Century R1A1 weight reduction question

[dsol]

I have been a lurker here for a while, but do not know enough about FALs to speak intelligently. Registered here to read and learn, but one of these days, I am going to have to get side by side with someone actually working on one to really learn what everything is.

Anyway, I am the (not so) proud owner of a Century FrankenFAL R1A1 with the damn unibrow feed ramp. A little tinkering here and there with info from posts here and I got it to feed reliably. Now I am on a quest to reduce the weight of the sucker. Both it and its owner are going on diets... it will take me longer to lose my weight and I feel the need for a project. I picked the wrong election to be broke, so I am making due with what I can.

Side by side with my SKS, it is only a couple of inches longer and less than a pound heavier, but it feels so much more unwieldly. I am going to take the barrel down to 17 or 18 inches but am wondering if an aluminum lower might be the ticket. I have read the "ounces count" thread over and over, but to say again, I do not know the terminology as well as I should. I do not know what will fit and what will not. I know the angry beavers tossed all kinds of parts together to make these things. This one takes Inch magazines, but if all the parts are really Inch or if there are Metric ones in the mix is a mystery. I just do not know enough to tell them apart. I have a few metric alloy magazines, going to get some more and replace most of my steel ones. I have four Inch pattern magazines, anyone want to trade alloy ones for them?

I have searched a lot, but my ignorance is keeping me from doing anything too drastic until I can get an educated opinion. I am open to ideas, suggestions, comments, insults, snide remarks, and questions regarding my judgement.

[tac-40]

Before shaving weight, take a look at the ergonomics of your rifle and how does it fit you. I am a big fella and I have to add a couple of inches to the stock to get a FAL to feel right. Doesn't change the weight much but it really does make it feel good to me. So check your stock and figure out what length would be right for you. This might be your only problem instead of the weight issue.

And don't be disappointed in owning a Century. If you have one that shoots then you have a good one. Centuriy ran hot or cold with no warm in between. You either had a good one or one you wanted to throw out the window. I have one and it is the most reliable FAL I own. Ain't very accurate but it eats anything and spits it out. Several others on the Files have Centuries that will make anyone envious on how they shoot.

[ce]

I'll trade you alloy mags for your inch patterns.

PM for my address.

Prolly the only way to lose weight is with a Hampton lower from DSA.

[dsol]

Originally posted by ce
I'll trade you alloy mags for your inch patterns.

PM for my address.

Prolly the only way to lose weight is with a Hampton lower from DSA.

What do alloy lowers run now? I am cash poor, but have late 1990's Lake City 147 grain 308 for possible trade.

[dsol]

Originally posted by tac-40
Before shaving weight, take a look at the ergonomics of your rifle and how does it fit you. I am a big fella and I have to add a couple of inches to the stock to get a FAL to feel right. Doesn't change the weight much but it really does make it feel good to me. So check your stock and figure out what length would be right for you. This might be your only problem instead of the weight issue.

Fit is actually very good. I am 6'-0" and it shoulders naturally. I am experiencing a few minor heart problems and cannot walk a couple flights of stairs without getting winded. Working on that, but it is a slow process. In the mean time, I am putting myself and the rifle on a diet. I was going to trade it off with my ammo stash for a good AK and equal amount of ammo with some cash leftover to invest in beans and band aids, but have since changed my mind. I think I am going to use some of my ammo stash as trading material for an alloy lower if there is one to be found and the owner looking for good Lake City ammo.

[tac-40]

You might want to think para then. That really shaves the weight off. Plus the shorter barrel really makes for a handy rifle. Still heavier than an AR though.

[dsol]

Originally posted by tac-40
You might want to think para then. That really shaves the weight off. Plus the shorter barrel really makes for a handy rifle. Still heavier than an AR though.

Pretty much what I want to do as inexpensivly as possible. No folding stock, but short barrel, lightweight lower, and alloy mags go a long way. I know it won't be like an AR, but neither is the round it shoots either.

