FN FAL L1A1 Questions.

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MikeInOr said:
Isn't FAL head spacing set by a pin in the receiver? Changing the head spacing is as simple as swapping out that pin for one of a different thickness? I think you can buy the pins and specify the pin thickness?
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Yes. Headspace guages, use brains and math (or feeler gauges, etc) to figure out how much more or less is needed, get a new one installed. Of course, a whole set of them at an experienced smith can do this in minutes without thinking :)

Good example of how the FAL is not harder to do than the AR, just different. Mine has been apart, completely, several times. So easy to do that when it's time to eg. refinish: just pull it all apart. If you follow procedures well, it barely even needs to be re-zeroed.

So used to that I have only in the last few months really gotten my head around the AR enough to be comfortable doing the same, and re-barreling (or changing barrel nut for rail reasons) just cause I have a spare 20 minutes.
 
Ok so ran into the first problem. If i thread the barrel into the reciever (super tight from first thread to last) its too long i mean to say to get it to time right there will be a 1/8" gap between reciever and breech face. Is that ok? This rifle is definitely a learning experience i am doing it for a good friend and when finished he is giving me the fal on bottom in pic. im taking things slow but damn ive already learned a bunch about these rifles and im really excited to complete this build. Then work on mine. Any and all input is greatly appreciated guys and gals. 20200216_193252.jpg
 
I downloaded that but cant read it on my phone guess i will have to go to library and print it out
 
Lesson 203 to start . Section 202 thru 204 are very use full about receiver dimensions and head space. The whole book is a treasure
 
Ok so i have decided that if i cut some of the first thread back i can get more of the breach face into the reciever while keeping correct time. I am going to test it out with a npt pipe and fitting first does this sound right in theory?
 
Sody82 said:
Ok so i have decided that if i cut some of the first thread back i can get more of the breach face into the reciever while keeping correct time. I am going to test it out with a npt pipe and fitting first does this sound right in theory?
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NO! As I stated earlier, if you have an L1A1 barrel (which I think you do) it must have a shim washer between the barrel shoulder and the receiver.

This family of weapons isn't difficult to build, but it's also easy to get sideways if the builder doesn't understand the nuances.
 
A homemade reciever block for the vice and a 1 1/16 wrench i will have to make a crowsfoot to torque it im just trying to get it in the ball park. And yes i am not sure what i was thinking with the idea of cutting threads back. So i need to get a shim to go in the reciever between feed ramp and breach face? Was laying in bed all night playing with this thing brainstorming and not gonna lie these two will be the last ones... 20200219_093537.jpg
 
I have this washer but no amount of washers here will correct the gap between breach face and feed ramp 20200219_094109.jpg
 
I feel im gonna have to remove some material from breach face. Of course im not just gonna go milling it im gonna do more research until im absolutely sure of my next course of action
 
Read Gun Plumber's guide I sent PDF file. They have #202 which talks about barrel fitting for various recievers. The FAL is a totally different animal than other barrel swaps . Read the Book ! The kicker is your reciever. Don't go grinding or cutting anything, you will wind up with scrap. You might consider taking apart your friends Metric (looks like a Steyr) to get an Idea how they are put together in barrel to reciever, all though L1A1's are different there are similarities. I have both types , but on Imbel recievers FWIW. They were put together by Arizona Response System (20 years ago ) who wrote the book .
 
Yeah im not just gonne go cutting. The other rifle is a hesse and he put them both together. Wrong. I might just have to give them both back and give up on my dream of owning a l1a1
 
The book says a gap of .20 is acceptable and encouraged for accuracy i am getting a gap of .05 im sure they meant .020 as .05 is the thickness of a penny. Other than that im seeing nothing in there that outlines the correction of the issue i am fighting. Any fal guys in here know my next plan of attack? Im also gonna post on fal files. Thanks guys i know im probablt stressing y'all out lol
 
Here is the gap im working with at tdc. Is this acceptable? If so i can work on getting the right shim and then begin headspacing. 20200219_112914.jpg
 
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With no washer i can get it to about 11:30 with a few washers i can get it to 12:00 but that leaves a gap between breach and feed ramp.
 
WECSOG is alive!

"Have dremel, will travel"

Extra points given it the finished product exhibits blood pitting, but only if it is yours.

It was a lot of fun to grind, saw, torch, and hammer FALs together when parts kits and receivers were $99 each (~2000), but that is no longer the case.

Buy the workbook.
 
I only meant can i repurpose other shims such as camshaft shims or the like
 
Nothing goes between the barrel face and the inside of the receiver, a Century rifle might have a very noticeable gap.

Barrel shims or breaching washers are used on inch pattern rifles to time the barrel, and they go between the barrel shoulder and the front of the receiver

I'm not even very sure of what your questions actually are, and there has been some not so accurate "information" given out.

Buy the work book. Read it all the way through. Buy the correct tools. Ask the questions to the correct audience.
 
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Thank you. That is what i have been trying to find out. My only concern is the gap between breach face and feed ramp i feel like a broken record saying that. I registered for falfiles but cant post there due to admins not finalizing my account..
 
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