FAL for $449...

[asiparks]

So... I was thinking about building my first FAL, but then I happened upon one in a local gunstore, with a weaver dustcover, scope, mags and case for the princely sum of $449. Now this gunstore isn't run by fools, so of course the receiver is not an Imbel or DSA, but a Hesse, which I understand to be about the same as building a rifle on twigs and old cooking grease, but hey, what's the worse that can happen ??

No, really, what is the worse that can happen ?

The rifles been shot, so at least I know that it functions on some sort of basic level, the bolt cycles smoothly and it hand cyles rounds just fine. The trigger is very nice too, but that could just be that I'm used to standard AR triggers.

I'll post some pics later, as I'd like to ID some parts such as the folding cocking handle, hand guards and other upper and lower bits.

cheers

[renaissance_warrior]

Just buy it and laugh all the way to the bank.

[asiparks]

already did !! :biggrin:

I figured for that price I could afford to tinker with or replace parts as need be.

It is very ugly though, about 19 different shades of finish plus some camo for good measure... if only there were some kind of bake on spray finish available for a few bucks that I could do at home....;)

[icwells]

You can still afford to refinish it if you want to. Nice goin'! :fal:

[coltcollector]

Walmart BBQ Black Paint. Works fine. Cheap too.

[asiparks]

Hmm, never thought of the BBQ paint, that's a solid idea, cheers

some pics of the wee beastie:

http://homepage.mac.com/asiparks/.Pictures/1x4s/IMG_2835.jpg

http://homepage.mac.com/asiparks/.Pictures/1x4s/IMG_2836.jpg

http://homepage.mac.com/asiparks/.Pictures/1x4s/IMG_2838.jpg

as you can see, I need a rear sight, so any pointers would be great.

Here's the feedramps, widow's peak ? monobrow ? Unibrow ? Widows unicycle ? I have no idea, but it hand cycles with no problems


http://homepage.mac.com/asiparks/.Pictures/1x4s/IMG_2843.jpg

http://homepage.mac.com/asiparks/.Pictures/1x4s/IMG_2847.jpg

I've got a replacement picatinny standard dustcover and a fresh set of furniture on order. Off to the range this weekend to see how she groups. Or not.

[lew]

Better make sure those New Mexico critters don't lay their eyes upon that. Like flies on shit, I tell ya.

$449? I think I would have hurt myself or a bystander getting my wallet out that fast. Looks good.

[brunop]

I'm no expert on the topic, but I'm thinking that the reason no one is answering the uni-brow/widow's peak feed ramp question is that Century is known to have filed extensively on feedramps on some of their builds/assemblies. That receiver may have started out with a widow's peak, but those feedramps don't look like anything I've seen in the seven or so builds I've done. Of course, there are guys here that have done 70, and there are a couple of guys that may have done hundreds. They've seen a lot more than I have. Hopefully one of the about twenty or thirty guys on this site that could tell you something will look at this thread. Like I said before, if this thing shoots, you got a smokin' deal.

Peace.

[Adirondack1]

Originally posted by asiparks
already did !! :biggrin:

I figured for that price I could afford to tinker with or replace parts as need be.

It is very ugly though, about 19 different shades of finish plus some camo for good measure... if only there were some kind of bake on spray finish available for a few bucks that I could do at home....;)

Your furniture was painted by a board member here about 4-5 years ago, the pattern is Rhodesian.

Your handgards are either G1 or STG58 type if they're metal. If they're synthetic then they're cheapo TAPCO us compliance parts.

[indy_Muaddib]

heres a sight

http://www.dsarms.com/prodinfo.asp?number=106

or

http://www.dsarms.com/prodinfo.asp?number=106A

[chrsdwns]

Hey Dude -Ya got yourself a nice Stg -58 parts set built on a Hesse receiver. It's a great deal and Stg-58s are the best of the best parts you can get. Your gun was probably built by Century in the 1997 time frame.

