How hard would it be to build?

iansstud · 10-05-2009, 08:09 PM

here is what I'm thinking, I have been pricing M1a Socoms for the last month and have not found any great deals, I sold my AR-15 because I got tired of jams, DoubleFires, dirty internals after just a few rounds, and mostly because everyone has one. I want to get a rifle like the one below, but dont want to pay $2500 for it, Whats the lowest I could build one for? Is this a good Idea, or should I keep looking at the M1a Socom 16's?

**pirate56** · 10-05-2009, 09:05 PM

fal's are expensive to build , if you want a good one. besides the cost of a good kit, it will run you about $400.00 for a dsa receiver and about another $400.00 for the dsa para conversion set. a dsa fcg is about 70.00 then if you want the bbl cut that is extra. add on all the goow gaws and it adds up fast.

personally I think it is a crime against humanity to add all the stuff, to me a fal is the greatest rifle ever built and is perfect as is. I have 5 rifles and a pistol, my favorite is a 16" stg58 with a para stock and izzy handguards I built.

iansstud · 10-05-2009, 09:54 PM

That 16" para sounds cool, do you have any pics?

Could I buy a cheap rifle on GB for $5-600 then chop it down to 16" and convert to a para stock?

wjkuleck · 10-05-2009, 09:54 PM

If building an M14-type rifle is of interest, acquire a copy of The M14 Complete Assembly Guide. Therein you will find all you need to know to get to here:

or here:

...from a receiver.

Regards,

Walt

iansstud · 10-06-2009, 06:20 PM

I actually checked out a Troy stock for the M1a Socom... I did Not care for it. I Think I will go for a Fal Para with a 16" barrel or a M1a Socom or Scout. I guess what ever I Find 1st.

My Intensions are to keep it at $1000-$1500. My Dream gun would be the one I posted in the OP with out the grip/light and add a 3x magnifier and have a 16" barrel vs the 13". I dont care if its a DSA upper/lower but that would be nice.

**hcpookie** · 10-07-2009, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pirate56

fal's are expensive to build , if you want a good one. besides the cost of a good kit, it will run you about $400.00 for a dsa receiver and about another $400.00 for the dsa para conversion set. a dsa fcg is about 70.00 then if you want the bbl cut that is extra. add on all the goow gaws and it adds up fast.

personally I think it is a crime against humanity to add all the stuff, to me a fal is the greatest rifle ever built and is perfect as is. I have 5 rifles and a pistol, my favorite is a 16" stg58 with a para stock and izzy handguards I built.

They do indeed add up fast, especially considering Para builds. I personally don't like the short 16" barrel on a FAL, as it originally came with a longer barrel and the Para is only slightly shorter.

Another way to go about it, minus a parts kit, is to build the rifle from different assemblies. Front end assembly = $500 @ DSA. Complete para lower stock assemblies from either DSA or Falcon = $450-500. "Complete" as in all the parts to function. Receivers aren't cheap. If you ever get a Coonan receiver that's what? $300? Then the receiver internals (charging handle, ejector, etc. etc.). That's where a parts kit comes in handy. So at a bare minimum you would be putting about $1400 into a para build buying the ready-to-go assemblies. It would be all US parts, so it wouldn't hurt your parts count any if you did use some parts from a kit build.

And then you get to assemble it all together!

sgt ron · 10-07-2009, 03:31 PM

i have been working on these for months, just need to dig them out and finish them up some day. i guess i like them kind of plain. the top one is 16-1/2" barrel and the bottom has a 17-1/2" barrel.

the weight that is added when you start adding attachments kind of defeats the purpose. IMHO.

i started gathering parts for these several years ago ( piece here and piece there ) and finally have enough to finish them.
i got moses to cut my barrels for me.

iansstud · 10-07-2009, 04:19 PM

Im bidding on a couple on GB right now, who is this moses guy and how do I get ahold of him? I would like a 18" cut down to a 16" barrel, threaded and crowned.

Will the Para extreme duty scope mount work WITHOUT the para stock (cant afford everything at once)??

can I cut a regular stock off, and weld a para stock on? or are there springs in the butstock on a NON-Para?

sgt ron · 10-07-2009, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iansstud

Im bidding on a couple on GB right now, who is this moses guy and how do I get ahold of him? I would like a 18" cut down to a 16" barrel, threaded and crowned.

Will the Para extreme duty scope mount work WITHOUT the para stock (cant afford everything at once)??

can I cut a regular stock off, and weld a para stock on? or are there springs in the butstock on a NON-Para?

for me i would keep the 18", i have both the 17-1/2" and the 16-1/2". the 17-1/2" took much less work to get it running right.

moses is on the "THE FAL FILES FORUM"

it is much easier to find a para stock already made and use it that to build/modify a lower.

i would start with a regular stock first. you can always go to a para later.

this is my 17-1/2" and it shoots the best of the shorter barreled fals i have.

i know there are a lot of choices to make, maybe you will end up with sample one of each kind. everyone has there own ideal of what they like. just go for it. the thing about a fal is if you don't like the way it looks you can unscrew, unbolt, or what ever to change it to look like something else.

good luck and have fun with it.

ron

**pirate56** · 10-07-2009, 07:25 PM

this is my para fal, started with an stg58 kit, dsa para kit. I cut & crowned the bbl to 16" and use a short stg type flash hider.