[dsol]

If I were to procure one of the DSA stripped aluminum lowers, how hard is it to change out? Any special tools needed? Will it fit okay on a Century R1A1? Any experienced builders out there willing to offer a little advice please, pretty please?

[Brush511]

Originally posted by dsol
If I were to procure one of the DSA stripped aluminum lowers, how hard is it to change out? Any special tools needed? Will it fit okay on a Century R1A1? Any experienced builders out there willing to offer a little advice please, pretty please?

If your Century lower is inch, you're going to run into problems. Quite a few of your "inch" lower parts won't fit the DSA alloy lowers, which are metric. The HTS, selector, pistol grip, and stock are different. You would have to replace them with metric parts and be sure to keep track of 922R parts.

[dsol]

Bummer! Is there such a thing as an "inch" alloy lower or some other form of lightweight lower?

[JasonB]

Just cut the barrel back to 18" and you will likely be amazed at the change in feel. Try it out first, but you will probably need to enlarge the gas port when you cut it off.

[dsol]

How can I tell exactly what type of lower I have currently? Since it is a Century and the AB's mixed and matched so many parts, I have no idea what it is. I do not know enough to tell them apart. It takes inch magazines, but that is the upper, nothing to really do with the lower. I keep seeing stuff like type II, type III, metric, inch and who knows what else and I could use some education.

[JasonB]

Originally posted by dsol
How can I tell exactly what type of lower I have currently? Since it is a Century and the AB's mixed and matched so many parts, I have no idea what it is. I do not know enough to tell them apart. It takes inch magazines, but that is the upper, nothing to really do with the lower. I keep seeing stuff like type II, type III, metric, inch and who knows what else and I could use some education.

There should be a serial number on the lower for one that will probably tell what it is.

A few questions that can help people to point you in a direction

On your front sight base, are the ears solid on the sides (indicating a metric type that would use a short rear sight) or do they have holes in them? If it has holes, is the front sight a round post (indicating a metric type open gas block that requires a tall rear sight) or is it a blade shape (indicating an inch type that also uses a tall rear sight)?

I am assuming it has a pistol grip? If the pistol grip has a piece similar to a popsicle stich running down the front of it then the lower is an inch/Commonwealth type lower. If the pistol grip is kind of a cone shape with a smooth front then the lower is a metric/Belgian pattern.

Does the rear sight aperture flip forward and down out of the way (indicating an inch type) or is it fixed(which indicates a metric)?

[English Mike]

One thing nobody has mentioned is the increase in perceived recoil that comes from removing weight - you may want to consider this before proceeding, or fit an effective muzzle brake to compensate.

[dsol]

Thanks JasonB, it is definately an inch lower then. It has the popsicle stick on the pistol grip. Rear sights folds down. Yep, jury is in and it says inch. Now I have to find a lightweight lower that will fit somehow. Sucks to be me.

[JasonB]

Originally posted by dsol
Thanks JasonB, it is definately an inch lower then. It has the popsicle stick on the pistol grip. Rear sights folds down. Yep, jury is in and it says inch. Now I have to find a lightweight lower that will fit somehow. Sucks to be me.

You have an Americanized L1A1, nothing at all wrong with that (other than the destruction of a perfectly good L1A1 body.) You also mentioned that you want to get in shape. See if you can get your hands on a copy of:

Australian Army Manual of Land Warfare

Part Two Infantry Training

Volume 4 Pamphlet No. 5 The Self-Loading Rifle, 7.62 mm L1A1
and
Automatic Rifle 7.62 mm L2A1 (All Corps)

Tapco used to sell reprints and someone here may have a PDF. It has an entire chapter on strengthening exercises using an L1A1/SLR as the workout equipment.

[farmer2010]

I HAve a cast/stamp ub 1959 lower on mine para site' pepel stock big safty i did not like it felt cheap, it was lighter tho. i put a complet RA lower on it made it heaver but the stock shoulders better i like the rail type peap site better than the flip para to, im at around 10lbs with no scope on a carbine r1a1 fal .thats not in wood, its fun to carry about 5 miles with 4, 30 round mags in the woods it's a real work out.