FAL advice!

[Click Click Boom]

I will be trolling the GUN SHOW Sunday and I have been looking for a "deal" on a FAL for several gun shows. What should I be looking for. Inch or Metric? What brand reciever on a parts gun? What are Imbel/SA Fals commanding?

HELP!!

 

[Ash]

Well, Imbel based FAL's are good and generally go for less than DSA and yet are possibly better receivers. Newer Century rifles are pretty decent, but avoid the older ones. If it is not a DSA or Imbel receiver, make certain it has the "Widows Peak" feed ramp and not a single, broad feed ramp oft called "Unibrow." Some of the newer inch FAL's are Australian-based and are actually pretty nice. The older "Sporter" models are generally Inch pattern and use some great British-made parts, generally on Imbel or Argentine receivers. DSA and Springfield will command the highest prices (not counting real FN-made ones). Entreprise often occupies a second-tier, along with nice "Gear Logo" Imbel receiver FAL's (especially those that are PAC imported without Century marks on them). Century models occupy the lower tier, with the Century R1A1's with Hesse receivers being the bottom of the barrel.

Ash

 

[Click Click Boom]

What are the going rate for basic DSA FALs or IMBEL based metric FALS?

 

[Ash]

DSA will run around a grand. I picked up my most recent Imbel for $400. Odds are you'll not find that kind of deal but it happens. Sporters, especially, go for that at times. Atlantic has Entreprise-based FAL's for $850, Imbel's for $900. I've found them in the $600 range recently. Gunbroker has them in that range (there is one buy-it-now for $700).

Ash

 

[Rosstradamus]

One thing to consider is that metric magazines are more common and cheaper than inch magazines.

The Falcon Arms trigger pull reduction kit (a set of replacement springs) is the best $15 you'll ever spend as far as FAL upgrades go.

 

[W.E.G.]

Wow.

There's a question for ya.

What gun-show FAL to buy?
Don't spend a lot for one. A FAL rarely shows up at a gun show without having a few issues.

A truly good one from a reputable vendor will not be cheap.

 

[Click Click Boom]

There is lots of FALs at the local gunshows around town. They range from cheap to overpriced.

I have a free gunsmith at my disposal. Im not that worried about a gunshow blunder.

There is a almost NIB DSA for sale at a local gun store for $1000 Asking. Its just a plain jane model.

 

[Atlantic Firearms]

Be carefull with the gun show FAL's if they are a garage shop build & you have problems your stuck . Most of the cheapies are built by Century and range $600- $700 bucks, they are a roll of the dice , some nice others fubar from the get go . You just want ot make sure that there is at least a 1 year warranty and some one to back it up !

 

[Grayrider]

Agreed. I hear a lot of people focus on the receiver brand and forget the overall build quality. Imbel receivers were fine, but were used as the basis for many a terrible build. Unless you know the rifle was built by a well known smith or is a factory Springfield Armory import, I would not touch it. The basic issue mentioned above is that at a gun show you simply cannot tell what has been dumped there to get rid of it. Given what many of the "cheap" FALs are going for these days, you could save a little more and get a factory DSA STG that you can count on.

John

 

[Atlantic Firearms]

Our least expensive build is based on the Imbel kit built by Entreprise arms on their rec, we have sold several with no problems and they are also backed up by a factory warranty . Some of the FAL builds that we have seen by Century and a few other garage builders have been pretty sketchy .

 

[silverlance]

EAI offers lifetime support for our rifles if built by us, regardless of whether it is a first, second, third, etc owner rifle.

 

[Click Click Boom]

"Atlantic Firearms

Our least expensive build is based on the Imbel kit built by Entreprise arms on their rec, we have sold several with no problems and they are also backed up by a factory warranty . Some of the FAL builds that we have seen by Century and a few other garage builders have been pretty sketchy . "


What are your DSA STG58STD Rifles going for? $1049.00 shipped? Do you have this model in stock?

 

[Ash]

This "dumped at a gunshow" problem is something I have never encountered. Just because it says Entreprise or DSA on it doesn't make it built by Entreprise or DSA as both companies have sold receivers without any reservation as to whom they were selling them to. And even if it says Azex on the receiver, you cannot be certain Azex actually built this FAL or not - or ARS, or anybody. The same MUST be said of AK's or M14's. Who knows who built it once it makes it to the secondary market, right?

Indeed, there is no guarantee unless you buy from one of the two dealers actively posting in this thread. I do not mean to imply dark motives in this thread, but I would not be worried about an FAL or AK or M1a/M14 if I could hold it in my hands and inspect it, look at the locking shoulders, etc.

Or, was I a fool to buy an Imbel FAL built with STG-58 parts because it was on a table at a gunshow? I only paid $400 for it, which the receiver alone was worth that price. Even at higher prices, the advice here would be to never buy an FAL, whether on Gunbroker or the gunshow, but rather only from one of the several distributors who would offer a warranty. That is overly cautious.

Ash

 

[Click Click Boom]

There were a few FALs floating around. But I didn't bite on any of them. I just wont buy a CAI rifle unless I can return it when it doesn't work. There was one DSA Carbine but it was really used and abused. I'll look next week unless Atlantic has them in stock and around $1K

 

[TexasRifleman]

Short answer, though it might make some mad, is don't buy ANY gun show FAL.

Maybe a DSA if it was in nice shape but that's about it. As mentioned though DSA sells receivers by themselves so you really have no idea about the rest of the thing.

There are just too many things that can be wrong to risk it in my opinion.

 

[Ash]

The short answer, while it doesn't make mad, then, is to not buy any gunshow AK, FAL, M14 or any rifle potentially built by another guy, such as a Savage, VZ-58, either. It also means never to buy a used car, or a used drill, or for that matter anything that is not directly from the dealer, regardless of the product.

I disagree. The FAL isn't a CETME or HK-91. Problems with the build do not make the rifle DOA. If the components are fundamentally sound, such as a good receiver, a barrel that isn't shot-out, etc, then there is no big deal with them. I have never heard or read of FAL's being such a problem that you can never afford to buy them from anyone but a stocking dealer. That would fundamentally make their value on the secondary market very low. But, then, FAL's retain their value and have consistently risen in value, and that includes Century builds. And with Century builds, they are generally rock solid. The only problem with them has traditionally been the receiver. If it is not a Hesse or other uni-brow, if it is a Century built Imbel or Argentine, regardless of inch or metric, then they generally work great. I have done FAL's for 15 years now, and that is my experience.

I have never paid more than $800 for an FAL, and that was for an Israeli Heavy Barrel. Well, if you don't get one built by Springfield Armory, then you will never own one because Century never built any - they are all gunsmith builds. Heck, I even owned a Hesse-receiver Century R1a1 and it ran just fine.

Ash

 

[Atlantic Firearms]

Ash , We are not saying don't buy from a gun show but you may know the FAL line better than the average guy just starting to look for them , and can pick a Gem out of the junk .

 

[Pumpkinheaver]

I would find one that takes metric mags. I would avoid any century rifle with a "unibrow" feedramp.

www.falfiles.com

 

[Ash]

Yet most FAL's are not junk.

Ash