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Posted: 1/25/2012 6:32:38 PM EDT
| What is required to replace the wooden handgaurds and the barrel? |
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Replacing the handguards is just a screw up front.
Replacing the barrel is a gunsmith activity, if he wants it done and headspaced correctly. It's possible to DIY if you have the tools needed (good receiver wrench/barrel wrench, vice, headspace gauge pins, proper sized locking shoulder)... Define "transferrable"? Is it an NFA rifle, or just a run-of-the-mill Imbel preban? |
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like stated above, if you have the tools and the knowledge, it's not that hard. Tools: barrel vice with shims for FAL barrel contours FAL receiver clamshell wrench vice 1/4" breaker bar torch screwdriver barrel face shaving tool timing rod set for barrel/ sight timing pin guage set for headspace test duct tape to tape the handguard ring to the barrel so you don't forget it And, you'll probably need a properly fitting locking shoulder. Summary: no, you don't want to do it yourself. |
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What is required to replace the wooden handgaurds and the barrel? Why do you want to do this? Well It started with the intention of changing the visual profile of the gun as its owner had grown tired of the wood furniture after 6+ years of owning it. But now he is getting ready to turn the SAR48 into a DSA OSW with the help of a custom shop recommended directly by DS Arms. The owner just decided he needed to change the gun up, the weight and the looks weren't doing it for him anymore. I am pretty excited to see the results! |
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Everyone needs to do what makes them happy but I would advise the owner to use a different FAL for the "OSW" project and leave the SAR48 in original configuration. The SAR 48 is worth more $$ unmolested !! The worth of transferables is the piece of paper they have. Their actual configuration has little to do with it. I would do what make you (or him) happy. |
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He bought it at a very competitive price (so he says), but at the end of the day the Izzy HB setup is just to damn heavy to have the type of fun he wants to have. I guess he is over the weight and massive size. Wait, he has a transferrable Izzy heavy barrel? 
At least take some nice pictures before he tears it apart. |
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I just went full circle on this. I have an Israeli HB Transferable that I just HAD to turn into an OSW. I never did get the OSW to run right and just last week took the wrench to it to turn it back into the HB. I can't wait to shoot it this week.
While the OSW was tacti-cool and made huge fireballs I really missed the stupid reliable way I could clang steel with double-tap bursts out to 300 yards with the HB. |
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I just went full circle on this. I have an Israeli HB Transferable that I just HAD to turn into an OSW. I never did get the OSW to run right and just last week took the wrench to it to turn it back into the HB. I can't wait to shoot it this week. While the OSW was tacti-cool and made huge fireballs I really missed the stupid reliable way I could clang steel with double-tap bursts out to 300 yards with the HB. Could you give some more detail? I've been in contact with a great fal builder who is ready to switch it to an OSW but I keep hearing reports of these guns (OSW) poor reliability. It will be a 13" barrel (not sure if it even changes things). I just don't want to have the massive sized IZZY HB configuration; so If I don't go with the OSW setup, I will probably go with the DS Arms 16.25 setup, Any thoughts on this instead? I would also appreciate any other thoughts on the SAR 48 in general. |
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If you're going with a FAL builder with a good rep I wouldn't be worried about it. He should get it reliable before sending it to you. You're making the right choice going with the 13. I went with the 11 inch and regretted it. I think it added to the performance isssues.
Make sure to post pics when you get it done. |
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If you're going with a FAL builder with a good rep I wouldn't be worried about it. He should get it reliable before sending it to you. You're making the right choice going with the 13. I went with the 11 inch and regretted it. I think it added to the performance isssues. Make sure to post pics when you get it done. Do you think reliability will ever be comparable to a normal length gun (proper gas tube size)? I don't plan to baby the gun, I want it to run, and run well. |
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The FAL guy you're talking to can probably give you a better idea what to expect. If he hasn't done them before then it might be worth talking to a smith that has.
My 11 OSW upper wasn't plug and play for me when I bought the front end, swapped it out and then set the headspace. I'd always thought about sending it to a FAL-smith to diagnose but never did. I originally had a para kit on my gun. To get it to somewhat run I had to run a bunch of gas. This eventually broke the weld on the para topcover recoil spring guide. After that I ran it with a full stock. I wouldn't let my (one) experience stop you –– just ask more questions to your smith or find one that has a track record with getting them to run. Good luck! |
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The FAL guy you're talking to can probably give you a better idea what to expect. If he hasn't done them before then it might be worth talking to a smith that has. My 11 OSW upper wasn't plug and play for me when I bought the front end, swapped it out and then set the headspace. I'd always thought about sending it to a FAL-smith to diagnose but never did. I originally had a para kit on my gun. To get it to somewhat run I had to run a bunch of gas. This eventually broke the weld on the para topcover recoil spring guide. After that I ran it with a full stock. I wouldn't let my (one) experience stop you –– just ask more questions to your smith or find one that has a track record with getting them to run. Good luck! I have spoken with him, he says that he can get it to run but I can't expect it to run 100% like the full 21 inch variants. Given that I don't/can't afford to be buying replacement parts out the ass for the gun. When the gun did run, was it as fun as they look? Was there any degree of controllability? Once again, I greatly appreciate you insight on the subject. |
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When the gun did run, was it as fun as they look? Was there any degree of controllability? If I had just one machine gun and it was a FAL HB then I would spend the time turning it into an OSW and getting it to run. If I had another gun(s) that filled the 'short tacti-cool fireball' role then I'd keep it as an HB. Does that help? |
| Yes, it would be the short gas system. Are you qualified to work on class 3 items? The smith I am currently working with Has Agreed to do the work in exchange for the whole IZZY part set currently on the rifle (Basically NIB) while I pay for the parts for the conversion, if you are interested send me an email, and we will go from there. |
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