were sold quickly, and at a reduced price(about $125, IIRC)... I've seen 2 of them, and did my 1st build on one - and neither have worked any differently than any other DC receiver I've built on... My BOHICA has a couple of minor pits on the surface that the bolt/carrier ride over - so unless you look for them, you'll never see 'em...

Standard DC receivers will look like this on the serial# :

NO. 200XXX

Whereas the blems will look like this:

BOHICA 00XX

I have had nothing but the best of luck with either - and I suspect you will experience the same... As for value - it's possible the BOHICA receivers *might* end up being MORE valuable, because there were so few of them - who knows??? I think you'll make out just fine - congrats, and keep us posted as to how it turns out...

- georgestrings

Posted: 11/28/2005 8:46:53 AM EDT

[#17]

Thanks for that info george,
Mine is defintiely not a blem receiver then.
No Bohica on there.
Isaw your ad where yousold the rifle you had, very nice.
Hopefully mine will turn out as good.
I'll start another thread as I get into the process of finishing it up.
Thank you to everyone who contributed to this thread and helped me figure out what I had.

I registered over at the FALfiles forum and have been doing a lot of reading there.

Posted: 11/28/2005 2:46:02 PM EDT

[#18]

That there is a real Imbel Para barrel too, not a cutdown.

Posted: 11/28/2005 2:47:35 PM EDT

[#19]

Quoted:
That there is a real Imbel Para barrel too, not a cutdown.

I thought that thread job looked factory.
I hoped it was.
Seems this little find of mine just keeps getting better and better.

Posted: 11/29/2005 1:38:22 PM EDT

[#20]

Quoted:
That there is a real Imbel Para barrel too, not a cutdown.

It doesn't look like my Dealer's Warehouse Imbel Para barrel, which retains a bipod cut (above red line)

Posted: 11/29/2005 2:19:23 PM EDT

[#21]

Well that's what kind of confused me as well.
Most of the barrels I have seen (not many) had the double groove on them as well.
This one only has the single.

Posted: 11/29/2005 6:20:12 PM EDT

[#22]

Looks like all you need to do get a flash hider or comp, get it finished and assemble.

Compliance parts look like this to me:
Coonan upper receiver (1 part)
FSE Fire Control Group (3 parts)
FSE charge handle (1 part)
FSE gas piston (1 part)
Penguin hand guards (1 part)
AKRon pistol grip (1 part)
The stock might even be a Penguin (another US part), they didn't mark them for a while.

That makes 8 and all you need are 6 or 7 with a flash hider. Please check this out for yourself at the FALFiles.com, I'm not a lawyer.

Great find by the way.

Posted: 11/30/2005 5:08:50 PM EDT

[#23]

You my friend are set.
Check the headspace and put that thing together. Go shoot it and enjoy what you reap..

Posted: 12/1/2005 3:03:31 PM EDT

[#24]

Quoted:
Well that's what kind of confused me as well.
Most of the barrels I have seen (not many) had the double groove on them as well.
This one only has the single.

If it's not bipod cut, and it's 17.25" it is an Argentine para barrel. Nice and rare.

Posted: 12/1/2005 3:13:38 PM EDT

[#25]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Well that's what kind of confused me as well.
Most of the barrels I have seen (not many) had the double groove on them as well.
This one only has the single.

If it's not bipod cut, and it's 17.25" it is an Argentine para barrel. Nice and rare.

No sh*T?
Well it measures almost exactly 17-1/4 "
Guess I have doen all right this time.

Posted: 12/2/2005 8:00:12 AM EDT

[#26]

I have both Imbel and FMAP/Argy para barrels that have the bipod cuts, both "brands"came with or without them.

Posted: 12/2/2005 8:17:47 AM EDT

[#27]

Quoted:
I have both Imbel and FMAP/Argy para barrels that have the bipod cuts, both "brands"came with or without them.

Is there any way to tell them apart ?
I can't seem to find any markings what so ever on the barrel or gas block.

Posted: 12/2/2005 9:59:17 PM EDT

[#28]

It could be a cut down or it could be a para barrel. It really doesn't matter so long as the crown was properly cut.

I would highly recommend that you buy a set of surplus or DSA hand guards to go on that rifle. You have a really sweet set up and it will be uglied up with those penguin hand guards. When installed, the penguin hand guards have a "ski jump" look to them that really detracts from the appearance of the rifle.

If you buy surplus hand guards and need more US parts, just buy some magazine floor plates and put them in your magazines. They are about a buck each and are of good quality.

Here is one source for the floor plates. www.heddonpal.com

Posted: 12/10/2005 3:45:52 PM EDT

[#29]

Well I fi ever get the cash back, I'll jhave another set of the DSA rail hand guards.
I loved the old set I had and sold with my other FAL.

Posted: 1/15/2006 10:29:47 AM EDT

[#30]

Well it took some time but it's finally getting started.
got all my necessary parts in from DSA and got everything off to be coated.
This is a bad pic but you get the idea...
The nickel finish is gone and replaced with norrel's socom black.
It looks much better in person.
Upper/barrel should be done this week.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - What is this? More so is it worth keeping and fixing up? **Updated the rebirth begins**

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