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Posted: 4/6/2009 7:09:02 AM EDT
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So I have a beautiful rhodie FAL kit sitting in my safe on a new Imbel receiver and I really want to get it done. It needs nothing but a locking shoulder and headspace, its refinished and has all US parts needed. The upper-lower fit is tight, its pretty hard to hit the take-down lever, but other than that it is an extremely straight forward build.
Please recommend me a builder that A) has good prices B) is accepting builds thanks! |
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My first FAL was built by Rich Saunders(ETA- I didn't commission the build, bought later) at Century Gun Work in NV. Based on the quality of the rifle and his willingness to walk a newbie through a purchase when he had nothing to gain, I'd send any of my business his way in the future. Top notch individual.
http://www.cgwgun.com/ 1-775-265-6301 PST. Blitz |
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My first FAL was built by Rich Saunders(ETA- I didn't commission the build, bought later) at Century Gun Work in NV. Based on the quality of the rifle and his willingness to walk a newbie through a purchase when he had nothing to gain, I'd send any of my business his way in the future. Top notch individual. http://www.cgwgun.com/ 1-775-265-6301 PST. Blitz Thanks, Unfortunately I just heard back and they are not accepting work, estimated 3-4 month backlog. 
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Dang, that sucks about the backlog.
Other builders with great reputations are Mark Graham of Arizona Response Systems or Derek of AZEX Arms. http://www.azexarms.com/fnfal.htm http://www.arizonaresponsesystems.com/ If you spend some time at the FAL files, you can find a few smaller scale builders with great feedback as well. I've heard of some fella that goes by Sledgehammer(SP?) that seems to do beautiful work. HTH Blitz |
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Dang, that sucks about the backlog.
Other builders with great reputations are Mark Graham of Arizona Response Systems or Derek of AZEX Arms. http://www.azexarms.com/fnfal.htm http://www.arizonaresponsesystems.com/ If you spend some time at the FAL files, you can find a few smaller scale builders with great feedback as well. I've heard of some fella that goes by Sledgehammer(SP?) that seems to do beautiful work. HTH Blitz Thanks, I am going to look for a small builder, last time I asked Arizona Response (Gunplumber) he said he was not taking work. And Azex was $270, which is way too much for what I am asking. |
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As mentioned, Rich @ CGW does a great job...he built my Para kit, and it's great. Yeah, he has a backlog, but it's less than a lot of other people's, and he does great work.
I wouldn't go near AZEX...they're in some legal trouble if I remember right, and over the last few years their reputation has...suffered. Gunplumber at ARS also has a good reputation, though he's quite the rabblerouser on FalFiles as well 
I'd wait for either CGW to come back, to be honest...I'm waiting on another FAL reciever as I type, and if I can do it locally I will otherwise I'll ship it off to CGW for headspacing as well. |
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-1 for Azexarms.
SOB charged me $10 on a $2.49 priority mail once. if you are going to pay so much to do the remaining 1% of the build why not order a locking shoulder and check the headspace first? there are places where you can rent a headspace gauge if I remember somebodies question on another board. |
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Vandenberg Custom in Texas does phenomenal work on FALs. He did a great job with my STG58 kit on a DSA receiver. I now have a sweet carbine that works very well. He's a professional gunsmith with a good work ethic and an excellent work product.
http://www.vandenbergcustom.com/ |
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I'm not sure what the current backlog but CMP Armory in Dallas, NC does fine work.
CMP ARMORY Ask for Chip or Johnny. Tell 'em the Pitbull sent ya
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| I ended up going with Global Military Gunsmithing, Ken had great prices and to be honest, the communication is what won the sale. I just wanted to get this rolling, he said he was doing FALs next week so I went with him. I will report back when i get it all done. Now I am looking for some wood, I sold my other FAL and now my safe doesn't feel like it has enough wood... |
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I ended up going with Global Military Gunsmithing, Ken had great prices and to be honest, the communication is what won the sale. I just wanted to get this rolling, he said he was doing FALs next week so I went with him. I will report back when i get it all done. Now I am looking for some wood, I sold my other FAL and now my safe doesn't feel like it has enough wood... Eternal24k...please do let us know what the outcome is...i am also looking for someone to do some work. |
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this might sound odd, when we built benchrest .22 we used a spent cartidge for headspacing. would that work. Sportmen Guide has a FAL kit for 249.00 is that a good deal? That might be safe for the modest pressure generated by .22LR, but 7.62 NATO/.308 Win. is not something to fool around with. Use only proper headspace gauges. The kits SG is selling are Australian L1A1 kits. It would be a great deal, except for the fact that the barrel is cut. A new barrel will cost you about $100. More if you need a US-made barrel. Then factor in other US-made compliance parts and assembly costs. If you can find someone local with the tools, you can build it yourself. Keep your eyes peeled on the Equipment Exchange and the FAL Files Marketplace for a kit or a complete rifle. |
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this might sound odd, when we built benchrest .22 we used a spent cartidge for headspacing. would that work. Sportmen Guide has a FAL kit for 249.00 is that a good deal? That might be safe for the modest pressure generated by .22LR, but 7.62 NATO/.308 Win. is not something to fool around with. Use only proper headspace gauges. The kits SG is selling are Australian L1A1 kits. It would be a great deal, except for the fact that the barrel is cut. A new barrel will cost you about $100. More if you need a US-made barrel. Then factor in other US-made compliance parts and assembly costs. If you can find someone local with the tools, you can build it yourself. Keep your eyes peeled on the Equipment Exchange and the FAL Files Marketplace for a kit or a complete rifle. Lew's right. The days of cheap FAL builds have come to an end. Back in the day you could get a kit for $89, a receiver for $179, and add about $100 worth of US parts to make it legal, and often, for less than $500 you'd have a great battle rifle. But today, Kit's are $300+, receivers are $300+, compliance parts are $150-$200, and the build itself often costs $200. It's cheaper to buy a complete rifle than to roll your own these days.... |
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I don't get it either HBR.
