[Glock Glockler]

Ok, I've heard good things about it and 8mm ammo is about as cheap as ammo can get, so how are these rifles? Is there any specific manufacturer that is best, or all they all Belgian made? What price range would be fair for what condition? And how do these stack up against Garands?

Thanks
GG

[BHP9]

Quite a few years ago when they were plentiful they were not to high in price but recent prices I have seen seem to be well up into the $600 dollar range. If you are going to spend this kind of money I personally would never fire corrosive ammo out of an investment that costs this much.

One thing to look for is the firing pin lock located on the top of the bolt. In many Eygptian contract rifles I have seen the firing pin lock is missing. Why this is so I have never been able to find out.

The firing pin on these weapons is long and tapered and if the gun is dry fired two things will happen. 1. The pin will eventually break and is will also gradually start to stick in the forward position because it has elongated the firing pin hole in the bolt head. When this happens the gun will go full auto and could blow up. Later models of this weapon had a two piece firing pin that helped cut down on firing pin breakage but still did not prevent the firing pin from sticking and the weapon going full auto. Just remember never to dry fire these weapons if you have one that is in good shape to begin with. Check older weapons for wear of the pin and its hole in the bolt and replace both if they are sticking. An alternate method is to cut a sharp shoulder on the firing pin that prevents it from sticking in the bolt hole. This is what I did to my firing pin to prevent it from ever going full auto.

The gun itself was very well made and very accurate and is still a lot cheaper in price than the later model FN Fal that was derived from this earlier weapon. The FN ABL was actually invented before WWII began but its marketing was put on hold when its Belgiun inventor fled to England from the German occupation of Belgium during WWII.

S&K makes an excellent insta scope mount for this rifle that is basically a modified replacement top cover made of aluminum. It is very expensive but you can make a scope mount if you are good with tools by modifying a surplus top cover and mounting a scope and mount on it.

[Mike Irwin]

BH hit all the salient points. Functionally they're great rifles. I should have bought one when they were cheaper. A friend has one, and I just love to shoot the thing, only his is special, it's chambered for 7mm Mauser.

They're out there in a couple of other calibers besides 7mm and 8mm -- .30-06 and I believe 7.65 Mauser.