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Posted: 9/4/2011 1:35:08 PM EDT
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So,
I just got this gun and I already love it. Its a DSA SA58 with a 16inch bbl and perm attached (  ) brake from the ban years. Got the gun plus 10 steyr mags and 2 aluminum ones for $1000... thought it was a fair deal. He said the gun has less than 500rds through it. Barrel looks great and hammer has almost no wear on it so, its probably close. Also got another bolt with it that has sand cuts in it. The only thing I'm questioning on the gun is it supposed to have a hold open on the last shot? If so shouldnt it hold open when I charge it with an empty mag? If so thats a problem because it currently isn't holding. Any information/suggestions would be appreciated!
I was just wondering does anyone know a place where I can find a good manual besides buying one from DSA? 10$ isnt bad but if I can find a free PDF thats always nice. Also with the brake I'm guessing its silver solder'd on so can I remove that myself with the right tools or do you recommend a smith do it? And of course pics. 
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My old STG-58 was silver sodered on and I wondered the same question. It is my understanding you would need to heat it up very hot. I believe a hand butane torch may get hot enough to loosen it up. It should get cherry red before it starts to give. Perhaps someone may key you in on this but it can be done without a gunsmoith.
If you got that far, It would do no good to loosen up the brake unless you already got your gun nice and secured, of course. Just remember it is left handed thread or else you would be stomped why it wont come loose, when you are really tightening it. 
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Quoted:
The extra B/C group is inch. thanks for the info! Can I ask how you know? Also are carriers interchangable but bolts not? Or are neither parts? Edit- I have read on FAL Files that carriers are interchangable and so are bolts as long as they headspace. Is this correct? |
Here's your manual bolt hold open -  More info can be found here ––> http://www.surplusrifle.com/fal |
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With a shortened barrel,such as you have, a flash suppressor is mandatory. As menioned above, removing the silver-soldered currently-installed good-for-nothing brake will require some serious heat, not to mention being aware of the thread direction. Your propane torch will not do the trick.
As for bolt-hold open, there are some versions of the FAL that have this, and some that don't. It has nothing to do with the mags. Might want to look into this further. IIRC, it is a simple fix, IIRC having to do with the bolt release lever; some have a little pin that allows bolt-hold openon last shot,some lack the pin. Simple substitution of part to obtain goal. Your rifle, as-is, is semi-collectible, so doing any permanent alterations is open to question. If you switch out parts, it might be to your advantage to retain original parts. |
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Quoted:
Quoted:
The extra B/C group is inch. thanks for the info! Can I ask how you know? Also are carriers interchangable but bolts not? Or are neither parts? Edit- I have read on FAL Files that carriers are interchangable and so are bolts as long as they headspace. Is this correct? Bolts and carriers interchange. Internals on metric and inch bolts do not interchange. Must check head space when swapping bolts. Although there are some sand cut metrics in circulation it is unlikely you have one. Sand cut NON Para sets in metric are scarce. |
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Quoted:
Quoted:
The extra B/C group is inch. thanks for the info! Can I ask how you know? Also are carriers interchangable but bolts not? Or are neither parts? Edit- I have read on FAL Files that carriers are interchangable and so are bolts as long as they headspace. Is this correct? The bolt carriers are more interchangeable than the actual bolt-heads. If switching either one, a headspace check is always adviseable. In my limited experience, switching bolt heads is more critical than switching carriers, assuming any and all switched parts are in good, useable condition. Don't assume that critical parts are in spec. I switched bolt carrier in my DSA FAL with an IZZY bolt-carrier which had a forward assist feature. No problems at all. YMMV. |
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A MAPP gas torch will get hot enough to remove the muzzle dingus. If you do remove it be advised that it counts towards the US made compliance parts on that Stg58. It is the Stg version not the SA58, all DSA receivers are marked SA58. Still a good deal.
Your rifles compliance parts should be the: Receiver Hammer Trigger Sear Muzzle brake Pistol grip Charging handle OR piston (Austrian piston will have a threaded hole in the bolt end) If you decide to remove the brake its advisable to secure the rifle with the muzzle pointing down so that the solder won't run onto the exposed part of the barrel. |
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thanks for all the info!
Yeah I think the brake would be the only thing I modify. And I would probably feel more comfortable sending it to a smith. We'll see! Again thanks for all the info I knew the bolt hold open was there I just wasn't sure if it was supposed to since the new DSA's have it. |
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OP
I love the STG FAL............that is what I cut my teeth on over a decade ago. Can I say I wish I still had it 
As to a good smith to use for FAL work, look to Randy Kline in Texas. He has done work for me in the past and has always been fast and great level of workmanship for a very good price. Now, that short brl sucker is asking for a Para lower receiver too 
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Nice FAL.
