Jumping the gun on an FAL

[kayak-man]

I picked up the gun on Thursday!

Here's the skinny: It is a Century built rifle, and the stud for the pistol grip was most likely ground off. It IS built on an IMBEL receiver, and it DOES take both metric and inch mags.

I've only put 20 rounds through it so far, but stopped because I couldn't hit anything. My lack of accuracy was not the guns fault: The rear sight was all the way past the 6 hundred yard mark, and I was trying to sight it in at 50 feet and 100 yards....

So far, I love this rifle. Really my only complaint so far is the thumb-hole stock. It interferes with the safety, and I just don't like it. Otherwise, its my new very favorite rifle. I've never shot a rifle with the military style peep sight before, and I think I like it.

From what I can tell the trigger-housing/lower, along with almost all the other parts, were made by Enfield, so its not as much of a Frankenfal as I've been led to believe it could be.

Right now, it looks like I'll be doing the following for 922R compliance:

Gas Piston - looks like I can get them for about $20
H/S/T - I think GunPlumber has them for $85
Pistol Grip and Buttstock - These two, I might just try to make myself. I've done a little bit of woodwork before, and the buttstock doesn't look like it would be too hard, and I'm thinking I could probably build a pistol grip using wood and/or fiberglass that fits the rifle, but is of a SAW style.

That being said, I'm always open to other suggestions on a better way to get the parts I need, or for different parts.

Chris "the Kayak-Man" Johnson

 

[afponiky]

Chris, Pictures please!

 

[kayak-man]

^^^
I have to run into "the office" today, but I'll see if I can take some of it in its current configuration when I get back.

Chris "the Kayak-Man" Johnson

 

[KodiakBeer]

If was made and/or imported by Century you don't have to worry about 922 compliance. It had to be legal when they sold it, so it's legal now.

By all means get rid of that thumbhole stock!

 

[kayak-man]

If was made and/or imported by Century you don't have to worry about 922 compliance. It had to be legal when they sold it, so it's legal now.

Thats what I would have thought, but apparently that's not so. It looks like at the time, all they had to do was put the thumb-hole stock on there; almost all of the parts have proof marks from the factory in En field.

I'm going to see if I can get some cheap replacement furniture until I have time to try and make a nice wood stock set.

Chris "the Kayak-Man" Johnson

 

[W.E.G.]

Have you looked under that thumbhole stock yet?

Is the grip stud missing?

 

[kayak-man]

W.E.G.,

Yes, my trigger housing has been nuetered by the monkeys at Century, although the recoil spring is still quite strong.

It looks like mine was ground off a little neater than the one in the picture, and I'll look into getting a replacement bushing from Home Depot.

I'm hoping that I can find a US H/S/T and an inexpensive stock/pg. My final part will probably be either a hand-guard or a gas piston. I'd rather not replace the floorplate or mag follower, unless thats what I need to do to get one of those bottomless magazines that I always see Liam Neeson using in his films

Thanks for all the help guys

Chris "the Kayak-Man" Johnson

 

[KodiakBeer]

Thats what I would have thought, but apparently that's not so. It looks like at the time, all they had to do was put the thumb-hole stock on there; almost all of the parts have proof marks from the factory in En field.

I think you're wrong. If Century made the rifle before 1990, then it's grandfathered. If they made it after 1990, then the component parts are in compliance. No large concern is going to put themselves out of business selling rifles that aren't compliant with ATF regs.

There are a lot of little parts that count towards compliance - things like gas pistons, op rods, sears, etc.

 

[KodiakBeer]

A thought - why don't you contact Century with the serial number and get a list of the 922 compliant parts, or establish that it was made before 1990? Keep that info with the gun.

 

[kayak-man]

A thought - why don't you contact Century with the serial number and get a list of the 922 compliant parts, or establish that it was made before 1990? Keep that info with the gun.

Thats a fantastic idea!

I think I'll get right on that.