I posted this on the Falfiles as well - but thought I would duplicate it here for those that might want to add a FAL to their AR like I did.


I bought it from Dan's in late February. Let there be no mistake - Dan is great, and I'll buy from him again, but I would NEVER buy a M-444 - and I wouldn't wish one on my worst enemy (unless we were in a gun battle).
The problem is not Dan - but those yahoos at Liberty Armory.

I had a similar problem with mine as descibed by Vince http://www.falfiles.com/cgi-bin/forums/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=7&t=000727 - the rifle wouldn't cycle even on the highest gas setting, and brass came out with deep scratches and brass shavings.

After talking to Dan (who is very concerned and sincere about the problem) I ship the rifle to Liberty Armory (at a cost of $27 to me) - with a detailed letter explaining the problem.

Very quick turnaround - I get it back quickly, and I'm happy right up to the point I take it to the range. It works exactly the same!!! They claimed to have test fired it, but it still only will BARELY cycle some of the time on the higest setting, and will not work at all on any others. The brass STILL comes out scratched and gouged.

I send it back AGAIN (costing myself another $27) with another detailed letter explaining the issue and including 20 shell casings with the scratces on them.

This time it takes a month for me to get it back - and all they said they did was clean it - and the note back is really condescending, telling me to remember that some ammo is hotter than others. Gee thanks - I've only been shooting since I was 10 years old - and I guess I never figured it out while I was a firearms instructor in the army either.

How long would it have taken these guys to have swapped the barrel out??? They are either completely incompetent, or they are flaming a$$holes who care nothing for their "warranty".

I just got it back two days ago, and haven't had time to go shoot it yet. But if those monkeys didn't switch out the barell and chamber, why the hell would I waste my time taking a defective rifle to the range a third time?!

At this point, I might be able to return it to Dan's - since Liberty Armory's "warranty" is completely worthless. If I do that, I will have lost about $100 and 2 months!!  (with the FFL tranfer fee I already paid and the shipping back)

The lesson is clear. If I had wanted to spend $100 of my own money and waited 2 months for a working rifle, I would have bought a $400 Century. If I wanted a working rifle with a warranty, I should have bought a DSA.

Not to rub salt in your wounds, but I agree, you should have bought a DSA.  I did have a slight problem with the sping in a DSA rifle.  DSA sent out a call tag, which means all I had to do was get the gun ready to ship and UPS came to my door and picked up the rifle.

The turn aroun time was about two and a half weeks (2 weeks of that time was shipping to DSA and back to me).  Anyway it was a small problem and not something that DSA could have picked up on while test firing the rifle.

Anyway I got my rifle back in a short period of time, DSA even threw in a hat and a couple mags.  Now that's customer service.

Hope you do better on your next FAL.


Semper Fi
Jeff

Sounds like DSA has Bushmaster-like customer service.  

I guess my mistake was in thinking that someone who sold a product with a "warranty" would actually stand behind it.

I completely agree with you about what I SHOULD have done.  A cheap Century (for the person with patience) or an expensive DSA (for the person with money) are clearly the only options for people who don't build their own.

First of all let me second what rn45 said. I just had some major problems with feeding and such and thought it was something else. Until I realized my gas tube had come completely undone.

This is a Century gun. I wish I would have got one of those $800 DSA STG58 builds, but when I got mine they weren't doing that yet.

Anyway, turned out that pin was actually there but for some reason wasn't holding the gas tube in place. Either it wasn't to begin with, or the last time I sent it off to have someone tinker with it they didn't put the gas tube back in right.

Either way, if you have any questions about the gas tube, pin that holds it in, or gas regulator sleeve, feel free to email me and I'll walk you through it.

Good luck either way, and thanks for the heads up about Liberty and their M-444's.

Gas tube, gas regulator, gas systems, gas pressures, etc. etc. etc.

I sure am glad I bought a G3 after I sold my L1A1 !!!! Keeps it nice & simple for we dumbasses! >gg<

My M444 is okay.  It sure as hell looks nice, almost as nice as a DSA.  I had a problem w/ ejection that caused me to send it to Liberty.  Turns out I had the gas plug upside down(on grenade).  Other than that its great.  Well, it does have the Hesse muzzle blast enhancer.  Causes the buttstock to slap my cheek HARD.  But, it does not "cheek slap some shooters(depends on your height/arm length).

Overall, I like it.  A new MB and it will be a keeper.  But, I think IAI should fix the damned MB, but they don't consider it a defect.  They are a bunch of fartknockers!