For the bolt hold open, pop the top cover off so you can see the internals. Insert a magazine and the pin that protrudes into the mag well should get pushed up by the mag follower. Sometime these pins can break or I have also seen the round tab on the mag follower get bent / dented in enough that they just miss the mag hold open. |
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Your FAL is in no way more collectible as is and removing the brake will not decrease the value in any way! It will actually increase the value.
You can buy a mapp torch set up at Home depot for around $35. Take the lower off the upper and strip the upper down (no handguards, gas piston gas plug etc.) Hold the end of the brake in a vise and apply mapp torch to back of the brake where you see the silversolder, when it starts to glow bright red twist the upper clockwise (righty loosey) keep the heat on it so it doesn't freeze up before you unscrew it all the way. You'll probably have some silversolder residue on the barrel as DSA doesn't apply it to the threads but just at the end of the brake. You can use a brass or steel brush to get it off while it's still hot but may mess your finish up a little in that area, there is really no way to get around that except to refinish the end of the barrel. You might want to measure your barrel first to make sure it is at least 16" without the muzzle brake attached before you take it off. You should be able to guesstimate by looking in the brake to see where the barrel ends. You don't want to have an illegal SBR. And while the muzzle brake does count as a US part, taking it off the gun won't effect your US poarts count unless you install a non US made muzzle device as it's not how many US parts you have it's you can't have more than 10 foreign parts that are on the list. You probably have an Inch bolt hold open in your rifle so just buy a metric, they are cheap you can probably find one for $15-$20. You can then resell your Inch for the same price. The top of the sand cut bolt carrier should have drawing numbers on it and a date like B62 960- 2107, that's how the Brit inch ones are marked. The Inch bolt will have a different type extractor than the metric bolt and it will also have a drawing # on it like 960-2107. The B is the manufacturers code, Birmingham small arms factory or it could have the Enfield mark which looks like a D with a line in the middle of it. There are several different types but those are the 2 most common. 99% of the time headspace will still be inspec when you switch out a bolt, carrier or both. |
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Quoted:
As to a good smith to use for FAL work, look to Randy Kline in Texas. He has done work for me in the past and has always been fast and great level of workmanship for a very good price. Now, that short brl sucker is asking for a Para lower receiver too haha I know I was thinking that too. And thanks for the smith info! Quoted:
Nice FAL. For the bolt hold open, pop the top cover off so you can see the internals. Insert a magazine and the pin that protrudes into the mag well should get pushed up by the mag follower. Sometime these pins can break or I have also seen the round tab on the mag follower get bent / dented in enough that they just miss the mag hold open. great I'll check first thing when I ge home. I'm gonna be seperated from her for a while now
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Quoted:
Your FAL is in ..... will still be inspec when you switch out a bolt, carrier or both. lot of good info there thanks! I do have a mapp torch so...maybe I'll try it. Again thanks! Also I think I checked out the bolt hold open group it appeared to be metric (smaller tab, etc) but I'll check again. Another small question for everyone whats the difference between the SA and the STG58? |
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whats the difference between the SA and the STG58? SA = South African StG58 = Austrian Both metrics. Differences.... Selector markings, stocks, hand guards, barrels, flash suppressors, pistons, magazines, rear sight bases, windage screws, butt plates, butt pads, front sling swivels. Parts will interchange without issue but they are different in appearance and some are slightly different in function. |
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Differences between SA58 & Stg58:
Stg58 is built using as many surplus Austrian parts as is legal. As DSA runs out of surplus parts the US parts count goes up. The SA58 uses mostly US made parts, some Austrian small parts. SA lower aluminum US Stg steel Austrian SA handguards composite US Stg steel Austrian SA barrel US Stg barrel, up til '07 or so, Austrian Stg58 was what Austria called their voersion of the FAL and DSA calls their similar model. SA58 is what DSA calls their version of the FAL. More info on DSA website. |
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Out of the 4 fals I have built to date, the bolt catch on every one needed either repair or replacement to function correctly.
Ir you want a muzzle brake that works the Imbel style along with the gas system makes teh FAL a real pleasure to shoot. Entreprise carries a US brake for 24.00 dont know if this is the one yo have already though. http://entreprise.com/shop/item.aspx?itemid=16 and a new bolt catch for 19 http://entreprise.com/shop/item.aspx?itemid=87 Might want to get both parts at the same place as most FAL part suppliers charge $10+ S&H no matter how small the part is. |
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