ID My Newly Acquired FAL

[LKLive13]

I know this rifle is not in the best of shape and much has been altered. The original owner cut this barrel to a super short 16.6 inches. Makes it loud and take away from the originality a lot. Other than that the rifler is a mutt with all different serial numbers. That being said what might the value of the firearm be and what information can you give me based on the photos i will attach. Oh and BTW i got it on trade for a cheaply built franken gun AR platform. Please help me figure out a value of what this might be worth. Im also looking t discover wht type it is meaning Metric or inch. I heard the upper is L1A1 type. Help me out here High Road!

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[M1key]

Looks like an L1A1 built on an Argentine Para parts kit. One sold for $700 a few years ago on FALfiles. Don't know condition. It's worth whatever someone is willing to pay for it.

congratulations

M

 

[Robert]

Yup L1A1. Not a bad rifle. How does it shoot?

 

[LKLive13]

Thanks guys. I just got it yesterday so I haven't taken it out to shoot yet. Hope to get away this weekend to put a few down range!

 

[elwoodm]

its in the 600.00 and up value. check the gas setting make sure its about 4 or 5 and keep the ammo around 150gr brass case. look at the cases after you fire make sure no swelling above the case head. this is to check headspace. hope it works out for you. welcome to the club you might be hooked

 

[LKLive13]

Thanks for the tip. Ill check the brass after firing. Is this gun inch or metric? I want more mags and from my understanding they are different

 

[M1key]

Hard to say from the pictures. What mags came with it? Hopefully it takes metric as there are lots more of them available.

M

 

[LKLive13]

Looks like its a metric lower. Thats what all the mags look like. Thanks!

 

[Robert]

The L1A1 can use both style of mags. The metric mag will not lock in as tight but will function just fine. The inch mag not work in a metric rifle. You have an inch lower, or at least based on the pictures it looks like an inch lower.

 

[MErl]

The upper that mags lock into is from Argentina. I don't think they ever made inch variants. It is easy enough to check with the rifle in hand, is the cutout on the front large enough to hold that huge tab on the inch mag? (it could have been modified when it was assembled to be more correct)

 

[db_tanker]

as has been reported...argy/inch franken-fal. and please don't think that is a derogatory term as they are all for the most part franken-fals unless you drop the coin for a DS Arms.

had an inch pattern and recognized the proof marks ("D" with the hash mark) was from Enfield if I remember correctly.

Since the barrel was cut down be aware that there might be fail to feed issues if they didn't adjust the gas port...you might have enough adjustment on the gas with the sleeve there near the front sight. If not then you will need to have the gas port enlarged. I know one smith in dallas area that goes by the name of Sledgehammer on the Fal Files board that helped me out with a few issues...he is the owner of Old Dirty (last check a fal that had about 16k rounds down the throat with no cleaning)

ALSO....if you haven't ever owned a fal...please...remember to ensure that the gas plug is not set to grenade Otherwise you will have a nice, black, evil, single shot rifle...won't damage anything except your pride.

all in all...not too bad of a rifle I think. I'd thread the barrel and get a flash hider for it. The Parker Hale models are about 6" long and work pretty good I think and look great.

 

[vaupet]

the UE60 above the serial next to the safety means this part of the upper is build in the UK (the U) by Enfield (yes the E) in 1960 (guess what gives that away)

Mine is UE59,
the British also had UB, those are build by BSA or Birmingham Small Arms.
normally, british inch pattern fal's take both types of magazines, mine does.

 

[GBExpat]

Many years ago (~15) ... the first FAL Variant of 2 that I bought (before I started building them) is a somewhat sloppy mess of Inch(mostly) & Metric parts, a Century build, a true Franken-FAL.

It looks neither pretty nor well-done but it is accurate & reliable and I have found it to be, after a tiny bit of tweaking, a terrific "beater" walkabout rifle.

I feed it with Metric mags ... but have never tried an Inch mags as I own none.

 

[jobu07]

The lower is definitely an inch pattern Enfield. The upper is an Argentine that century used to assembly various kits on. Those are GREAT uppers. Looks like all the parts are inch with the exception of the upper.

Given someone cut the barrel, it looks like you've got the makings of a nice carbine on your hands. Just throw a paratrooper stock on there and she'll look perfect with that length barrel.

 

[Robert]

Well it would take a para bolt carrier and dust cover but yeah, that would make a nice carbine.

 

[jobu07]

A fair point Robert. Those are cheaper than re-barreling these days, thought, aren't they? But while we're spending someone else's money....

I bet it shoots great how it is.

 

[db_tanker]

DSA has the para kit for about 400.

not sure about anyone else.

 

[highpower]

I have nearly the same gun except mine is a standard rifle. The Argentine receivers are considered to be some of the best ever made and will bring a premium on the market.

They definitely use metric magazines.

Your rifle is worth more than the $700 that was quoted earlier. I would put it's value at nearer $850-900.

Mine was built using an Australian parts kit and is a great shooting rifle.

 

[lobo9er]

jealous. had a CAI fal and sold it a while back now they are illegal in my great state. Fals rock.

 

[Slamfire]

I have nearly the same gun except mine is a standard rifle. The Argentine receivers are considered to be some of the best ever made and will bring a premium on the market.

Agree on that. IMBEL's, FN, and FMAP are some of the best FAL receivers that ever came into this country. I don't know if FN receivers ever came separate, back in the 70's you could buy a factory FN FAL for $3,000 in today's money.

A FMAP receiver was gone within 10 minutes after it was offered on line. And that was 2012!

SOLD - FMAP ROSARIO INDUSTRIA ARGENTINE FAL RECEIVER

http://www.falfiles.com/forums/showthread.php?t=335364

So, you did good!

I really like the FN rifle, it was hideously expensive to make, but it was used world wide in combat, so it is a combat proven rifle. Read up on it, you should learn how to adjust the gas system so the brass is not stressed too badly. All FAL's are hard on brass, but you can lessen the pain on you and your brass by adjusting the gas system to get the minimum amount of gas necessary for reliable function. I am long limbed, there are slighly longer South African stocks and a buttplate extenders. You might need one, my FAL ate the bottom of my shooting glasses, they tapped on the rear sight.

 

[M1key]

Yikes. Didn't realize $700 was just the receiver...

I wouldn't pay it, but...oh well.

M

 

[db_tanker]

I got lucky with mine...Imbel gear logo receiver on an Imbel parts kit. So its a frankenfal but as close as you can get to a full-blood.

Argentinians are sweet but I'd love to have a Izzy and a Rhodesian in my collection....

 

[czhen]

You did good, the argentinean upper and kit look rough, but they works. Get some metric mags from Fal Files at marketplace if you need. Great rifle, combat proven at any enviroment and pleasurable to shoot. I have a Argy kit with all part US made to comply with the 922r that when 308/7.62 is in the mood it is the first to get my car.