How bad are Century FAL's, Any easy things to look for?

[trueblue1776]

As much as I hate CAI, funfaler has a good perspective.

It just sucks getting a "new" gun that may not come with working mags, and you may need to rebuild different components before you can safely shoot.

 

[bofe954]

I'll have to take a look at it and see if it is an Imbel or what.

I didn't even bother to have them take it off the wall because it was a CAI and I have heard all the complaining.

I posted because most of the complaints I have read are about Cetmes, not FAL's. Some of the posts in this thread seem to reference the Cetmes too.

I had looked into DSA's awhile ago and was pretty serious about getting one but no one stocks them here and it seemed like a $1250 price tag. For that coin I would probably just get a AR10.

$650 for a 308 black rifle here in the great white north is actually fairly cheap, but I'll have to see what they would really take.

 

[trueblue1776]

bofe, I paid less than $450 for my CAI FAL, that was two years ago, but still...

 

[funfaler]

The only two receivers that I would bother with are DSA and Imbel. Look closely where the barrel mates to the receiver, as well as any other contact points on the receiver, to see if it has been "modified" to fit.

NO Hesse!

The others have hit or miss quality.

 

[Ash]

Heh, I used to own a Century built on a Hesse receiver and believe it or not, it ran just fine! Not real accurate, though, and I sold it off. Would never buy a Hesse again, but I would have no problem with an Argentine receiver FAL.

Ash

 

[surfinUSA]

I've got one built on a hesse fal-h receiver it works great and is real accurate. My other FAL is built on a Century unibrow receiver it also worked great and is very accurate. The key with buying a Century assembled gun isn't the manufacturerr of the receiver, its having a dealer with a good return policy if you need it.

 

[Ian Sean]

Many of the Century FAL's were built on IMBEL recievers...check it...if it has an Imbel (It will say Imbel but may or may not have a gear logo)..the receiver alone is worth more than $400. If that is the case, even if it doesn't work it CAN be fixed no matter what is wrong with it and at $650 it is a steal.

Even on a Century receiver I would probably pick it up (depending on parts wear-especially the barrel), most parts are still plentiful and relatively cheap...FAL smiths and gurus are all over...even if it has problems it wouldn't cost much to fix.

Is there any way to hook up with a FAL guy near you that can go with you? Or get a quick education over a the FALFiles so you know what to look for.

Good luck and post what it is either way.

 

[Mot45acp]

One of the questions asked that I did not see answered: "How do I spot an Imbel receiver?"
I would like to know myself.
I am new to the .308 world.(graduating from my AR's) All I have is a SOCOM from a member here. (worth every penny thanks coinshooter)

All I know about the FAL world is I like the 4 aperature wheel sight and not the sliding one. I would like the G3 HK (I think thats the one) but the DSA seems like it has the most bang for buck ratio. They just turned me off with the price of their 9mm plastic cobray on the cover of every SGN ($1400)

(((I like perenthecies)))))))

 

[funfaler]

As stated above, Imbel receivers are marked "Imbel" somewhere on the side of the receiver. Some have a logo that looks like a Gear, some do not, but they are all Imbel that state so. Most will have an Importer stamping as well, to tell who imported it. This is not really important, just the "Imbel" stamping.

I don't know of any FAL receiver that is not marked by the manufacture. It is required by law that they be marked, so if you see one that is not, I would leave it lay

I acutally have a beat up old thumbhole Hesse FAL, with a pitted barrel (it was full of gunk when I bought it and it was my first FAL). I put some US parts on it, restored it to original configuration and it runs fine, and I can hit steel gongs out to 500 yards with it, 15 out of 20 shots, so it does OK. The Hesse receivers are just suspect, less value and are not worth trying to fix, if not operating properly. Barrel timing was a big issue with them, as I understand it. I really doubt you will find a Hesse anymore, but they could be floating around.

 

[AndyC]

Century-manufactured receiver:


Imbel receiver (with gear logo) - note that this example was imported by Century, not manufactured by them:

 

[Ian Sean]

funfaler,

The only two receivers that I would bother with are DSA and Imbel.

Dan Coonan (DC Industries) made one heck of a great FAL receiver, just not as many out there...My G-1 is on a Coonan.