Hesse group buy build-up review

[Caspian]

Well, here goes. I picked up my receivers yesterday and sped home to begin my build. I'm saving one receiver for the G1 kit, so it's on the shelf. The other is going to be an R1 with STG barrel. I had an extra STG barrel with great rifling so i figured i'd use it on my R1. A bit of a frankenFAL, but hell, it's a parts gun.
The overall appearence of the receiver (stainless) was very good. no burrs, heavy machine marks, etc. Mags fit snugly, but not too tight. The hole for the BHO screw is centered (not like the earlier ones).
O.K., now for the build.
Screwing on the barrel went on smoooothly. i only had to file a hair from the barrel shoulder to get her to center up. I didn't have the problem that some mentioned of the barrel face contacting the receiver.
Cool, i'm thinking to myself. that was almost too easy, there has to be a catch. Now time to put in the mag catch/BHO. got 'em installed, now for the BHO screw. aww man, it's not going in. the hole was too small for the screw. i knew i'd run into some problem. i pulled out a 1/8" drill bit, cleaned up the hole and viola, perfect fit. if the biggest problem i have with a $129 receiver can be solved with a $.99 drill bit, then i definitely ain't complaining. o.k., now for the locking shoulder. i'm feverishly sifting through my bag of parts for my locking shoulder when the door opens and my wife says, "uhhh..honey, aren't you going to shower before we leave?". "Where are we going?" "The baseball game, we got tickets, remember?". "CRAP!!!"
.....to be continued when i get home from work.

[EMDII]

ROTFLMAO!

"Honey, I'm home!"
:eek:

[Caspian]

Crap!!! Now my locking shoulder is too small. no more progress reports until new locking shoulder is found. :mad: null

[ricochet]

I just helped a fellow fal-files member build a Stainless receivered Hesse FAL. Well partial build. Timing was a few degrees late, we peened the barrel slightly. It went together well. All internals fit pretty good, bolt open device had a slight drag, but ok. The rail for the cocking lever was very slightly deformed, but fixable. I was, mostly impressed. Locking shoulder size was large, we used the largest I had available, a .269, but really should have had a .271 to do it like I wanted.
Other than that, I sort of liked it :eek:
It went together pretty well, and I would buy one, if the price was right. Overall, I was impressed. Not perfect, but not bad :cool:

[skfullgun]

Regarding the stainless Hesse build: the rail for the cocking lever had a slight "burr" at the front that kept the lever from entering the slot. It almost looked as if it had been hit on the corner or maybe dropped. I put a sanding disk in the dremel and it took all of 15 seconds for the "problem" to be fixed. The rail went right in after that. When I got home from Ricochet's house I put the assembled barrel and receiver on the assembled lower from another FAL. So far so good. I still have parts here and there that I haven't assembled since I still have to apply the finish...then I will complete the build. Thanks to Ricochet for all the help...couldn't have done it without his help. Looks like hesse has the bugs worked out. I'll let you know how the rest of the build goes.

[Odd Gibbs Shooter]

I only had a few small problems with my 4140 Hesse receiver !! It timed almost perfect and took just a few strokes with the file on the barrel shoulder to get it perfect ..
Mag well was a little tight but It had a few burrs way up in there . Fit fine after filing.
I was thinking it was going way to smooth , from what I have heard . Then came the locking shoulder . I didnt have gauge pins at home so I just tried the .262 that came with the kit .
This is where it went bad . I put the locking shoulder in , put the bolt in the carrier . Slid the bolt up and ARGhhhhhhhhg DOH . It hangs up about a 1/2 from lockup (TIGHT REAL TIGHT)!!! The carrier is rubbing on the guide rail on the left side . I had to remove about .030 of EXTRA material with the dremel . Grind a little , test fit , grind a little test fit , then finish it off with a file. The tight spot was about 2 inches long . It took me about 1 hour to make it fit properly .
I then lapped it all in with fine lapping compound to get rid of the parkerized gritty feeling it had.
It did headspace perfectly with the .262 locking shoulder.
I test fired it this evening and it cycled fine .
I am happy with the Hesse receiver .
It did have quit a few burrs on it . And the problem with the rail was not to bad . I just have to remember that it was a $129 receiver ...

OGS
:rolleyes:

[skfullgun]

Sounds like Hesse has gotten rid of most of his gremlins. Good. We need to support our U.S. manufacturers so that our supply of parts is assured. Hesse has been raked through the coals plenty of times here on the board. It's time that we give Robert credit for his improvements. I just hope the regular blued version has had an equal improvement in quality.

[W.E.G.]

If y'all keep this up, you're gonna force me to buy a "new and improved" (yeah right!) Hesse just to see if its true.

[hsp223]

Sounds like Hesse has gotten rid of most of his gremlins. . Well not quite. I got a receiver from the group buy and it is probably the most out of spec one to be sold. However, I am still pleased with it and have just barreled it. Most of the problems with Hesse receivers I think are the burrs leftover from the casting. A little stoneing takes care of that.