CAL-FAL Entreprise IMBEL purchase report

[silverlance]

I just bought an Entreprise IMBEL CAL-FAL.

It was 700 for the Entreprise Type 1 Receiver and IMBEL build, +100 for CA conversion and 922R parts. Tax was $65, DROS fees 30.

Total was about $900

I've heard people say that Entreprise receivers are not as good as DSA. I don't know - I have met the Entreprise crew including their gunsmith and owner and all seem to be pretty straightforward people. The guns themselves seem good; I know that they are not DSA quality, but they are at less than half of DSA's asking price of $1645.

I have spoken to four smiths, all well respected. All of them either refuse to work with or charge an extra $200 for builds using Century or Hesse receivers. All are willing to work at normal rates using Entreprise or DSA receivers. However, they all do universally acknowledge that DSA receivers are superior.

I chose to buy from Entreprise because a) $800 vs $1645 and b) I want to support a firearm manufacturing company that is based in California and is willing to provide CA-legal weapons without charging exhorbitant fees (it would cost me about $35 to do the magazine conversion myself).

Besides, the dog they have there is really cute.

I will pick it up in about ten days, and tell you all how it goes.

For now, I'm planning on getting a stripper clip cover and a trigger job.

 

[Bwana John]

For now, I'm planning on getting a stripper clip cover

It didnt come with one? Why did you have to pay $100 extra?????

Did they fix the mag catch or did they just take off the pistol grip to make it CA legal?

I hope you got a good one, I didnt.

By the way, nobody actually pays DSA suggested retail price.

 

[silverlance]

bwana

the magazine catch was replaced by another catch that simply doesn't actually pull down.

all the stores around here are selling DSA cal fals for 1600.

 

[AndyC]

Over at falfiles.com the feeling seems to be that Century receivers are less likely to be a dog than Entreprise - also, one of the Entreprise legal people had dropped in there spouting all kinds of threats which didn't go down well and he eventually left with his tail between his legs. I believe he was asked to leave Entreprise too as a result of that little spat.

That being said, I'm sure that if Entreprise started to develop a rep for building receivers that are known for being decent, more people would definitely buy them as there's a big shortage of inexpensive, quality receivers these days.

Glad you seem to have gotten a good 'un, though - that's all that counts

 

[silverlance]

thanks for the comment and heads-up

I posted the following at FALFILES where I'm a contributor.

Hi, folks.

I am not a troll. Actually, I'm quite the anti-troll.

I also have a dog in this fight. I have met Lily, who appears to have a great part in running the show at Entreprise, in person. I happen to like her. She is a petite, crisp, cheerful individual who did not try to BS me. While I cannot say that she has completely gained my trust yet, I would not hesitate to do business with her. In other words, she is good people. Because I like her, I'm going to write a few words, a few of my own opinons. YMMV, I'm just telling it as I see it.

I have also met one of their gunsmiths, a scruffy looking fellow. He was not fluent in English (he was south of the border, don't know how far south), but clearly knowledgable and helpful.

Entreprise Arms is located in a large warehouse-like structure several miles down Irwindale Blvd (?) south of the 210 Freeway in Azusa, CA. They have a VERY small storefront (think of a nice sized kitchen) in which they display some IMBEL, STG, & wood FALS. There are also the usual LE crap, and a very limited selection of SIGs with CTs. No one works the counter - when you ring the doorbell a couple of them come out and let you in.

A whole bunch of parts kits are on the floor. On my first visit, they gave me a pair of gloves and invited me to dig through their parts. I spent over an hour talking and fiddling, and no one ever made me feel like I wasn't welcome even though I consciously knew that I was taking up more time than I needed. I wanted to see if they'd belittle my tire-kicking. They didn't. I put that bore light down at least ten or twelve barrels and an older white gentleman who works the counter (the only one who didn't seem to know all that much about guns) even offered to help me hold the upper.

I asked Lily how much the SIGs were. She told me the price (average for CA) and suggested that if I wanted to save some money it might be better to buy it online and have them transfer it for $30 (a very fair price for CA).

I bought an IMBEL kit for 149$, in about 85% condition.

