Need an FAL guru

**EZ3** · July 15th, 2010, 05:10 PM

Took my FAL out to zero it after having a new locking shoulder and gas piston installed. It jammed (fail to feed) three times in twenty rounds. A box of Winchester white box 147 gr FMJ was all I took. The spent cases all had the FAL signature crushed neck, but also a dent in the case body opposite the crush, about halfway down. I don't remember that from the last time I had it out, years ago.

The FTF cases all are dimpled at the base of the shoulder, but at the time I didn't notice what part of the ramp or chamber they caught on. The problem occurred with both of the mags I took, and the only problem I've ever had before was failure to extract (hence the locking shoulder and piston).

Any guidance would be sincerely appreciated.

**gold cup abuser** · July 15th, 2010, 07:59 PM

Not really an FAL guru, but when you started shooting this ammo did you open the gas setting all the way and then round by round close the gas setting until it started functioning normally?

**LorDiego01** · July 15th, 2010, 09:52 PM

Definitely check the gas tube and make sure its clean.

Do you have the double, or single feed ramp?

Maybe it just doesn't like the ammo you were feeding it.

As far as denting the brass, I think that's normal. Or at least every .308 semi I've ever owned has done this.

**crlovel** · July 16th, 2010, 08:19 AM

Gas tube. And what LD said, I've yet to see a .308 semi battle rifle not be hell on brass. My FAL did, and my 91 does.

**moparbob498** · July 27th, 2010, 10:16 PM

first off..i would take the gas plug out..remove spring from gas piston...take top cover off
remove bolt assembly--then see if gas piston travel is smooth ..then get some dummy rounds in your mag & manually feed & watch to see if its feediiing properly & ejecting good
other person to check with is Gunplumber from the FAL FILES he is a wealth of information.
you should probably check that site out...endless FAL information

**762xIan** · July 27th, 2010, 11:19 PM

Most FTF's and FTE's with the FAL platform are gas related. I would say you don't have enough to fully cycle the bolt.

I have 3 FAL's now and none display the "FAL signature crushed neck" to any discharged brass and I reload all my .308. I am a little puzzled by this, my brass gets thrown a good 5-10 feet. How far does your brass eject?

Seeing as it cycled 17 out of 20 I would say one more click closed on the gas.

But there are a few other areas you can check out though that wouldn't hurt.

1. Clean the chamber and check for burrs/roughness.

2. The gas tube on many of the "parts kit builds" are notorious for having the threads worn out and gas blowing by.

3. Remove clean and lightly grease the recoil tube and spring. I had one that would not work on any gas setting and it turned out to be the recoil tube and spring. It was full of dried up gritty grease and oil. Upon cleaning out, the rifle (an Imbel on an Imbel) has worked flawlessly. I since cleaned out all my FAL's recoil tubes and springs and noticed improvement. You will need the "T" handle tool to do this.

moparbob498 outlined the gas piston check, I would check that also.

**richbug** · July 31st, 2010, 03:52 PM

What receiver is it built on? Every manufacturer seems to have its own idiosyncrasies. How many rounds through it total?

What did you set the headspace at when you installed the new LS? BTW, the locking shoulder has absolutely nothing to do with a failure to extract.

In my experience too much gas/over driving the action, makes your brass go further, but doesn't hurt reliability.

The neck dents can be eliminated by changing the ejector angle.

The side dents make me think that the rails are too thick(Coonan,Entreprise, Century), Low ejector block causing a bolt over base failure(easy to diagn ose by holding back on the front of the mag while shooting), or it has an abnormal feed ramp geometry.