Para field strip?

[deltaheavy]

Did a search here and on Google, but turned up empty. Can anyone provide a link to a manual or photos showing how to field-strip a Para FAL? I'm assuming it's different than a conventionally-stocked rifle (recoil spring is contained in the upper receiver, right?)

[Mosin Guy]

You basicly field strip a Para Fal the same as a regular fal,But your recoil springs and center spring guide are contained in your PARA Top Cover assembly, if you have the Para Top Cover With the nose you slide out your top cover assembly as one unit,then turn it upside down and remove your bolt and carrier from the top cover and take out your three recoil springs and center spring support,your done

[101ABN327]

Originally posted by Mosin Guy
You basicly field strip a Para Fal the same as a regular fal,But your recoil springs and center spring guide are contained in your PARA Top Cover assembly, if you have the Para Top Cover With the nose you slide out your top cover assembly as one unit,then turn it upside down and remove your bolt and carrier from the top cover and take out your three recoil springs and center spring support,your done

Correct. On the Para variant, you break the upper and lower open and the slide/breech block group come off as a unit with the breech cover. On the "nosed" cover types the slide will rest against the "nose" under spring tension, so be careful.

[deltaheavy]

Thanks! I'm used to a conventional stock field strip, but my Para won't be in for several weeks (months?). Didn't want to be completely lost the first time I break it open. My biggest concern was launching something when I hinged the action open. Are the recoil springs fairly well-contained in the top cover, or are they going to "sproing" out when I slide the top cover back?

ETA: I'm assuming this will have a nose on the top cover, as it's a factory (DSA) carbine...

[cbracker]

I have a DSA Para FAL, and here's the basic steps to field strip:

1) Make sure the weapon is unloaded, magazine removed, etc. Too many people have been shot by "unloaded" weapons.

2) Cock the FAL by pulling the charging handle to the rear and release (you should have done this to check the chamber is empty). Unlike a lot of modern firearms, the FAL is stripped cocked.

3) Look on the back left hand side of the receiver, just in front of the sling mount. There is a lever that you push backwards. The rifle should "shotgun" - the upper receiver rotates forward and down on the pin right in front of the trigger guard. If the upper receiver does not release from the lower, then probably the sling mount ring is folded forwards - rotate it backwards to get out of the way of the lever and try again. It should take very light pressure to shotgun the rifle with the lever pushed.

4) Look in the back of the upper receiver (you are actually looking inside the rifle now that it is shotgunned). Inside, at the top of the receiver, is a circular assembly with what looks like a tab on the top (this is the back of the spring retaining rod). Push the whole assembly with your thumb in about a quarter inch - you will feel it stop. It should not take more than 5-10 pounds of pressure - if you're straining, stop - something is wrong. Once it is pushed in the quarter inch, push the back of the circular assembly down (toward where the grip of the rifle would be). It will come out of the upper receiver and the spring will attempt to push it back. Control the tendency of the assembly to fly out of the rifle and remove.

5) The only tricky part of the bolt carrier removal is that the bolt will occasionally slide downwards as the carrier is removed and bind the whole assembly inside the upper receiver. To avoid this, turn the rifle upside down, with the grip and magazine well pointed straight up. Now lift the muzzle a couple of inches and the bolt carrier assembly should slide out the back of the upper receiver.

6) Look right in front of the trigger guard and you will see a circular pin (that the rifle rotated around when 'shotgunning'). On one side is a slot - unscrew this with either a base of a cartridge or a straight bladed screwdriver. Once you remove the slotted end of the pin, the other can be pushed out with a cartridge or a cleaning rod (carefully - don't screw up the threads). The upper and lower receivers will separate.

7) A further breakdown of the upper can be done by loosening the 10 screws (4 on the right, 6 on the left) of the top cover and sliding it off to the rear. You can also remove the handguards - mine remove with an allen wrench, but it probably varies with each style.

8) Return to the bolt carrier. The bolt can be removed from the carrier by pushing in the back of the firing pin (which protrudes through the bolt carrier on the back of it) about an eighth of an inch - it should be about the same amount of pressure as the spring retaining rod took. The front of the bolt then should be able to rotate downwards and out of the carrier.

9) To remove the firing pin remove the retaining pin on the back of the bolt - it slides out either to the right or left (can't remember offhand). The firing pin may need to be pushed in lightly to take pressure off of the pin when removing. Once the pin is out, the firing pin and spring are pulled out the back of the bolt.


Reverse these steps to reassemble. The main thing is it does not take a lot of force for any of these steps - just take it slow and easy.

[W.E.G.]

Watch out for that little tube dingus that joins the inner recoil springs.

Easy to damage it. Easy to lose it.

http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd7/rkba2da/FAL%20parts%20pics/pararecoilspringguidetube-hydrotx.jpg

[Mick]

Are there 2 different types of PARA setups?
The reason that I ask is that unit I have from DSA has the recoil rod fixed to the dust cover. The "circular" assembly is welded to the steel dust cover.
As others have posted, to field strip, the whole unit comes out of the receiver and the bolt/carrier are released from the front of the dust cover.
The unit I have, BTW, is for a non-para cut receiver. It has a short nose that the bolt carrier rests against....

Mick

Originally posted by cbracker
4) Look in the back of the upper receiver (you are actually looking inside the rifle now that it is shotgunned). Inside, at the top of the receiver, is a circular assembly with what looks like a tab on the top (this is the back of the spring retaining rod). Push the whole assembly with your thumb in about a quarter inch - you will feel it stop. It should not take more than 5-10 pounds of pressure - if you're straining, stop - something is wrong. Once it is pushed in the quarter inch, push the back of the circular assembly down (toward where the grip of the rifle would be). It will come out of the upper receiver and the spring will attempt to push it back. Control the tendency of the assembly to fly out of the rifle and remove.
[/B]

[SIG552]

Originally posted by Mick
Are there 2 different types of PARA setups?
The reason that I ask is that unit I have from DSA has the recoil rod fixed to the dust cover. The "circular" assembly is welded to the steel dust cover.



Yes. The original para top covers had the guide rod permanently attached the the inside of the tc.

[Mick]

So, when did they start making the type with the removeable guide rod?
Is one better than the other?

Mick

[SIG552]

Originally posted by Mick
So, when did they start making the type with the removeable guide rod?

Mick

"They" didn't. DSA and ARMS (and perhaps one or two other vendors) have made after market mounts that have detachable guide rods.

[deltaheavy]

Does DSA make both types? If so, which type would come on a top cover NOT intended for mounting optics (traditional top cover)?

[English Mike]

Originally posted by deltaheavy
Does DSA make both types? If so, which type would come on a top cover NOT intended for mounting optics (traditional top cover)?

That's the fixed type - only the railed covers have the removable guide rod (& they break - AMHIK:( )