Any one know how to build a FAL?

**Penguin** · 12-27-2010, 08:14 AM

There are lots of differences between inch and metric. With the exception of the mags most are minor in the grand scheme of things. Some parts are interchangable some aren't. Inch mags won't fit in a metric rifle as they have larger locking tabs. Metric mags will usally fit in an inch rifle but may or may not work. The cocking handles are different, same with the psitol grips. Rear sights are different. Inch ones will fold down and are in yards. Metric ones don't fold and are in meters, though ones on the canadian C1 are a compeletly different set up. Inch bolt carriers have sand cuts, metric ones generally don't unless they are the para models. The hammer springs are different. The safety bolt relese and mag relese are different. Same The gas block I belive is different though I am not sure. The gas regulator and cut off valves are different. The part that opens the upper and lower recivers I think are slightly different as well. I belive there are a few other differences as wll but I have to leave for work.

**rahatlakhoom** · 12-27-2010, 08:28 AM

I did take an inch barrel and it screwed into a metric receiver stub.
Anyway, yesterday I dug out a copy of the FAL Gun Plumbers Guide by Mark Graham.
It covers everything as far as I can tell.
I feel much more ready to build one with this at hand.

**Tx Dogblaster** · 12-27-2010, 09:27 AM

Originally Posted by deth502

youll need an inch kit to build on an inch receiver. not sure if teh lower will fit, i dont think so, but the barrel wont and teh bolt/carrier wont, neither will any of the other parts that go in the receiver. (top cover, mag catch, bho, ect..)

Thanks deth502. That's what I suspected but I wanted to make sure.

**Penguin** · 12-27-2010, 05:13 PM

It is my understanding that inch and metric barrels will fit into both types of recivers. It is just with inch ones you need to use a breaching washer to get the barrel to index right, another difference between inch and metric.

Where things get real interisting is with iserali and indian barrels is my understanding. They don't really interchange with out rethreading I have heard.

On my last post I left that out and inch reciver covers have two tabs on the rear that metric ones don't have. I think but, I don't know for sure, that metric ones will fit on an inch one and if you grind off the tabs the inch ones will fit a metric rifle. Also usally the forends are different as well. Metric ones usally have slots for fitting a bipod. Inch ones don't as far as I know, with the exception of the heavy barreled varients. Those have for ends that folded out into bipod legs. Also as a general rule in the military configurations inch ones were usally semi auto while metric ones would often be full auto.

**Penguin** · 12-27-2010, 05:19 PM

Originally Posted by rahatlakhoom

I did take an inch barrel and it screwed into a metric receiver stub.
Anyway, yesterday I dug out a copy of the FAL Gun Plumbers Guide by Mark Graham.
It covers everything as far as I can tell.
I feel much more ready to build one with this at hand.

So where does one get this FAL plumbers guide, it sounsd like a good book.

**deth502** · 12-27-2010, 05:45 PM

Originally Posted by Penguin

It is my understanding that inch and metric barrels will fit into both types of recivers. It is just with inch ones you need to use a breaching washer to get the barrel to index right, another difference between inch and metric.

Where things get real interisting is with iserali and indian barrels is my understanding. They don't really interchange with out rethreading I have heard.

On my last post I left that out and inch reciver covers have two tabs on the rear that metric ones don't have. I think but, I don't know for sure, that metric ones will fit on an inch one and if you grind off the tabs the inch ones will fit a metric rifle. Also usally the forends are different as well. Metric ones usally have slots for fitting a bipod. Inch ones don't as far as I know, with the exception of the heavy barreled varients. Those have for ends that folded out into bipod legs. Also as a general rule in the military configurations inch ones were usally semi auto while metric ones would often be full auto.

its my understanding that the bbls will "fit" but will not "interchange" meaning you can screw them in, but the timing is differnt, even if you used the washers.

also, most all of the metric hg's ive seen have the detents in them for the bipod to fit into, but rarely do they have a bipod cut bbl. you do need a special barrel to use a fal bipod.

**Penguin** · 12-27-2010, 06:13 PM

Ok good to know. Personally I don't usally care for bipods. I really don't care for the fore arms that have the cut outs for them. I will say though that as far as bipods go the FAL ones are the ones I like the most. They seem very slim while folded.

**rahatlakhoom** · 12-27-2010, 07:35 PM

Originally Posted by Penguin

So where does one get this FAL plumbers guide, it sounsd like a good book.

I got a copy on FAL files couple years ago.
I guess I would get one from http://www.gunthings.com/
It's a very thoughtfully written manual.
Covers headspacing in great detail with all the
other important issues.

**abpt1** · 12-30-2010, 06:13 PM

OK so for a imbel kit what type(1,2 or3) of metric receiver do I want ?

**deth502** · 12-31-2010, 12:40 PM

look at your lower when you get the kit. iirc, t3 are the square ones. if you have the square corners on the lower, a t3 will match, if you have the cut corners, then either a t1 or t2.

your kit should probably be a t3 kit.

