Armory Sponsor
Posted: 8/27/2011 4:40:41 AM EDT
| I've always had an interest in FAL's, but never owned one. Yesterday I traded a buddy at work and ended up with an Imbel / STG-58 FAL. It's a PAC receiver and appears to have a Steyr barrel. Everything is in decent shape, just some finish wear. The numbers on the bolt, carrier, and lower match, though the barrel has a different number on it. All the parts look to be GI, no US made stuff that I can find. It came with 4 mags, 3 of which are aluminum. Ended up trading staight across for a lightly used Bushy Superlight carbine build of mine. How did I do? Also, I'm new to the FAL, so any tips or advice would be appreciated. I'll get some pics up later. |
|
Welcome to what could be an addiction.
Does yours have the hump back stock? If not you may want to consider getting one. The straight comb STG stock smacks some of us in the cheek. Maybe I've just got fat cheeks, lol. So far it sounds like you did really good on the trade. For mounting optics on a standard FAL I prefer the ARMS scope mount with the scope mounted as low as possible for a good cheek weld. The Styer barrel should be pretty accurate. Try some Winchester 150 gr Silvertips, those shoot really good through my Imbel Para. Show us a pic if you can!! Cheers, EMSflyer |
|
Good for you!
The FAL is possibly the best simi auto rifle ever made in .308. Since the FAL was not adopted by the U.S. it is not as well known and appreciated here. It is however known to most of the world as the best battle rifle ever made. With DSA making railed handguards,floated tubes and scope rails it can be turned into a sub moa special purpose rifle or a hard hitting CQB rifle. It is truely a superb rifle design. |
|
Thanks for the replies. For now I plan on leaving it as-is and just shooting it. I was thinking about switching the metal handguard for a synthetic one. Any reason not to? I figure the metal HG will get hot pretty quick. Plus I think a black HG that matches the stock and PG would look a bit better. I'd like something that would work with the existing bipod.
ETA: quick pic of it 
|
|
Yes you should get a synthetic handguard, the metal ones do get
really hot. Go on DSA's website and a hump back stock and matching US made handguard. Another thing I'd do is remove the bi pod and put it in a shoe box under your bed or other some other forgotten place. The bi pods look cool but really suck for any precision shooting. Resting on the bi pod moves my groups 12" high when the barrel is warm!! Just my observations from several years of shooting the FAL. Thanks for the pic your FAL looks awesome!! |
You did good. I have one almost exactly like yours. Here is what I found out. The metal hand guards get hot fast, but they also radiate heat faster then any other. The Austrians used the metal hand guards for that reason. Blue locktite the handguard screw. The bipods are used with full auto support, and also to park the rifle on the bench in 'extremely cool' mode. Best accuracy with mine is when the bipod is folded. I took my bipod off and my rifle's accuracy got worse. Best accuracy for my FAL is with the bipod folded. Best accuracy with my FAL is with the Stohl grenade launcher/wire cutter/flash hider that is on yours. I tried others, and the Stohl is so good I ended up putting Stohl 's on other FAL's that belonged to friends, and their accuracy improved also. I believe it is the length and weight of the Stohl that dampens barrel vibration. Your FAL is just about perfect like it is. I use the DSA SAW pistol grip and a FAL cleaning kit so I have what's needed for a quick cleaning in the field if needed. I also use the DSA scope mount with a Hensoldt Z-24/ with an ARMS#7 Stanag Mount.
|
Imbel receivers are FN factory licensed, so they are forged, and to FN specifications with spot hardening, etc. None of the other receivers that have been offered to builders over the last 15 years have been built to FN factory specs. like the Imbel. The STg 58 rifle was built in Austria by Steyr Diamler Puch under FN license, and is considered to be the finest FN licensed FAL ever built, and even better then a Fabrique Nationale built FALs. The Steyr hammer forged barrel used in the STg58 has a well deserved reputation for superb accuracy. An Imbel Fal for instance is a great shooting FAL, but if the bolts and carriers of the Imbel and STg58 are compared side to side, it is easy to see the extra attention to detail that the Steyr built FAL parts received, so much so that the Imbel parts appear almost crude in comparison. For that matter, my FN built para parts are also not as well finished as the parts in my STg58. (I have an STg58 1960's all matching serial number parts kit mounted on a PAC Imbel receiver, and it is the most accurate of my FAL's.) Edit to add, your rifle is worth at least a grand, and as time goes on, it will be worth considerable more then that.
