Building up an L1A1

trencher · September 05, 2011, 09:21

Hello all,

I'm building up an L1A1 on an old IMBEL receiver imported loose by Century, and parts don't seem all that easy to find. Also, could someone point me toward US made parts, as I'll need a few. I'm putting original wood furniture on, so those won't be US made.

Thanks.

**Exit308** · September 05, 2011, 11:59

Welcome trencher, watch the Marketplace for parts or post a WTB (want to buy) with a list of what you need. Other sources of inch parts are:
SAFLithgow.com., Ernstarmory.com., Gunthings.com., Numrich.com., Apexgunparts.com, Thedealerwarehouse.com.,Sarco.com. Good luck and enjoy. Sorry, almost forgot DSA.

trencher · September 05, 2011, 18:57

I've bought plenty of stuff from Numrich in the past, for some reason I didn't think of them, thanks.

Are there any pitfalls to look out for in an L1A1 build?

**BUFF** · September 06, 2011, 05:48

No different pitfalls than metric rifles. If you haven't built one before, an excellent tutorial is available from Arizona Response Systems, the proprietor of which posts here as gunplumber. Check his website.

The major problem building an inch rifle is obtaining the necessary U.S.made parts. If your receiver is cut for metric magazines, floorplates and followers are easily available. Inch floorplates are out there but harder to locate.

Parts I have used on mine include h/t/s set, cocking handle assembly, gas piston, muzzle device and floorplates. If I wanted to use original furniture I usualy used U.S. made upper receivers. Posting a 'want to buy' ad in marketplace is a good way to find them; lots of folks have all kinds of things ratted away.

trencher · September 06, 2011, 07:07

So in order to make this rifle compliant with an IMBEL receiver, and original handguards,

I need a US made barrel, muzzle brake, trigger, hammer, sear, and magazine floorplate and follower.

Do I have that right?

**MAINER** · September 06, 2011, 07:32

That would do it, but I would use a US made Gas Piston and an origional 5-slot FlashHider.

You will need a total of 7 US made 922r compliant parts, IF you use an origional Flashhider. Most of us like the origionals. Doesn't seem like an L1A1 without it. Without the FH or by using a Muzzle brake, you drop to 6.

If your Imbel receiver uses Metric mags as mine does, US made mags should soon be available that will count for 3 compliance parts.

Gunthings sells Falcon HTS sets. Gas Pistons are also a compliant part, Gunthings and DSA have these.

www.saflithgow.com has US made barrels with a good reputation for accuracy.

**4markk** · September 06, 2011, 09:31

There are some VERY nice US Made wood furniture sets out there. Here is what I did with a similar situation as yours:

http://www.falfiles.com/forums/showt...hreadid=315420

Also, watch the MarketPlace for kits and other parts. I have an original finish BSA kit and an Enfield kit that I just refinished with US options going up this week (shameless plug I know, but I wanted to place it up there as an option).

trencher · September 06, 2011, 15:12

How do the Coonan receivers stack up? Is there any advantage to going with a US made receiver, or should I stick with the IMBEL I already have?

**MAINER** · September 06, 2011, 18:11

That Imbel was produced by a real honest to gosh FN licensed manufacturer of
FALs. Highly regarded receiver. The ONLY advantage of any US made receiver over the Imbel is as a 922r compliant part. If you don't build with it, I would recommend hanging on to it for a Metric riFAL.

The Imbel is wrong in that it is not the same configuration as an L1A1 receiver if that matters to you. The correct lightening cuts, both internal and external don't look the same as an Aussie or Brit.

To build an L1A1 as close to an origional as possible, you could use an Inch configuration DSA or Entreprise. Don't know if Coonan offers Inch config or not. If they do, I'd take one over the Entreprise.

Rumor is that DSA will offer British cut L1A1 receivers sometime this fall.

trencher · September 06, 2011, 20:55

Just for the parts compliance doesn't seem worth it, and I'm OK if it's only the receiver that's technically incorrect.

I would never buy a receiver from Entreprise, their reputation for quality isn't one.

dwood601 · September 07, 2011, 09:16

DSA's reputation seems to have taken a hit lately, but the inch upper I received from them earlier this year is flawless - I'm VERY happy with the results, so it might be worth the wait for you.

**def90** · September 07, 2011, 09:27

For 922r go with the HTS from Gunthings.com, barrel gas piston and charging handle from SAFLithgow.com and then just get magazine floorplates on Gunbroker. I would use an original flash hider which is not a muzzle brake. the Imbel imported by Century should have all of the required inch cuts for the folding charging handle and so on. I wouldn't count on DSA making any inch receivers in the foreseeable future, they had recently come out and blatantly said so.

trencher · September 07, 2011, 18:23

Yeah, it has all the L1A1 cuts, it's just a "type 3."

trencher · September 17, 2011, 11:03

Does anyone know why the DSA barrels are half the cost of the barrels at SAF Lithgow? Is the quality of the barrels that different?

September 05, 2011, 09:21	#1
trencher Registered FALaholic #: 64167 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: MA Posts: 26	Building up an L1A1 Hello all, I'm building up an L1A1 on an old IMBEL receiver imported loose by Century, and parts don't seem all that easy to find. Also, could someone point me toward US made parts, as I'll need a few. I'm putting original wood furniture on, so those won't be US made. Thanks.