I mean those that buy the kits and the components are *surprise* GOING TO BUILD A RIFLE. How is an already assembled rifle worth LESS than the sum of its parts? Especially when the assembled rifle is going to be nearly exactly the same as the rifle built from the parts??? I just don't get it.... |
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I have yet to understand why building and refinishing an FNFAL causes it to decrease in value. It is silly One word: Century. I wouldn't pay more than 3 bills for a Century gun. I had one given to me; I turned it around and sold it for 5 bills, maybe 2 months ago. If you were to try to buy parts for a FAL now and build it, you can't do it for less than the price of a Century-made FAL, even in today's market. There's another one in my funstore; seller wanted $800 for it, and it's now down to $700. (This is with a battlepack of .308, I forget the maker). I figure it'll hit $600 before anyone takes it. Strictly because it's a Century gun, even if it does have an Imbel reciever (cut for an inch charging handle). |
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I have yet to understand why building and refinishing an FNFAL causes it to decrease in value. It is silly One word: Century. I wouldn't pay more than 3 bills for a Century gun. I had one given to me; I turned it around and sold it for 5 bills, maybe 2 months ago. If you were to try to buy parts for a FAL now and build it, you can't do it for less than the price of a Century-made FAL, even in today's market. There's another one in my funstore; seller wanted $800 for it, and it's now down to $700. (This is with a battlepack of .308, I forget the maker). I figure it'll hit $600 before anyone takes it. Strictly because it's a Century gun, even if it does have an Imbel reciever (cut for an inch charging handle). Excellent point |
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this might sound odd, when we built benchrest .22 we used a spent cartidge for headspacing. would that work. Sportmen Guide has a FAL kit for 249.00 is that a good deal? That might be safe for the modest pressure generated by .22LR, but 7.62 NATO/.308 Win. is not something to fool around with. Use only proper headspace gauges. The kits SG is selling are Australian L1A1 kits. It would be a great deal, except for the fact that the barrel is cut. A new barrel will cost you about $100. More if you need a US-made barrel. Then factor in other US-made compliance parts and assembly costs. If you can find someone local with the tools, you can build it yourself. Keep your eyes peeled on the Equipment Exchange and the FAL Files Marketplace for a kit or a complete rifle. Lew's right. The days of cheap FAL builds have come to an end. Back in the day you could get a kit for $89, a receiver for $179, and add about $100 worth of US parts to make it legal, and often, for less than $500 you'd have a great battle rifle. But today, Kit's are $300+, receivers are $300+, compliance parts are $150-$200, and the build itself often costs $200. It's cheaper to buy a complete rifle than to roll your own these days.... True, but since I have just completed one, and I have all the tools to make one, it still would be cheaper for me to build another one. Plus I can spread out the costs by buying piece by piece. I think my first one came out to be less than a grand, including new locking shoulder and headspace (go and no-go 7.62mmx51 headspace guages). Next one will be a carbine with 18" barrel |
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As mentioned, Rich @ CGW does a great job...he built my Para kit, and it's great. Yeah, he has a backlog, but it's less than a lot of other people's, and he does great work. I wouldn't go near AZEX...they're in some legal trouble if I remember right, and over the last few years their reputation has...suffered. Gunplumber at ARS also has a good reputation, though he's quite the rabblerouser on FalFiles as well
I'd wait for either CGW to come back, to be honest...I'm waiting on another FAL reciever as I type, and if I can do it locally I will otherwise I'll ship it off to CGW for headspacing as well. What legal trouble is AZEX in? Haven't read anything about it. |
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What legal trouble is AZEX in? Haven't read anything about it. No idea, I only caught a little bit of it in passing a year or year and a half ago or so. Something about some irregularities with their FFL, books, etc? I honestly don't know, but that's what I gathered. Not even sure they still have an FFL. |
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