**deth502** · 12-31-2010, 01:09 PM

as proof that the receivers will interchange, check this thread out:

http://www.militaryfirearm.com/Forum...d=1#post215003

if you know where your looking, there are quite a few mismatched uppers and lowers there, mostly t3 uppers on lowers made with the lightening cuts.

**rahatlakhoom** · 01-02-2011, 06:05 PM

The thing that is puzzling me with the semi-auto build version of the FAL
is the vague information on how this is legally accomplished.
(The US part count, I understand from prior experience)

I've learned, (perhaps erroneously, that the SELECTOR, and TRIGGER PLUNGER, are
the two items that need alteration to insure the semi-auto operation of this rifle.
I don't see that the lower trigger assembly has any difference than the original
config. Nor, that the receiver's being sold has any dimensional difference from the
original. The G3 receivers have the distinction of being altered to accept only
a semi trigger pack. Can someone give a quick dissertation on how the FAL
qualifies as a semi-auto???

Could I reweld chunks of demilled FAL receiver and fall into a safe zone of
semi-auto operation? (as I am prone to do)

thanks guys, this is a helpful thread.

**deth502** · 01-02-2011, 08:12 PM

Originally Posted by rahatlakhoom

The thing that is puzzling me with the semi-auto build version of the FAL
is the vague information on how this is legally accomplished.
(The US part count, I understand from prior experience)

I've learned, (perhaps erroneously, that the SELECTOR, and TRIGGER PLUNGER, are
the two items that need alteration to insure the semi-auto operation of this rifle.
I don't see that the lower trigger assembly has any difference than the original
config. Nor, that the receiver's being sold has any dimensional difference from the
original. The G3 receivers have the distinction of being altered to accept only
a semi trigger pack. Can someone give a quick dissertation on how the FAL
qualifies as a semi-auto???

Could I reweld chunks of demilled FAL receiver and fall into a safe zone of
semi-auto operation? (as I am prone to do)

thanks guys, this is a helpful thread.

this all comes back to that "ejector block" that was mentioned before that should come with the new receiver.

pivot on the upper that the lower attaches to goes through the ejector block. the saftey sear pivots on that as well. the ejector blocks that come with the new receivers are not cut to allow the saftey sear to go in there. muck like an ar lower has extra metal in the rear area to prevent the saftey sear from being able to be installed by simply drilling the pivot hole.

the plunger?? never heard of that.

the selector, most mod it to keep it from being able to be rotated to the fa position. this will not "insure the semi-auto operation" per se, as even if you were to put one in the fa position, without the saftey sear, you will only get hammer follow and likely cause a malfunction. this would be the same as putting a fa disconnector in an ak, and expecting fa fire.

**rahatlakhoom** · 01-03-2011, 07:09 AM

Originally Posted by deth502

this all comes back to that "ejector block" that was mentioned before that should come with the new receiver.

pivot on the upper that the lower attaches to goes through the ejector block. the saftey sear pivots on that as well. the ejector blocks that come with the new receivers are not cut to allow the saftey sear to go in there. muck like an ar lower has extra metal in the rear area to prevent the saftey sear from being able to be installed by simply drilling the pivot hole.

the plunger?? never heard of that.

the selector, most mod it to keep it from being able to be rotated to the fa position. this will not "insure the semi-auto operation" per se, as even if you were to put one in the fa position, without the saftey sear, you will only get hammer follow and likely cause a malfunction. this would be the same as putting a fa disconnector in an ak, and expecting fa fire.

Thank you sir. This is clear to me now.
You can see the tit of the safety sear behind the pivot lug on this midsection.
(btw, I'm looking for 2 of these midsections, stripped of parts, pm me.)

**deth502** · 01-03-2011, 04:33 PM

yup thats it. i cant help you with the receiver sections though, ive never even saw a cut receiver. all of the kits i got only came with the small piece that the barrel threads into. those small parts around the pivot, the pivot itself, the locking shoulder, the bho, the mag catch, and the screw and springs, came seperate in a little baggie.

and none of my kits came with the saftey sear either.

**rahatlakhoom** · 01-22-2011, 06:40 PM

My first FAL.

I did do a reweld.
Metric front stub, Inch middle section, metric rear end.
This is an Austrian STG58 kit.
(why didn't you guys tell me the FAL beast is as heavy as a
Garand?)

I do have a semi-auto, US part compliant rifle.
The safety-sear area on the receiver was welded solid.
The safety-sear area on the ejector block was welded solid.

Enjoy the pics, I have dumped 80 rounds of nice Yugo 7.62 x 51
into this toy this morning without a hitch.

**deth502** · 01-22-2011, 07:42 PM

nice!

the hardest part of any fal build ive ever done was installing one of those bipods. those are some damn stiff springs in those!!

what kind of rear site you got there?? dosent look standard. is that one of the dsa lowers with the different sights? almost looks like an ar a2 site, but i dont see the elevation knob.