M444 complete garbage

[GaryR]

Recently purchased a IMI M444 and to say I am disappointed is a severe understatement!
The gun was built with a "good" condition parts kit, that is to say well worn with no finish. Furniture is junk. Barrel is pitted! Bolt face is pitted! Every screw is buggered!
Sling swivels both bent, espescially the front. Although much to "Liberty Arms" credit the barrel IS indexed perfectly. Thanks IMI for the $800 receiver!
:mad:

[Bullet]

Unbelievable! Give them a call and see if they will correct everything. Its worth a try.

[lostone]

I havent dealt with them, so I dont know how they will try to help you out, all I can say is sorry to hear that the rifle was like that. I hope you can get it fixed.

[gunhead]

Seems to be the luck of the draw with these outfits.
I guess there is something to be said about seeing the Fal before buying but thats always the best deal!
I'd start "yodelin" fer sure :mad: And if they don't help you, Break IMI chops for they made the gun & should have never left thier front door in that shape!
I suspect that they build nice ones & junky ones. If you dont complain, they unloaded a junky one, If you complain, they will most likely take it back, give you another & send that one to another unsuspecting buyer until some buyer is happy with it or does'nt wanna bother sending it back :o
GL with it!

[Talyn]

IMI don't make the M444, IAI does. I've had nothing to complain about with my M444. My experiences of course.

Talyn

PS: Check out Dan's Sporting Goods. His M444's are fine.

[George]

Sorry about your problems.
IAI is very customer service oriented.
Give them a call, I am sure that they will fix it.
Another probem that you didnt mention is the dreaded "cheek slap"/

[FAL Hawaii]

I just ordered a new in box Imbel M-444. I'll try to let you know if it's worth while. I discussed with the company concerned the new in box reference and was assured it was an Imbel M-444 new in box and not a parts gun. We shall see. It's not nice to lie. Some people lie right back. :)

[ December 23, 2001: Message edited by: FAL Hawaii ]

[Gaspipe]

Originally posted by FAL Hawaii:
<STRONG>assured it was an Imbel M-444 new in box and not a parts gun. </STRONG>

They are all parts guns, no? Demilled Chilean rifles? Anyway, my M444 is just over a year old and the bolt, carrier and lower all had the same s/n. It must have been one heck of a nice rifle before they cut the receiver up.

Mine had a boogered gas system and a bad recoil tube, and it was cheaper to fix it myself than pay shipping to IAI. When I had a look at it, it had an out of round gas tube and the recoil tube nut was frozen into the recoil tube. Looked like when it was disassembled/demilled, they used a vicegrip to get the gas tube off. The recoil tube nut was just rusted to the tube and was unremoveable even with heat. In went a gas tube and a recoil tube/nut from another kit and it runs like a champ.

Since that time, I have added a couple more US parts so I can use any of my pile of 60+ mags legally. The M444 has a very nice zinc parkerized finish. Beautiful bore, too.

Last note, my rifle had a lot of blasting media in the butt and recoil tube. Many others didn't. I'd recommend breaking it down and cleaning it before shooting.

Have fun,

[Nachoman]

You might be able to get a real good trade on a Williams Arms Receiver build FAL. Most are fired very little. ;)

[FalDan]

For that kind of money, I would consider a DSA STG58. If I didn't know it was a parts gun I would swear mine was new. All matching numbers. On the other hand, my G1 kit from DSA came with a chamber that had pits the size of the Grand Canyon. It's all but trash.