September 06, 2011, 05:48	#4
BUFF Old Fart Silver Contributor FALaholic #: 789 Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Salt Lake City, Utah Posts: 7,141	No different pitfalls than metric rifles. If you haven't built one before, an excellent tutorial is available from Arizona Response Systems, the proprietor of which posts here as gunplumber. Check his website. The major problem building an inch rifle is obtaining the necessary U.S.made parts. If your receiver is cut for metric magazines, floorplates and followers are easily available. Inch floorplates are out there but harder to locate. Parts I have used on mine include h/t/s set, cocking handle assembly, gas piston, muzzle device and floorplates. If I wanted to use original furniture I usualy used U.S. made upper receivers. Posting a 'want to buy' ad in marketplace is a good way to find them; lots of folks have all kinds of things ratted away. __________________ BUFF

September 06, 2011, 07:32	#6
MAINER Old Fart Bronze Contributor FALaholic #: 18465 Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Maine Posts: 6,293	That would do it, but I would use a US made Gas Piston and an origional 5-slot FlashHider. You will need a total of 7 US made 922r compliant parts, IF you use an origional Flashhider. Most of us like the origionals. Doesn't seem like an L1A1 without it. Without the FH or by using a Muzzle brake, you drop to 6. If your Imbel receiver uses Metric mags as mine does, US made mags should soon be available that will count for 3 compliance parts. Gunthings sells Falcon HTS sets. Gas Pistons are also a compliant part, Gunthings and DSA have these. www.saflithgow.com has US made barrels with a good reputation for accuracy. __________________ Joe Biden for President.

September 06, 2011, 09:31	#7
4markk Military Observer Silver Contributor FALaholic #: 31134 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 2,281	There are some VERY nice US Made wood furniture sets out there. Here is what I did with a similar situation as yours: http://www.falfiles.com/forums/showt...hreadid=315420 Also, watch the MarketPlace for kits and other parts. I have an original finish BSA kit and an Enfield kit that I just refinished with US options going up this week (shameless plug I know, but I wanted to place it up there as an option). __________________ ` ` The difference between the possible and the impossible is only in the degree of a man's will. Chinese Proverb “The worst thing about growing old is that other men stop seeing you as dangerous.” Act Of Valor

September 06, 2011, 18:11	#9
MAINER Old Fart Bronze Contributor FALaholic #: 18465 Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Maine Posts: 6,293	That Imbel was produced by a real honest to gosh FN licensed manufacturer of FALs. Highly regarded receiver. The ONLY advantage of any US made receiver over the Imbel is as a 922r compliant part. If you don't build with it, I would recommend hanging on to it for a Metric riFAL. The Imbel is wrong in that it is not the same configuration as an L1A1 receiver if that matters to you. The correct lightening cuts, both internal and external don't look the same as an Aussie or Brit. To build an L1A1 as close to an origional as possible, you could use an Inch configuration DSA or Entreprise. Don't know if Coonan offers Inch config or not. If they do, I'd take one over the Entreprise. Rumor is that DSA will offer British cut L1A1 receivers sometime this fall. __________________ Joe Biden for President.

September 05, 2011, 11:59	#2
Exit308 Veteran Member Silver Contributor FALaholic #: 62143 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: OR Posts: 1,003	Welcome trencher, watch the Marketplace for parts or post a WTB (want to buy) with a list of what you need. Other sources of inch parts are: SAFLithgow.com., Ernstarmory.com., Gunthings.com., Numrich.com., Apexgunparts.com, Thedealerwarehouse.com.,Sarco.com. Good luck and enjoy. Sorry, almost forgot DSA.

September 05, 2011, 18:57	#3
trencher Registered FALaholic #: 64167 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: MA Posts: 26	I've bought plenty of stuff from Numrich in the past, for some reason I didn't think of them, thanks. Are there any pitfalls to look out for in an L1A1 build?

September 06, 2011, 07:07	#5
trencher Registered FALaholic #: 64167 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: MA Posts: 26	So in order to make this rifle compliant with an IMBEL receiver, and original handguards, I need a US made barrel, muzzle brake, trigger, hammer, sear, and magazine floorplate and follower. Do I have that right?

September 06, 2011, 15:12	#8
trencher Registered FALaholic #: 64167 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: MA Posts: 26	How do the Coonan receivers stack up? Is there any advantage to going with a US made receiver, or should I stick with the IMBEL I already have?

September 06, 2011, 20:55	#10
trencher Registered FALaholic #: 64167 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: MA Posts: 26	Just for the parts compliance doesn't seem worth it, and I'm OK if it's only the receiver that's technically incorrect. I would never buy a receiver from Entreprise, their reputation for quality isn't one.

September 07, 2011, 09:16	#11
dwood601 Registered FALaholic #: 62760 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Hinsdale, Illinois Posts: 112	DSA's reputation seems to have taken a hit lately, but the inch upper I received from them earlier this year is flawless - I'm VERY happy with the results, so it might be worth the wait for you.

September 07, 2011, 09:27	#12
def90 Old Fart Silver Contributor FALaholic #: 50609 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: The Peoples' Republic of Boulder, Colorado Posts: 8,863	For 922r go with the HTS from Gunthings.com, barrel gas piston and charging handle from SAFLithgow.com and then just get magazine floorplates on Gunbroker. I would use an original flash hider which is not a muzzle brake. the Imbel imported by Century should have all of the required inch cuts for the folding charging handle and so on. I wouldn't count on DSA making any inch receivers in the foreseeable future, they had recently come out and blatantly said so. __________________ There is no theory of evolution, just a list of creatures Chuck Norris allows to live. Public libraries cannot let the public decide what is allowed in the library, or it would be brimming with pornography and gun magazines.

September 07, 2011, 18:23	#13
trencher Registered FALaholic #: 64167 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: MA Posts: 26	Yeah, it has all the L1A1 cuts, it's just a "type 3."

September 17, 2011, 11:03	#14
trencher Registered FALaholic #: 64167 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: MA Posts: 26	Does anyone know why the DSA barrels are half the cost of the barrels at SAF Lithgow? Is the quality of the barrels that different?

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