[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Next FAL Build? (Page 1 of 2)
Posted: 5/19/2004 5:21:04 PM EDT
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I finally have enough $$ for a receiver, and I still have the 2 kits...so there's enough in there for at least 1 rifle. I sold off the 3 FALs I had to fund other projects, so I think I'm ready to build one again. Is there any interest in another build? If so, when/where do you want to do it, and where can I get a reciever? I think some of you guys tried the Coonans with some success the last time. Are they still available? |
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I love the Coonan! Unfortunately, FAC is out of them at the moment and actually buying them is now difficult. The out of stock situation will end. He seems to get a shipment about once every 2 months and the supply last 3 to 4 weeks. He's been out of stock since April 30 so we should be getting close to another batch. The problem is ordering. You can't call and order any more and have it shipped to your dealer. Your dealer has to make the call and pay them. Most dealers look at this as a wholesale to retail situation and will mark it up. I had Tim down at DeGoffs order my last batch and I just gave him my credit card to use when ordering. I'd be up for a build any time you want. I've been thinking about building one just for my girlfriend. After taking her shooting a few times, I think I've figured out exactly what configuration would work and that means another gun! Let me know what you're up for. |
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I'm a newbie and would be interested in a build in NVA. I've never build one before and would like to see and build. I've got receiver wrench and bench vise that I can contribute as well as dremel. I'm missing barrel vise. I have Dans' Imbel kit type III, GL receiver, and compliance parts. Moses from NC is cutting the barrel to 16.25", I should have it in a week or so. Late in June would be better as I will be on vacation early in June. Please keep me posted. Thanks! |
 do i know what configuration your talking about? im flattered.  i may come and watch. im gonna build my para down here w/ my FIL. he's wants to build a carbine. our less than perfect building area is actually a friggin hoot. next time you come down cliffy, i'll show you. you'll laugh your ass off. i think the afgans building AK's in dirt floored huts with rocks and sledgehammers have it better than us. well ok, its not THAT bad, but it turns it into a damn comedy for sure. you guys could not do better than cliffy for fal-building guaidance. and his "shop" is pretty nice. |
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Is this going to be an open invite thing... I just got a SAR 4800 and would love to see her "workings".. minus the fact that I would love to build one too!! BTW to cliffy109... EMD dropped your name to me off "the other" black rifle forum... as someone (local)to try to hook up with for info and building ideas.. FMO |
Very cool. Ted's a good guy. We can have the build in my garage again if y'all want. Again, the house is VERY small, but the garage has all the tools we need. Hey David... I sat down and started really examining how Susan holds the gun and discovered a few things. First, the lack of the Imbel brake did make an obvious difference so her's will have a naked barrel. She also has her head well off the stock becuase her face is so small. I installed an STG stock and had her try it and it fits her much better due to the high comb. I'm also going with a lightweight lower because the overall heft is an issue. She's not so scared of recoil as she is blast so I'm not too concerned about the increase due to the light weight. We talked about it yesterday and this looks like the way to go. Coonan with carbine barrel, non-bipod HG, STG stock, DSA lower, US pistol grip and US fire control components. |
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Observers are welcome! We'll make this nice and easy. I've got to wait until my June schedule is out, but we can figure on either the last or next to last Sunday of the month. I'm in Lakeridge, right off the PW Parkway so I'm easy to find. Also, if anybody is having problems with their FAL, bring it and we'll see if we can't fix it. They are pretty easy to work on. I'll be building one for Susan and it is possible that the heavy barrel kits will be in by that time so there may be a few more to build. |
sounds pretty sweet to me. did you see i sold my izzy? i got 7 emails of people ready to send money within 50 mins.  (and i was thinking i was asking too much) i really want to finish my para and get another AR. so... bye bye izzy i'll miss her. but i can always build another! one more great thing about the FWRA. |
ok when's the next 1919 Build | I talked to the folks at Virgina Arms today about snagging a receiver from FAC..only to find out VA Arms won't deal with them anymore...lots of bad juju, so they decided it wasn't worth it. I'll need a plan B for getting a reciever, if anyone knows another FFL around here to do the transfer who won't shaft me on the fee. |
