Federal Arms Corportation ( FAC ) Receiver

[scout762]

I have been watching this forum off and on for a couple of months now and I have a question which I am sure has been asked before, but here goes: I have my StG parts and am ready to buy a receiver as soon as I sell a rather nice #5 Enfield I have had for 20 years (ouch). I know the Imbel receiver is well thought of. The Entreprise is good for a U.S. made, but I have heard little about the type 1 receivers advertised by Federal Arms (FAC) How good are they? Who makes them? What about the one w/o the ejector block? I know installing the ejector block could mar the finish and require a re-finish but are there other problems I could run into? I suppose it all depends on if the receiver is made to specs. Thanks for any advice.

[ September 10, 2001: Message edited by: gary.jeter ]

[Wadman]

Harlan of Federal Arms actually fielded that question a few weeks ago. The receivers are made for them by a contractor up in MN. Unfortunately, that's all I've heard. I don't recall anyone ever giving a review of one otherwise.

[Dirtfarmer]

Actually, I have seen quite a few (3,4?) people comment on the FAC receivers' that they received, ...'most all had an oversized hole for the locking shoulder, requiring an oversized locking shoulder for worn holes (O.D.).
Perhaps this has been corrected (mutatis mutandis-NOT!) but I have not seen any mea culpas" from Federal Arms regarding this, So caveat emptor.( Wow, three plebian Latin phrases in one run-on sentence...I'm hot today!)
Goodwill,
-Dirtfarmer

[Rule .308]

Hey Scout, If you have not found a home for that No. 5 then e-mail me and let me know what kind of shape it is in and what you want for it.

Rule .308

[Harlan at FAC]

On the hole for the locking shoulder:
Our designer thought he would do everyone a favor and spec a hole size slightly larger than what found on the IMBEL. His reason: the locking shoulder is installed at the factory with some kind of a press, and he thought a home builder could more easily install such part with a hammer and punch if the hole was larger. For most of the people who have built on our receiver, this has been okay. For a few, the hole was too big for the locking shoulder they had on hand.
After some input from customers, our designer changed the spec to a smaller hole. All current inventory should have the smaller hole.

[eodinert]

Yer' killing me with the latin.

[scout762]

Thanks, Harlan for your response on the receiver and the locking shoulder holes. No one has responded to the part of my question on the ejector block. Maybe no one has assembled a receiver w/o the ejector block and put in their own. I know the original StG58 block will leave a hole in the bottom of the receiver where the safety/auto sear would go but all that would do is accumulate crud. I don't think it would make a difference on the legality issue from what I have read. If anyone has installed their own ejector block, let me know how the project went.

[Bridog]

So let me get this straight since I need to obtain a receiver,,, The $150 FAC receiver comes with the ejector block installed? All the holes are the correct size now? I will not need to do any machiening to the thing to make it work with my STG58? Is it made from solid stock or from a forging or casting? What is the metal specification?
It sounds like it may be a good receiver to go with if the price is so much lower than the others.
Thanks, Bri.

[Harlan at FAC]

We sell several FAL receivers:

The one priced at $159 is made by Hesse Arms, is a type 3, has the metric characteristics, and comes with the ejector block installed. The part number is L1A122EB.

We sell IMBEL receivers for $219. These are type 3. We have the receiver with inch characteristics under part number L1A122INCH. We have the receiver with metric characteristics under part number L1A122. All IMBEL receivers have the ejector block installed.

We also have our own type 1 receiver. These have metric characteristics. They can be ordered with or without the ejector block installed, and with or without the carry handle cut. Here are the part numbers:
FAFAL1 - with ejector block installed, with carry handle cut, priced at $249,
FAFAL2 - with ejector block installed, no carry handle cut, priced at $249,
FAFAL3 - no ejector block installed or included, with carry handle cut, priced at $199,
FAFAL4 - no ejector block installed or included, not carry handle cut, priced at $199.

This post started with a question about the FAFAL series of receivers. My above post about hole size for the locking shoulder only applies to the FAFAL series of receivers.

[mg34ss]

So, Harlan, Do you really sell type 1 receivers ? I've had one on back order since November. I don't mean to frustrated, but I'm getting so....

[Bridog]

Good info Harlin, I always wondered about what they were, It seems fairly universla that the Hesse should be avoided.
My kit came with the original ejecter block, could I easily install it in your house brand receiver? And would it be legal?
Thanks, Bri.

[Hawk]

My brother got one of those FA type 1 receivers and is in the process of building, but when comparing to an Imble type 3 receiver it looks as good.

The FA type 1 (ejector block installed, carry handle cut) is very nicely finished, does not have an enlarged locking shoulder hole (looks just like Imbel shoulder hole), the barrel got tight at about 11 then wrenched to proper 12, it locked up nicely with the lower receiver catch. He has not headspaced yet (as far as I know) but said all the internals function and dry fire correctly. The FA type 1 receiver is absolutely, a perfect receiver (at least the one my brother got). Now, we will see how well it holds up compared to the other brands out there.

I too was very skeptical of FA's home grown receivers but after reviewing my brother's, I would definately get one. I have had more trouble with an Imbel.

Oh yeah, it took almost 3 mo. for my brother to get it (the FA type 1 receiver). And interestingly he told me that there were 2 other people ahead of his order cause his FFL kept calling him to tell him that his piece was in, only to then inform him that he made a mistake and it was for someone else. My brother thinks FA builds them per order (no on hand stock).

We know that there are at least 2 other FA type 1's out there let the forum know your experience with them too....Are they as good as his example or did my brother luck out and get the cadillac of FA type 1 receivers?

[yorick]

Bridog, you can install the original ejector block, I've done it myself.

As a matter of fact, the Hesse that I have came with a full auto style ejector block already installed.

According to the ATF the ejector block is not what makes a FAL a machine gun (for that you would also need the sear cut and sear)


see wayne bardwell's notes at:
http://www.cs.cmu.edu/afs/cs/user/wbardwel/public/nfalist/atf_letter84.txt

[W.E.G.]

moved to FAQ