Imbel fal

[clance]

Can anyone explain to me what the differences are between the IMBEL and the Stg 58 are? I'm thinking of getting a FN FAL again but I'm not sure of which one to get. I have heard of both as well as the L1A1, and in the 80s owned a Springfield SAR 48 Bush which I believe was a IMBEL manufactured gun. But I'm not that knowledgable on the FAL to understand the differences.

So am I wrong that the only differences is the place of manufacturing (Brazil vs. Belgium), that they are both metic pattern rifles able to interchange parts aas well as magazines or do I have it completely wrong?

In addition, those rifles that CAI built, where they used a IMBEL upper mated to a L1A1 (inch pattern) part kit. Is/was there any problem with them or do they bring the best of both worlds by providing a rifle with all the innovations of the L1A1 but able to use the more plentiful metric magazines???

 

[Robert]

Both are metric rifles and almost all of the parts are interchangeable. Imbel was the FN licensed factory in South America.

The big difference to be aware of is Metric or Inch pattern. Inch pattern rifles, L1A1, use different parts that may or may not work on a Metric rifle. I would stay away from CAI. I had a CAI L1A1, had. It was a terrible rifle built by drunken monkeys.

IF you can find an SAR 48 they are neat rifles, but that is a big if and they are not cheap. For the money it is hard to beat a DSA, and they make rifles in just about any configuration.

 

[Rio Laxas]

The Springfield imported SAR-48 is pre-ban (1989 import ban) FAL type rifle made by IMBEL with all IMBEL parts, and demands a premium in terms of cost because it does not have to be 922r compliant. Expect a standard SAR-48 to cost $2000 plus. The bush rifle and para variants run even more. The Springfield imported SAR-4800 is also a nice rifle and can be found for cheaper, but is subject to 922r should it modified from its importation configuration.

The StG 58 was made in Belgium and Austria and is considered one of the nicer FAL variants. Many of the DSA StG 58s that are produced currently are made from a mixture of parts from various countries (some have even been reported with inch / L1A1 parts in them). StG 58 builds with matching parts demand a bit of a premium, but not as much as an SAR-48. I paid $1300 for an all matching StG 58 parts kit built on a DSA receiver, but I have seen them go for cheaper.

If looking at CAI FALs, I would suggest sticking with early L1A1 sporters, especially those assembled in Canada. These were often nice inch parts kits built on IMBEL or FMAP recievers. Despite being made from an inch parts kit, the receiver is usually cut for metric magazines. They may still have a few quirks, but they are the best FALs CAI made. I would stay away from the others.

I suggest doing a bit of reading over at the FAL Files forum. While I do not presently own a DSA built FAL, I have handled them, read a lot about them, have plenty of their FAL parts, and I believe their quality has been slipping. I wouldn't hesitate to buy one of their older rifles built from an StG 58 parts kit, but I would not buy one of the current crop or an SA58. I recently had a FAL para built from a parts kit on a Coonan reciever by T. Mark Graham of Arizona Response Systems (gunplumber on FAL Files) and couldn't be happier. The attention to detail is very evident in his work.

 

[Robert Gaston]

I know a widow whose husband passed away she has an imbel fal with imbel-brazil
Hesse-St paul, MN FALH on the receiver not sure of the year it was made but it is 7.62 caliber not sure of 7.62 by ???? could be 51 or 54 I guess my question is what ammo does it use and what would be a reaasonable price to pay thanks

 

[TurtlePhish]

7.62x51mm NATO is what you're looking for.

Hesse is a name many shooters stay far away from. Just keep that in mind WRT price.

 

[animator]

I know a widow whose husband passed away she has an imbel fal with imbel-brazil
Hesse-St paul, MN FALH on the receiver not sure of the year it was made but it is 7.62 caliber not sure of 7.62 by ???? could be 51 or 54 I guess my question is what ammo does it use and what would be a reaasonable price to pay thanks

I'd offer about 250 for it as a parts kit, then cut up the receiver and build it on a DCI, DSA, Imbel, or any other reciever I could find...