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Cliffy-- I got your e-mail regarding the extractor tool, and assume this is the thread for the build you referenced. I would like to make it out to this one to watch (doubt I'll have money and parts in hand for my next FAL in time), and will bring my parts to reverify HS. I might ogle your rifles a bit to get some ideas for finishing mine. You may remember I got one of the sweet STG kits from the FALfiles group buy. Will we have the available tools to remove the receiver stub? Also, one of the nuts for the bipod is stuck...I'm trying to get that off so I can finish cleaning off the packing grease. I can bring what tools I have (HS pins :) ). I'll bring a couple of locking shoulders along too in case they match for anyone. I know the pain of building and not having that final piece. |
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I'm gonna try Dealers Warehouse next...VA Arms is the closest to me, so if they can do the transfer, I'll stick with them. I just saw in the Shotgun news they have Imbels for about the same price FAC does. Is there a place to get a reasonably priced new/slightly used barrel? Both of the barrels in these kits have seen better days, so if I'm gonna build a rifle, I may as well slap a better barrel on it. |
Cliffy, thanks...$100 or so is where I'd like to keep it, budget wise. |
just in case my drool becomes too intense... Cliffy do you have a sump in your workshop???|
doohhh.. the 20th.. What time, I may stop in, I'm working so I can't stay too late.. but I will make every effort to at least say hi. I would like to get my SAR barrel taken off so I can send it to get cut. The sump to catch all the drool... building.. mmmmm.... FMO |
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Barrels on the Springfield Armory rifles are notoriously tight. Before I bought my own equipment, I took my SAR48 to Gary Jeter's and we couldn't budge the thing. His barrel vice was not as good as mine, but we really torqued that thing. I'm pretty sure the barrels were installed when the paint was still tacky on the threads. Bring it by though 'cause I love a challenge. We'll probably get started around 10:00. If you want to come another time, just let me know. Its not like it takes a lot of set up to do any work. I'm always glad to help with FAL projects. |
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Looks like I'm gonna be in on this one too. I may be parting out one of my rifles. I have an itch to build a SHTF all out FAL. I really like these silly rifles. Anyone want/need a full working kit I will either part out my shorty G1 or my Imbel. Unless someone wants a whole gun, in which case we can work out a price. |
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hmmm...guess I better get off my ass and order the lower. But, what is the status of VA Arms? I normally use them for transfers, but with the recent break in there, they could be down for a while. Nick, what kind of FAL are you selling, btw? Anyone got any spare receivers lol? BTW, assuming I get a receiver in time, and build the G1 kit, I will be the leading candidate for ugliest rifle! This kit is not pretty. |
John, I am attempting to sell the short rifle I built ob the G1 kit, the one that had the really nice park job. It does not look like it is gonna sell at the price I need though so I might wind up parting it out and just using the receiver or something. I don't really have a plan yet. I'm playing it by ear. I think I want to buils an 18" super duper tactical looking thing a ma jig. Like those 13" DSA's but in 18". I think. |
I just realized i have to work third that weekend. if i can get myself out of bed  sunday morning i'll come up, but im not so sure.edit: btw: I should be building my PARA in a week or so. i got the H/T/S set in yesterday, and im sending the bbl to moses on monday. Nick, i sent you an email |
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Okay, just ordered my receiver, and went over to Tapco for compliance parts...they no longer carry the FSE hammer trigger sear package...so getting 7 US parts just got harder. What do you guys do? Entreprise sells a US made trigger and hammer, but they're a little on the pricy side. Any suggestions? Also, has anyone had good luck with any gas piston besides DSA's? **EDIT** Okay...I'm ready to spend more $$ at DSA...they have barrels for $95, minus gas block and gas tube...can I just snag those of another barrel, or are they pressed on somehow? The other alternative is the $185 new metric one that already has the gas block/tube. They have a US made h/t/s set, and I've already ordered the cheapo penguin stock/grip combo from Tapco. DSA also lists new US made handguads, which I may get...once again, the ones in the G1 kit are kinda banged up. If I get a new barrel and muzzle brake, then I don't need a new piston. Gee, concentrating on ARs for a while, I'd forgotten how much fun all this 922(r) shit is lol. Guess I can forget going out tonight and blowing $200 on XBox games like I was going to! |
I'll bring both kits I have...I still haven't figured out what to do...the R1 would make a better kit, but I'd like to get a couple of other folks to look at this barrel and tell me whether or not it's worth using. I'm not looking for moa, but I'd like to be at least a $5 cab ride from the target lol. Whatever is left over, we can work out a deal if you need some/all of the pieces. Also, Nick and Cliffy, what are we gonna do about the dreaded locking shoulder situation? I've got one, at least...if I can remember where I put it. How many will we have on hand? |
I have a couple. If I'm able to make the build, I'll be sure to bring them. It sucks to not have the right size on hand. Getting the damn thing in sucks even worse.  If I can't make it, I'll get them to Cliffy so they are available anyway.Any chance of having a blast cabinet and park tank at the build. 
