L1A1 Questions & Help.

3189 Views 15 Replies 6 Participants Last post by Olympicarmsfan, Apr 17, 2010

Olympicarmsfan

Discussion Starter · Mar 18, 2010

5

Hi everyone I'm kind of new to the FALs & L1A1 guns. I have always liked them and looked at them but never thought I would own one. I bought one today and its a very clean rifle.

I have a few questions on the gun. This is an L1A1 marked .308 Sporter from CAI. I know not a CAI but yes and it does run. This is both metric and inch.......I think. I do know it will take both mags and thats one of the big things that made me get it.

The questions I have is as follows.

The gun came with a thumb hole stock. I wanted to know where can I get the parts to change that out? I would like to add later on a pistol grip and a new stock.

I did find a place on the net called Enterprise Arms. They have kits of just the stock and grip that is US made. Tell me will this be 922r compliant? I'm not sure if I would have to change more things out if I bought these US made parts. If you know of other places that are better let me know.

Enterprise Arms

I dont have a problem with the stock thats on it as it feels good in my hands and in my shoulder but it may be something I like to change out later on.
If I wanted to change out the stock and grip I guess tell me what all and how many US made parts I need.

Does a flash hider count as one US made part?

Also what do I have to do to add a bipod to the gun?

The receiver is marked made by Imbel Brazil and assembled by CAI Canada. I dont know much about it and if this is a good thing or a bad thing. I know that CAI gets a lot of bad feed back but this is a gun that I know does run. I know I have to get use to the the gas adjustment with the ammo I shoot in it. That is something I look forward to learning when I get a chance to go out and shoot.

I will take all and any info you can give me on the rifle. Thanks everyone for the help and info.

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1 - 16 of 16 Posts

hcpookie

· #2 · Mar 18, 2010

Look here for US parts:

http://dsarms.com

Falcon Arms Replacement Springs FN FAL Fal Spring AK 1911 Recoil Magazine

moleman

· #3 · Mar 18, 2010

Thats an earlier build from the 90's as its on a metric imbel receiver. Go look on gunbroker what an Imbel receiver goes for now. unless they opened up the magwell for inch mags it will only take metric ones which are cheaper anyway. Your barrel does not look like it has the extra hump in front of the gas block to retain the bipod, but you could get a clamp on style bipod. For your parts count, you're going to have to figure out how many imported parts you have now and go from there.

Olympicarmsfan

Discussion Starter · #4 · Mar 18, 2010

moleman said:
Thats an earlier build from the 90's as its on a metric imbel receiver. Go look on gunbroker what an Imbel receiver goes for now. unless they opened up the magwell for inch mags it will only take metric ones which are cheaper anyway. Your barrel does not look like it has the extra hump in front of the gas block to retain the bipod, but you could get a clamp on style bipod. For your parts count, you're going to have to figure out how many imported parts you have now and go from there.

Thanks I was guessing it was an early ban built rifle. I wonder how I find out what parts are what?

I've been told with the barrel I have I need six more and if the forend is US made (they tought it was) then I would need four more.

Someone said the receivers where curved. Is this true?

moleman

· #5 · Mar 18, 2010

The ones I held back then were all inch except for the receiver. The receiver was modified a bit so the folding charging handle would work. I can't remember for sure if the magwell was opened up for the inch pattern mags or not. My gut feeling is no, but I've been wrong before. The forearms on them were also the originals, but the stock was obvously a US made part. The common things that are replaced to get a fal parts count up are the stocks and pistol grip, flash hider, hammer, trigger, sear, gas piston, mag followers and floorplates, and charging handles. I'd look at those parts so see where they were made.
A curved fal receiver is new to me :dunno:

Icarus

· #6 · Mar 18, 2010

check out gunpartsguy also, good people to deal with
now go build one and you will really like em

jimmy t

· #7 · Mar 19, 2010

I've had or almost had all military rifles, and the FAL is at the top of my list.
Get your compliant parts count on your rifle, You'll love it.

railbuggy

· #8 · Mar 19, 2010

3

:rockin:

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Olympicarmsfan

Discussion Starter · #9 · Mar 19, 2010

I just took the bolt out of the gun was messing around with it trying to figure out the cleaning and the inns and outs of it.