The Hesse receiver works just fine once you get it running. The Hesses were tight which made them problematic to build on but the finished guns actually shot very well. The Steyer parts set is as high quality as a FAL gets and the parts were generally in almost new condition

The Hesse receivers are mutt ugly but they can be cosmetically reworked to look pretty nice. Thats a Mad Dog Rhodesian Cammo stock set that was very popular about 5 years ago- somebody spent some money there. It's a piece of FAL Files history.

I'd just take it and shoot it. With Hesses you have no qualms about treating a FAL the way it was designed to treated and shooting it a lot.

We have enough work of art safe queens running around these days that people are too worried about scratching the paint to actually use them.

If you haven't already figured it out - you scooped a pretty good deal, especially in todays market.

Even the B-Square scope mount is a decent cover. Put an EoTech (which may cost more than your gun) on it and your good to go.

[flatfender]

You might want to put a semi-auto select switch on it before you take it to the range.

http://www.dsarms.com/prodinfo.asp?number=US076B

Keeps the uninformed police from thinking it's a full-auto weapon since you can put the switch on "A".:rolleyes:

[asiparks]

Originally posted by flatfender
You might want to put a semi-auto select switch on it before you take it to the range.

Keeps the uninformed police from thinking it's a full-auto weapon since you can put the switch on "A".:rolleyes:

Won't that selector interfere with my bumpfiring it ??










:devil:

:angel:

Thanks for all the info and links guys, the gents of the Oregon forum have been very helpful too.

The camo is pretty buggered in some spots and, all due respect to Mad Dog, I can't say I like the look of it too much. Plain black with scratches is fine by me.

[ricochet]

Nope, the selector is just a selector. It interferes with fire and non fire only. Bump firing is selected by you, and your expertize of the trigger.
Actually the correct selector will save you from flipping it into a non-fire condition, one much worse than not being able to bump fire. Try flipping it beyond fire(to auto), it most likely will dis-able that rifle (it should). The selector enables the sear to do it's thing...
As far as a rear sight, any metric sight should work fine. I have boxes of them as do gunparts and other vendors. Maybe Jen, (the website owner) has them also.
Any standard scope will work on that rail, it is not a bad scope mount, weaver based.
I prefer the type D selector on ALL my FALs, that is a personal choice. I believe anyone, if you choose to offer fear to anyone. They SHOULD accept the fear
from any FAL regardless of the selector. AN FAL is worth less to me as a weapon in fully, semi is it's true value.

Put a metric sight on it, sight it in at 100, then 300-500 yards. Then choose either a scope or aim-point type device. It really needs to be capable of iron sights. My daughter loves shooting the 10" gongs at 300' with open sights. Something that is able with a full barrelled FAL rifle, should be able to do this at 500-600' if the range is available.




quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by flatfender
You might want to put a semi-auto select switch on it before you take it to the range.

Keeps the uninformed police from thinking it's a full-auto weapon since you can put the switch on "A".
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Won't that selector interfere with my bumpfiring it ??

[Mason]

Sheeit, I'd just leave it be. Throw it behind the bench seat of your truck, shoot that deer off your back porch, leave a loaded mag in it when you put it in the corner behind the door, I mean, if ya ain't got fingerin' chilluns runnin' about.

I'll look later if I got an extra rear sight laying around. I'll shoot you a PM if I do.

[asiparks]

Nope, the selector is just a selector. It interferes with fire and non fire only. Bump firing is selected by you, and your expertize of the trigger.
ha , sorry I guess i should have put a smily face on my comment... was joking about the Keeps the uninformed police from thinking it's a full-auto weapon since you can put the switch on "A".
thing....
I 'm going to have to get a new picatinny standard top cover as all my mounts have indexing bars on the underside that are too big or spaced incompatably with the B Square thats on there now. I've ordered the DSA one.

[Silver Fox]

If you don't like the furniture set you may post an ad for sale and see if you have any takers.

My $.02 worth

SF-

[1stSSPZ]

I like the pot leaf on the pistol grip.

[owlcreekok]

I would shitcan the whole thing. The barrel is ruined. Some hack has *shudder* THROATED it.

:rofl:


Just kidding and trying to piss off a certain moderator.

Good snag, enjoy.