FAL auto vs semiauto

[fortysix]

Anyone know of a way to determine without assembling and firing it, if a lower of an FAL is automatic or not? The reason I ask this odd question is that I may or may not have read about a story where someone has an FAL that is without question semi, and then another one that has three positions (one of which is not marked), and in the third unmarked position, if the trigger is held, the hammer will never lock back. On the semi, of course, the hammer locks back each time whether the trigger is held or not. The one in question also has all bakelite furniture.

I'm not familiar with FALs at all, and pictures and diagrams I could get don't really give me enough info. I know I can just put an upper on it, load up two rounds, and see, but there's other issues that preclude that happening. The other problem is that we have an upper that goes to the semi, so I'm sure the gas piston and tube etc wouldn't be adequate to test the possible full auto lower.

Any tips on how to figure this out?

[cdi]

You can probably find what you need on the FAL FILES-
The FAL lowers are pretty much ALL capable of full auto fire but it is the receiver that determines whether or not the gun will fire in full auto mode.

The selector switch on the lower can be moved to the full auto position on a semi gun and when fired, the hammer will follow the bolt closed- it seldom produces anything more than a malfunction.

For true full auto fire, the receiver must have additional machining to accept an additional group of parts (safety sear, full auto ejector block).

If you have additional questions- I might be able to help you by phone. You can call me at the shop if you wish- 215-996-1603.

Sean

[fortysix]

Ok so more than likely this lower assembled with an upper from a semi would dimple the second round maybe but not strike enough to fire -- thus not full auto? Excellent.

[Noah_Zark]

A FAL lower which is "set up" for selective fire will have a "slot" at the left side of the round hinge boss on the upper. That slot is a gap between the ejector block in the upper and the left hand sheet metal hinge of the lower. The safety sear is installed in that slot, and the FAL will not fire FA without the safety sear.

Semi-auto only FALs have a wide ejector block or extra material in the upper to fill what would be the slot for the safety sear.

Short version -- if the "hinge" boss of the upper is "full-width" between the hinge "ears" of the lower, it's Semi-Auto only.

Noah

[cdi]

Ok so more than likely this lower assembled with an upper from a semi would dimple the second round maybe but not strike enough to fire -- thus not full auto? Excellent.

This and what Noah said. The FAL dimples primers just by chambering a round, though. The primer gets dimpled by the firing pin moving after the bolt comes to rest.

When the change lever moves to full auto in the semi gun, the hammer rides the bolt carrier down to the firing pin and probably does not have enough energy to mark the primer.

[fortysix]

Thanks guys. For now I feel safer taking this up to the range and giving it a test. Still a nice old FAL, mixed glad and not glad that it isn't auto.