|
|
Quoted:
Forgot to ask, what would be an approximate value on a rifle such as this? I see that DSA Imbel rifles can be had for about $1000, but if I'm not mistaken, it seems like Imbel receivers and STG-58 parts are a bit more desirable. Is one better than the other? You did spectacular!!!!!!!!!! 3/4 match Steyr StG, all original on the best receiver available. Change NOTHING, you have the Ferrari of the FAL kit guns. Yes, hand guards get hot... Buy a glove. Problem solved. Again, change NOTHING. 3/4 kit in excellent condition is is worth $600-$650, receiver is $400. |
I'm in FL. Sling came with the rifle, looks pretty old and pretty well used. I actually thought about throwing it away but if it's original I guess maybe I should hang onto it. Thank you for all the replies, sounds like I made out pretty good on this one. Only have about $800 in it not including the extra mags I bought. I'm planning on shooting it this coming Friday and I'm really looking forward to it. I'll most likely leave it 100% as-is for now. I kinda like that it is all original parts and if it ain't broke...
Quoted:
I just noticed that you have an original Steyr sling on yours, also. By any chance do you live in Wyoming? |
|
You did very well but you really need to check that rifle over for 922R compliance. You need 7 parts, US made.
Typically for the FAL, most people replace the furniture- 3 parts and the fire controls, 3 more parts. Then you have muzzle device, cocking handle, gas piston or the receiver as the most common and readily available/best bang for the buck. |
|
Quoted:
Quoted:
You did very well but you really need to check that rifle over for 922R compliance. You need 7 parts, US made. He didn't build it. 922r relates to the builder. True. But a non compliant rifle is considered "contraband" which means that even though he didn't build it it can still be confiscated-with no reimbursement, at any time for lack of compliance. So while no criminal penalties would attach....he also wouldn't have a rifle at a time when he might need it the most....Whether that's worth a couple hundred bucks to do things the right way or not is an individual decision. Then again, in matters of federal ass ramming prison time...I tend to err on the side of caution. The fact that he didn't build it would be a DEFENSE to prosecution, meaning you certainly could be charged and spend a few bucks getting things sorted out....probably a few more than what it would take to correct any problems NOW....just a happy thought. |
|
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
You did very well but you really need to check that rifle over for 922R compliance. You need 7 parts, US made. He didn't build it. 922r relates to the builder. True. But a non compliant rifle is considered "contraband" which means that even though he didn't build it it can still be confiscated-with no reimbursement, at any time for lack of compliance. So while no criminal penalties would attach....he also wouldn't have a rifle at a time when he might need it the most....Whether that's worth a couple hundred bucks to do things the right way or not is an individual decision. Then again, in matters of federal ass ramming prison time...I tend to err on the side of caution. The fact that he didn't build it would be a DEFENSE to prosecution, meaning you certainly could be charged and spend a few bucks getting things sorted out....probably a few more than what it would take to correct any problems NOW....just a happy thought. Totally agree, I always "comply" too.... but it's not contraband. It's nothing. It applies to the builder. |
|
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
You did very well but you really need to check that rifle over for 922R compliance. You need 7 parts, US made. He didn't build it. 922r relates to the builder. True. But a non compliant rifle is considered "contraband" which means that even though he didn't build it it can still be confiscated-with no reimbursement, at any time for lack of compliance. So while no criminal penalties would attach....he also wouldn't have a rifle at a time when he might need it the most....Whether that's worth a couple hundred bucks to do things the right way or not is an individual decision. Then again, in matters of federal ass ramming prison time...I tend to err on the side of caution. The fact that he didn't build it would be a DEFENSE to prosecution, meaning you certainly could be charged and spend a few bucks getting things sorted out....probably a few more than what it would take to correct any problems NOW....just a happy thought. Totally agree, I always "comply" too.... but it's not contraband. It's nothing. It applies to the builder. I don't know that it's clear as to whether or not it's contraband. We certainly agree that the second party has no criminal liability if indeed he bought it that way- it being assembled by someone else. I think the jury is still out on whether or not it's contraband. I can't see how an illegally assembled rifle is suddenly made "legal" merely because it was sold to someone else. I'm pretty sure ATF is going to take the rifle and let you TRY and get it back. |
Armory Sponsor