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Posted: 1/22/2010 6:01:09 PM EDT
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I am totally new to the FAL platform but have wanted one for some time now. Last June I back ordered a DSA STG-58 from Atlantic Firearms. Well It finally came in to my FFL today and I am a little confused. I like the rifle it looks very nice and is super solid but I am not sure if a few of the features are normal or as they should be. The hand guards are the plastic ones that I thought only came on the SA58s, which is fine by me but wasn't what I was expecting. Also the receiver says "SA58" on it. Is that right? should it say STG58? Also the bolt seems to have quite a bit of wear to its finish, I dunno maybe that is normal? Anyway overall I like the rifle, just a bit puzzled about a few things since it is my first experience with the FAL.
It also seems to be missing a front sling swivel. I assume that should be on there since they sent along a nice sling with the rifle. A few pics. 
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Quoted:
I am totally new to the FAL platform but have wanted one for some time now. Last June I back ordered a DSA STG-58 from Atlantic Firearms. Well It finally came in to my FFL today and I am a little confused. I like the rifle it looks very nice and is super solid but I am not sure if a few of the features are normal or as they should be. The hand guards are the plastic ones that I thought only came on the SA58s, which is fine by me but wasn't what I was expecting. Also the receiver says "SA58" on it. Is that right? should it say STG58? Also the bolt seems to have quite a bit of wear to its finish, I dunno maybe that is normal? Anyway overall I like the rifle, just a bit puzzled about a few things since it is my first experience with the FAL. It also seems to be missing a front sling swivel. I assume that should be on there since they sent along a nice sling with the rifle. A few pics. http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q93/jmftexas/DSC_0924.jpg http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q93/jmftexas/DSC_0931.jpg http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q93/jmftexas/DSC_0927.jpg http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q93/jmftexas/DSC_0926.jpg http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q93/jmftexas/DSC_0929.jpg Sa58 is DSA name for their stg58. . inch bolt carrier the center hindge pin is wrong. missing front swivel.Hand guards should be metal. |
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jmftexas,
Nice rifle - now to your questions: "The hand guards are the plastic ones that I thought only came on the SA58s, which is fine by me but wasn't what I was expecting." DSA ran out of the original StG58/G1 Steel hand guards, therefore, they have been substituting with the polymer/plastic hand guards which are standard on the SA58 line of rifles. "Also the receiver says "SA58" on it. Is that right? should it say STG58?" This is correct - all the receivers are new and rollmarked SA58 as you described. "Also the bolt seems to have quite a bit of wear to its finish, I dunno maybe that is normal?" This is normal as the StG58 is built from surplus parts. However, the StG58's did not originally come w/a sand cut bolt carrier as yours. "It also seems to be missing a front sling swivel. I assume that should be on there since they sent along a nice sling with the rifle." You're correct - I would call either Atlantic or DSA and let them know, they will send you one. Cheers, Sakic #19 
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| Thanks so much Wash and Joe for the replies. I had read before that DSA was running out of some of the bits and were substituting things where they could. I guess the only real concern then is getting a sling swivel which shouldn't be a huge deal. Thanks again for the info guys, can't wait to take it out to the range! |
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Just for fun, take off your handguards and tell us if you see any proof marks on the barrel. (or maybe a serial number that matches that lower, long shot i know). Itd be nice for you to know if you have in imported barrel or not.
If its easy for you. Take it out and shoot it on a target before you call the seller. That way you know it works and you can zero it just fine. Find out which parts you have that are US made. You want 7 on that gun. Im just guessing some of them but im saying Reciever, Hammer, Trigger, Sear, buttstock, pistol grip, and Handguards. What does that mean to you? That means you can buy imported real STG handguards, and then buy a US made piston (DSA has them, coonan makes a nice one, tapco too blah). Then you can make it STG proper. Oh also, buy yourself a PROPER pivot screw too. Very nice BTW. |
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Quoted:
Just for fun, take off your handguards and tell us if you see any proof marks on the barrel. (or maybe a serial number that matches that lower, long shot i know). Itd be nice for you to know if you have in imported barrel or not. I assume the proof marks would indicate an Austrian barrel. Would there be markings on a DSA made barrel? I bought a STG58 back in the fall of 07 and I am curious if I have a surplus or new barrel. The gun has the correct handguards so they had not run out of those yet. |
| Wow! Very old receiver... That range is 1998ish production.... Doesn't mean it's not new, they must be using up some very old back stock.... Kinda scares me if you get my drift. The lock lever is one of those MIM pieces of crap. Looks like typical STG cobbled parts gun. Enjoy it, it's one of the last... |
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Very nice looking rifle you have there Jmftexas. If you bought it because you wanted a nice example of a FAL type rifle, and not an STG58 clone, skip the metal handguards - the plastic handguards stay much cooler. If you do not have play between the upper and lower receivers, I wouldn't worry about the pivot screw either. Take it out and shoot it!
BTW, I bought an STG58 from DSA and changed out the long Steyr muzzle device for a Belgian short combo device, looks a lot less clunky. |
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Quoted:
Wow! Very old receiver... That range is 1998ish production.... Doesn't mean it's not new, they must be using up some very old back stock.... Kinda scares me if you get my drift. The lock lever is one of those MIM pieces of crap. Looks like typical STG cobbled parts gun. Enjoy it, it's one of the last... I assume you mean that if they are using old stock like that then they must be about out of parts to assemble them and may well stop soon? Or should I be worried about the gun itself? Very nice looking rifle you have there Jmftexas. If you bought it because you wanted a nice example of a FAL type rifle, and not an STG58 clone, skip the metal handguards - the plastic handguards stay much cooler. If you do not have play between the upper and lower receivers, I wouldn't worry about the pivot screw either. Take it out and shoot it!
I am not super worried about it being an exact stg58 clone, I always kind of thought the plastic handguards looked cooler and I figured as you mentioned that they would probably heat up less so i will likely keep those. There is NO play as far as I can tell. At first I thought there was but it was just the bi-pod legs swinging in the down position.  After folding em up it feels rock solid to me. Thanks for all the input guys for the last couple of years this site has been a wealth of information for me on ARs, AKs and now FALs. Gotta love this place.
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What does the other side of the receiver say? Barrington or Grayslake? Have a pic? No idea. I am at work today and It doesn't look like I uploaded a Pic to my photo bucket that caught those markings. I will check when I get home though. What would the difference be? Did DSA move or does that indicate that somebody else made the receiver for them? |
| Yeah, I am a bit confused. I also just noticed another oddity (at least to me) the park color on the right side changes from somewhat dark (forward) to light (rear) around the mid point of the pistol grip. It kind of reminds me of the WWII colts where the slide was two colors due to the hardening of the steel or some such. I guess I will call DSA on Monday to see about getting that sling swivel and maybe they can tell me just what the hell I have. |
Ok, called DSA this morning spoke with Jessica. She was very nice and was able to look up the info on my rifle. Oddly enough at first she wasn't sure it was one of theirs based on the "DSA" part of the serial number. After getting the info she was able to confirm that it was one of their rifles and that it was a stg58 built in Dec of 09. I asked her about the sling swivel and she said it wasn't included on the order/item info. Seems odd to me that it wouldn't be a standard part since they sent a sling with the rifle that is pretty worthless with no way to attach it. I went ahead and ordered one from them for it anyway. 
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