FAL Parts

**t99hv** · August 14th, 2011, 11:15 AM

Anyone got any leads on shops selling FAL parts around Pittsburgh/Washington/Beaver Falls areas? Thanks.

**762xIan** · August 14th, 2011, 12:49 PM

Your best bet may well be some of the online stores and vendors, FAL's have a cult following, but unlike the AR platform some of the best places to get parts have been the outfits that have supported the FAL building community, mostly online and every once in a while I see a stash of parts here and there at some of the bigger gun shows.

What are you looking for? I built several FAL's over the years myself...I may even have something in my "spares" you need.

**t99hv** · August 14th, 2011, 01:54 PM

I'm basically just getting started, I plan on buying a complete 16in carbine front end from DSA, but for the rest of it....well, I would like to finish it from a kit of some sort, plus I just like to see, touch, and compare stuff before I buy it online. That, and I like supporting the local economy. (I.E. upper reciever, lower, trigger stuff) I'm new to the FAL game and would like to compare different things. The only thing I really know is that I plan on buying the DSA front end and I want everything metric. Really got the itch to build one, lets me learn how it works.

**762xIan** · August 14th, 2011, 03:08 PM

One thing to consider, unlike the AR platform, which pretty much "snap together" with a minimal expense of special tooling, the FAL is a little more conventional.

For a complete "do it yourself" build you are looking at acquiring a barrel vise, a receiver wrench, headspace gauges....then the headache of figuring out the proper locking shoulder needed to set headspace. If you find good used equipment you are looking at an outlay of around $500 just for tooling.

If you haven't found it yet, the "FalFiles" is a website that is dedicated to all things FAL, and has a large tutorial section on builds, they also have a marketplace. Here is a link: http://www.falfiles.com/forums/index.php

There are also many links to different vendors and maybe some people who you may be able to hook up with in your area.

**t99hv** · August 14th, 2011, 04:08 PM

I've been scouring the fal files as well. I know that it's not like putting together an AR, that's kind of what's drawing me to it. Good part for me is availability of tools, so that should not be much of an issue. I'm hoping for this to be an interesting adventure.

**cdi** · August 14th, 2011, 04:55 PM

The FAL FILES is your best bet for info on putting an FAL together. 762xIan is right about the 500.00 in tools and instructions (unless you rent or borrow them).

Be advised that average STG 58 kits (which are highly regarded) are running in the $650.00-800.00 range. Dealer cost on a DSA receiver is $350.00- you can get the same price if you are a member of the 'FILES'.

The market on complete rifles is rather soft right now. I have 2 excellent matching STG kits in the shop that I assembled last year. They will not sell for what I have in them (DSA receivers, Blue Monster wood, Etc.).

Complete, used rifles with quality parts can be had in the 1000.00 range- keep an eye on the market place section of the FILES.

It seems the parts kits are getting more expensive due to the "parts kits collectors" driving up prices.

**t99hv** · August 15th, 2011, 07:13 AM

No, kidding on the STG 58 kits, the one I found online was 750.00 . I have seen a bunch of complete rifles in the 1-1.5 k range. As luck would have it, someone yesterday afternoon on falfiles posted an Imbel kit for sale about 20 minutes from me and I ended up buying it. Now I'm going to have to start going and looking for an upper. I do see that everyone on falfiles seems to say Coonan or DSA. Homework time I guess.

**762xIan** · August 16th, 2011, 07:35 PM

No, kidding on the STG 58 kits, the one I found online was 750.00

They never were "cheap", but they were the most beautiful FAL's ever made, I don't think the Austrians even used them that much based on how little wear they had. Awesome machine work on those also.

As luck would have it, someone yesterday afternoon on falfiles posted an Imbel kit for sale about 20 minutes from me

Great!

That is what I have, 2 Imbels and a G-1, the first Imbel I did I bought the kit for $90....It looked terrible, but the barrel was good, and the lower while it looked like hell was still ok. After I parkerized it it looks great.

I do see that everyone on falfiles seems to say Coonan or DSA.

Of all the builds I did, I still have have a Coonan, DSA and a gear logo Imbel. All three were easy builds and the receivers in spec with no problems. The Entreprise/Century...

I still steer clear of. I have seen unbelievable shortcuts they did and some with holes drilled wrong...hard to believe they even left the factory.

Wish I could help you out on the tooling, but I sold off my stuff a while ago.

Good luck and keep us posted on your build.

**t99hv** · August 16th, 2011, 08:57 PM

I will keep updating as I go along. Thanks for the help. Can't wait to get this done.

**tonyfac** · August 16th, 2011, 10:17 PM

there are a few guys on fal files that have many parts. if you are a member of fal files, and you need a receiver, coonan will give you a $25 break if you give them your fal file member number. i just bought one last week and one in February. I just finished a fal para with a 16.25" barrel, test firing on Saturday.
I did about 4 in the last year, any questions, just ask. Headspacing can be confusing, just make sure you have pin gauges and go no-go gauges. You will need a receiver wrench, i got mine here: http://www.faltools.com/
Pin gauges and a lot of other parts can be found here: http://www.gunthings.com/ or here: http://e-sarcoinc.com/fal.aspx
i attached a pic of the para.