I am thinking about getting an FAL, and I know that there are some which are pre-ban and therefore legal here.  According to a couple guys over in the FAL forum the Springfield Armory SAR 48s are ALL pre-ban.  Can anyone here confirm this?  Are there other companies that people know of who stopped making FALs prior to '94?

You can own a post ban FAL as long as it complies with the AWB.

I know...but if I can pick up one with all the "evil" features that would be wonderful.

You'll be damn lucky to pick up a pre-ban FAL for under $1,500.  IF you can find someone willing to part with theirs.  

There is one SAR 48 on Gunbroker right now in the low range.
Any other preban FAL would have you looking at $2k and up.

If you can live without a bayo and flashhider there are some really awesome DSA's under $2k , and you could still use
preban 20 rd mags.  

PRE-89:
Springfield SAR48 are all pre-ban (89).   ~$1400
Bello and ARMSCORP import Argentine are all pre-ban (89) ~$1900 if you can find one.

PRE-94:  these require sufficient 922r parts to have pistol grip, flash hider, etc.
Springfield SAR4800 w/ thumbhole stock are pre-94.  ~$1200.
Century L1A1 with thumbhole stock are pre-94.  Legal as is.  Made on high quality FMAP or IMBEL receivers.  Very good guns.  ~$700.
Most SAC Latta marked Argentine guns/ receivers are pre-94.  A mis-matched SAC Latta is great at about ~$1400.
Entreprise L1A1 receivers made in Buena Park are pre-94.  Recivers alone ~$450;  completed L1A1s ~$1000.
Entreprise L1A1 receivers made in Irwindale up to about S/N 4000 are pre-94.  Same prices as above.

POST-94:  anomolies
The G1 series of rifles built from kits on any post-94 reciever do NOT have a FH or BL, since the German G1 did not have a FH or PG or threaded barrel.   Thus, they are legal with the pistol grip.  The FH is a twist-on device (not threaded); technically, if you slip one on you will be in violation of NY code.   Price ~$700-$1200 depending on receiver and quality.

The best deal going is the pre-94 Century L1A1 with the thumbhole stock for ~$700.  Again, these are made with either IMBEL or FMAP receivers (very high quality) and Inch-pattern (usually British) kits assembled by Century.  I have yet to see one that was poorly assembled.   True, they have a thumbhole stock, and the muzzle threads have been removed, so no muzzle device.  Still, for the money, you can't go wrong.

Since most of the country no longer has the silly ban, many of the post-89/pre-94 rifles above have been converted to have the FH, GL, etc.   In other words, many are legal elsewhere, but not in NYS.

Stay away from Century R1A1 marked receivers, Century-made Type III receivers, anything that says Hesse.

The key is patience.  If you have the cash, you can wait for a SAR48 to show up cheap- that might take a year.  The best place to buy is the Marketplace on FAL Files.

I don't get this.  In NYS it is legal to own a rifle with all of the features provided it was made (with said features) prior to 1994.  As there wasn't this "assault weapon" nonsense before 1994 wouldn't these have already come with all the bells and whistles?  Did companies make neutered rifles before 1994?

Yes, my mistake.  I was thinking 922r, it should say post-94 w/ FH etc etc.

Here's a great deal for one for $650 shipped:  Used to be a Century Thumbhole on Imbel receiver, somobody put original stock & PG on it.

http://www.falfiles.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=296137

what he means is in other states where the federal ban sunset, many rifles that were made ban compliant during the ban era were made non compliant after