Gunco Forums banner

Century FAL 70% casting value ??

7K views 37 replies 20 participants last post by  1646Buff1 
#1 ·
Long story short, I ended up with two of these and I don't have the tools to finish them. What's a current ball park value of them so I can try to sell them?
 
#4 ·
Yes, that's one of the reasons more haven't become completed. Not only does the machining take some time and skill, the bolt locks up at the rear, so the front part of the receiver (essentially the magwell area) is taking all the stresses from firing. Too soft and it can stretch, opening up headspace. Too brittle and it can shatter, which would be a major oopsie.
 
#5 ·
value

I saw one the other day for over $100 on sturm, $40-60 is probably right

having built one of these up with hand tools( see my post/threads here) I can say yes eventually you will need to heat treat it. I have a firm that heat treats receivers in the philly area so not a problem and if you do complete one, don't use military surplus but reloaded under power rounds for testing. yes without the drive and desire and skill (or bridgeport)these are difficult for the average assembler, for a builder ( not assembler) its time consumming.

I have just seen a suppose 8mm converation on weaponeer but the poster has not replied to any request so I think its a joke or wet dream.

I have a 8mm kurtz barrrel threaded for the fal receiver I built up I am looking for a gas block, this conversation will not require heat treatment. the mag will probably be a Mini 14 7.62 x 39mm (mini 30 mag) fitted. but the rifle still functions with 308 reloads

sprat
 
#14 ·
can be done by hand


this build is easy if you have the talent, desire , time and patience. I know I have done it. there a couple of folks who have done them by milling machine and they were not overly skilled they just had the desire

also all century receivers are 70% not 80% and they are all the same Tapco sold a 40% unmarked receiver these are much more difficult

been there and done that

sprat
 

Attachments

#13 ·
About a year ago I traded a Romy kit for one of these. That's when kits missing cleaning rods were $69.00. If someone would like to trade me a Romanian kit..........I have two Century castings available. Heh....Heh
Also be aware, The Century blanks are in various stages of completion. In other words they are not all the same. Some are quite a bit more complete than others.If you buy one..........Ask for a picture first.
 
#16 ·
charging handle

well for now I am just planning on tapping the rat tail rivet and putting handle on it ( no cover) or I will cut the charging handle on later

if I do I will drill ( drill press ) down the length and with a worn down cutting wheel from a dremel cut the track for the charger its just not on my priorty list, sort of like cutting the rails for a 1911 45 or a sig P-228/229

sprat
 
#19 ·
heat treatment

no I have not heat treated the reciever yet,
I recieved a e-mail from a fellow builder who did his own quoting him

he heated at 600-700 degree's for 2 1/2 hours and dropped it into oil and then cooked it again then put in brake fluid

another e-mail from a different guy I received said that his casting came with a tag from century stating it was heat treated already

I have only fired my receiver with reduced reloads oh about 50 rounds by now and no noticible affects. I don't know about HOT mg loads or military fodder

one thing though I have not seen pictures of other home built receivers except for mine so caution is the word. there are few true BUILDERS

sprat
 
#21 ·
there are some over at fal files. muttman

what's are over at Falfiles??

you mean pictures, the last pictures I saw were old and it was hard to tell if they were ffl receivers or true builds. I all honestly I stopped visiting that site due to the bullsh*t I went through by a loser assembler and regurgator of info who decided to deride my true build. I posted pic's there also, if there are new builds and there are, good luck to them! someone posted a 8mm FAL at weaponeer it looked like astandard 308 to me and he never backed up his build with a reply

if you mean true builders I would venture to say there are more true builders here, weaponeer, prexis homebuilder, roderus, IMHO FALFILES is assembler site, but thats my opinion.

I am not the first to build up a 70% fal receiver just the only one to post pic's of the start to finish process and to be the first to do it by hand with handtools and no milling machine ( unless a dremel is a milling machine)

In a vague way I believe you are taking shots at me by the questions or the way your asking the questions I could be wrong but future replies will tell the tale

sprat
 
#22 ·
sprat,
I did not try to call you out on this one. I just ment that there are other ideas out there, i.e. using the rivet hole for the charging handel that you posted here. I'm trying to use my fal reciver stub to make a x39 fal (have stub, rpk barrel, bolt and bolt carrier).your charging handel idea solves a lot of problem that I do not have the time for at this point in time. yes falfiles gives the how to build a fal, not make one. I like making guns and the ferther down this rode I go the more I have found the more I do not know. there is more than one way to skin a cat and if we can not shair ideas then were is the fun? muttman
 
#24 ·
7.62x39mm project

Muttman

I have a 8mm kurtz 7.92 x 33mm barrel made for the fal, its seems to work except for the mag. I am thinking of converting a Ruger 14 7.62 mag. I have not shot it yet, the case base is the same as is the 7.62x39mm

yep I thought I would remove the rivet for the rat tail and tap the hole and use a old nail punch as its checked and about the size that needs to be threaded

"Ambitious project"
Scott this is why we are builders and not assemblers


sprat
 
#25 ·
sprat
8mm kurtz, I thought that was not off the shelf ammo. reload yes but to high $$ for me, thats the reason for the x39 conversion for me.
I was thinking of using a 12 - 24 socket head with a sleve/knob (crappy copy of a sten) that would require a slot in the cover. with a slot for the handel and the eject port all on the same side that would make it too week and I was hopping to keep the handel on the Rt. side, I may rethink the cover issue. muttman
 
#27 ·
charging handle

Thanks Sharpshooter we need more guys like you on this site

Muttman

yes I also plan on putting the handle on the right side, for the cover I may use a aftermarket top cover they attach on the outside of the reciever and are thicker/sturdier

I have a couple hundred rounds of east german kurtz and I reload, but yes 7.62x39mm is probably the best

sprat
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top