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The locking shoulder issue is always a pain in the neck. We'll do what we've always done and have as many on hand as possible. If you have one that fits another guy's gun, give it to him and he'll give you what he has back. By trading, we've always managed to get roughly half of the guns finished. For some reason, recent Imbel receivers have been taking very small locking shoulders, although I had a DSA take a .252. Coonans on STG kits usually fall into the .258 to .262 range. I have 3 on hand, although one is Indian, which means no holes to align the drift punch. I think I've got .260, .262 and .258. |
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Cliffy, welcome back. John there is a guy on the FAL files called Moses who usually sells FSE HTS sets. I am looking for his e-mail address but no luck as of right now. I will try and post it here. Found it: [email protected] |
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I just bought 2 fse h/t/s sets from gunthings.com. he said still he has a few left on thursady. I got the sets 4 days after i ordered. gas pistons: I've got 3 of tapco's pistons, never a prob w/ them. I sent my para barrel to moses yesterday. He told me a 5 day turnaround. btw: he's out of h/t/s sets. I assembled my lower, dont think im gonna refinish this one, the actual lower looks like new but the stock just looks "worn". I kinda like it like that. guys: ive got 4 LS's I may not come up but I will measure them and if you need one we can work out a trade or cash deal. I do remember most of them are LARGE (upper 260's) CLIFFY: please refresh my headspacing memory. find the correct LS pin to achieve HS, and subtract one? ie: 270 LS pin = correct HS so I order a 269 LS? (this is accounting for setback) |
Yup. If you're using Forster gauges and you want a chamber that is exactly 1.632", you take the measurement with a Go gauge. That will tell you your pin size for a 1.630 chamber. Knock .002 off the LS to get it to 1.632 and then add one back in to account for "settling" or setback. Minus 2, plus one or simply minus one. |
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thanks. i was just reading a bunch of "headspacing questions" for the files archive and now my head is spining. it seems some people actually ADD to the LS to achieve HS. In the end, I personally think that the FAL is WAY more forgiving in terms of HS than people give them credit for. I think that +/- .001 wont really hurt anything. Granted, thats a gamble not many are willing to make (myself included). |
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I've got at least one locking shoulder, *if* I can figure out where it is lol...you know, I put it someplace where I'd always be able to find it Cliffy, thanks for the advice..I'll drop some $$ at DSA. BTW, for anyone else interested, they have the FSE h/t/s pack for $65. I gave one of my kits to a buddy, but he doesn't need it, so I can look and see if there's another LS floating around. **EDIT** ok, it's raining, and I have nothing to do but spend money lol...I just ordered the new DSA US made medium contour 21" barrel and the h/t/s...I just found an Entreprise brake I had laying around...I HOPE it's left hand thread...so that's 5 US pieces there, and I have the Penguin stock and grip coming from Tapco. I'll be legal lol. I decided to spend a little more on the barrel in the hope that this will shoot a little better than my other kit guns. We'll see. So, as long as my receiver gets here in time, I'm good to go. Can't Wait! |
| The only time you should add one is if you are using Clymer gauges. The Clymer is 1.632", so when you get your pin size, it is exact for your most desireable chamber size. If you believe in set-back (which I do), you need one size larger for the locking shoulder so you get back to 1.632 after a hundred or so rounds. |