How do I get the forends off?

Great looking FALs there jimmyT and railbuggy. The forends on mine are US made. I was told the barrel means I only need 6 parts. This was an ARFcom member that told me that.

Do you guys know if thats true?

The handle I have to pick that back up from the original owner and it may be US made as I found some if not so thats another part.

Where is a good place to find a stock?

Will the metric stocks fit?

I dont know if I need to find an inch stock or if metric will work.

Keep the info coming and this is my first but I bet not my last FAL now. Yeah looking at it I might want to build one later lol.

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jimmy t

· #10 · Mar 19, 2010

Let me know what parts you need, I have new US parts and a few G1 kits.
Also have a set of custom wood in Black forest walnut, was made in USA.

moleman

· #11 · Mar 19, 2010

The pebble grain handguards look original to me and not USA made. The carry handle doesn't count towards the part count. The stocks you have now are inch style. I don't know about the buttstock or handguards, but the pistol grip is different between inch and metric. Try the sites Pookie gave you for replacement stocks. To remove the front handguards, just remove the screw that connects them at the front.

Olympicarmsfan

Discussion Starter · #12 · Mar 19, 2010

jimmy t said:
Let me know what parts you need, I have new US parts and a few G1 kits.
Also have a set of custom wood in Black forest walnut, was made in USA.

pm sent on the parts.

Will metric stocks fit my rifle?

Olympicarmsfan

Discussion Starter · #13 · Mar 19, 2010

moleman said:
The pebble grain handguards look original to me and not USA made. The carry handle doesn't count towards the part count. The stocks you have now are inch style. I don't know about the buttstock or handguards, but the pistol grip is different between inch and metric. Try the sites Pookie gave you for replacement stocks. To remove the front handguards, just remove the screw that connects them at the front.

Thank you for the info. I just posted as you where posting.

I saw a set of forends that look just like mine not sure where now for sale and it said US made by Century.

If this isnt US made I can find them US made for 14-20 bucks and I found an inch stock and pistol grip from DSA for $94.00 and from another place. I cant remember it off hand but it was a US made stock and pistol grip for $69.00.

Im still working and looking and learning.........

Olympicarmsfan

Discussion Starter · #14 · Mar 19, 2010

I got an email from CAI here is what it says.

The parts that we install in our firearms vary from make and model , and are considered proprietary information. We comply with all federal firearms regulations and ensure that all of our firearms are in compliance with Title 18 Chapter 44 para 922 (r), Para 925 (d)(3) and 27 CFR para 479.39 (c). We take special care to ensure that no more than 10 foreign parts listed in para 478.39(c) are installed in any firearm that we make from imported parts.

There are some under a misconception regarding the number of US parts required in a specific rifle. It is not the quantity of US parts that is restricted, but the number of imported parts that is restricted as outlined in par 478.39 (a) & (c).

Century does not divulge the parts lists, as we know the guns leave our factory in total compliance. Also, it is not possible to be exact, because it is the number of parts, not the specific parts themselves...so that is not kept noted for the hundreds of thousands of rifles we sell.

From my experience, the parts that are US have been receivers, triggers, hammers, pistol grips, stocks, sears...etc. But AGAIN, that does not mean we use the same formula for every rifle. Most US parts are signified with a "C".

Also… A US replacement part is not always marked, but should be bright finished and is threaded into the carrier. It is secured with a small weld where the holes for the cross pin would be set. The original part is secured with a cross pin through the threads to attach it to the carrier and will have a blued finish on the face of the head. Examination of the part should show the origin. If it is original, it can be easily replaced.

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Olympicarmsfan

Discussion Starter · #15 · Apr 11, 2010

I found a CAI stock set for the L1A1 that should be here this week. I did a trade for it and I cant wait to get it on the rifle and see how it looks and feels in its original form.

Olympicarmsfan

Discussion Starter · #16 · Apr 17, 2010

2

I got the stock in and now just have to take off the old one. Im a bit nervous to do this lol but will dive in just like I did my AR.

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