When I next returned, I wanted to look at their complete rifles. I was offered an IMBEL FAL 21" on a TYPE 3 (blocky) EAI receiver, 922R compliant (frankly, whether they are "real" or not matters to me - as long as I have proof that I believe I bought 922R parts it's not my problem), muzzle break or flash hider, CA-legal (magazine release replaced with fixed one), for $799. An STG-58 on a Type 1 EAI is $1100, 18.5" barrel.

I met another gentleman, whose name I did not remember to ask. He seemed to be fairly knowledgeable but not as knowledgeable or as crisp as Lily. He and I did get into a good conversation about the CZ-52. Somewhere in there I mentioned I was 03 FFL and suggested they build Suomis and PPSH-41s. They said they'd look into that. Lily also showed me some 1911s that they are building. The look serviceable but rather rough on the edges, definitely not Kimber. The price is probably however much lower. Think that Phillipines company (Rock Island?).

I bought an IMBEL CAL-FAL for $799, $895 OTD. I was assured that the gun would be accurate enough, and that I should be able to get 2 MOA or less. That is acceptable for me in a gun that cost less than $900 OTD.

...

Ultimately, I believe that Entreprise is a small company (as arms manufacturers go) that makes a good product. Not an excellent product, a good product. I believe that Lily at least is forthcoming and good to do business with; time will tell if I can say the same of the others.

When I next visit, I will ask them in person what their stand is on this whole Mike Meyer fiasco. I have seen this kind of thing happen MANY times (the last one I can think of is a certain knife company whose OTF switchblades were all the rage until he stuck a certain appendage in his mouth...) and I hope that EAI disavows, apologies without reservation, and promises to produce excellent product and customer care in the future.

When I pick up my rifle I will post an in-depth review with pictures. I am an amatuer gunsmith and will welcome any real gunsmith's questions as long as he/she gives me instructions on how to find the answers.

....

Final note. I have noticed through many years of teaching at both college and high schools that people are incredibly, intrinsically sensitive to challenges to their ability to speak, mainly because a person's difficulty to communicate fluenty is often unfairly seen as an indicator of their ability to be human.

I urge all to be equally sensitive when making direct or oblique comparisons between language fluency and any other capability.

 

[Bwana John]

Let us know how it works, and how well it shoots. Thats all I really care about. Good luck getting one that shoots 2MOA.

$100 to drill out a mag catch, thread the hole, and install a stopscrew seems like a lot, there was a guy on the FALFiles that sold them for $20. I would suggest a "real" stripper clip dustcover from Belgium or Canada, they work MUCH better than the TAPCO or DSA aftermarket ones.

Somewhere in there I mentioned I was 03 FFL

I believe that allows you to buy direct from DSA at wholesale prices.

 

[migz808]

FAL

Silverlance,

I'm thinking of getting one(CAL FAL) from Entrprise myself and can't wait to hear how yours goes.

---

Bwana John,

Which stripper cover manufacturer are you talking about that is made in Canada or Belgium?

Thanks,

Mike

 

[Bwana John]

Which stripper cover manufacturer are you talking about that is made in Canada or Belgium?

FN or whoever suppyed the Canadian Army. The point being get a real one, not an aftermarket.
PS The reciever needs to be machined to accept the "ears" on the real ones.

 

[longhorngunman]

They seem to be OK. They have their standard rifle on sale right now for $700 which is by far the cheapest complete FAL's I'm seeing right now. Century is out of them. From what I understand the Enterprise recievers are cast not forged. Probably no big deal, but .308 is a high pressure round.

 

[migz808]

ENTREPRISE

Silverlance,

Any update on your Entreprise FAL? Have you shot it yet?

-M

 

[silverlance]

Entreprise CA-FAL

Well I am picking it up on Saturday morning, right before the big meet-up at Burro Canyon.

I haven't heard of an Entreprise receiver failing under pressure. I have however heard of bad kabooms with Hesse, Vulcan, and Century receivers. It seems that the vast majority of complaints with regard to Entreprise have to do with the comments a self-purported agent of that company made on FalFiles (he really stuck his head in his rear).

I'll post pics and let you all judge me later =)