FAL Buying

Paul I · 04-14-2002, 07:54 PM

I am thinking about getting a DSA FAL. Is It Hard mount a scope. What receiver to stay away from it seems that no one likes the Hess. My local gun store says a DSA is around 950-1000.
Paul i

AR-tim · 04-14-2002, 10:47 PM

If you are going to buy a DSA rifle(you want a complete rifle, not a kit right?), it will not have a Hesse receiver, it will have a DSA receiver. DSA receivers are built off of the original Steyr (Austrian) blueprints. Are you looking at their STG-58 rifles or their SA-58 rifles. If you are looking at their STG-58 rifles, I have heard you can have a dealer get them for around $800. Their SA-58 rifles will be over $1000. I am looking into buying a DSA STG-58 rifle, but that is a lot of dough for me spend on a gun. Not sure about your scope mount question. If you need more info, others here and I will recomend FNFAL.com. Hope I have answered some of your questions.

-Tim

Paul I · 04-15-2002, 04:08 PM

How about the century receiver is this one any good? Saw one on the net for under 500 plus S&H and paying FFL to receive it. Seems doing it this way could be pig in the poke. But could save
a few hunred.

Paul I

FALPhil · 04-15-2002, 06:38 PM

The new Century receivers are worse than the Hesses from what I have heard. Having had some experience with the angry beavers, I'd advise you to stay away from Century unless you are an accomplished WECSOGger. If you have to pay a gunsmith to work on one, then you are better off financially buying a DSA.

DSA doesn't just use the Steyr STG-58 blueprints, they actually use the Steyr machinery, which they imported a while back. DSA makes the most "in spec" American made FAL there is. They are a little pricey, though.

Your best bet for a decent rack grade FAL is the IAI M-444, available at Dan's Ammo . The M-444 is an Imbel (Brazilian) parts kit on an Imbel Type III metric reciever. Imbel is the only licensed manufacturer of FAL receivers left. They are thought to be the best FAL receiver by many (not me, I prefer the DSA, but at $375 a pop, I only have one).

Or, you can shop around for a parts kit and build one yourself. I have done this many times. I have built FALS on Imbels, DSA, Entreprise, and, yes, even Hesse. The Hesse actually turned out great. Had a little problem with the ejector block, but some judicious Dremel work cleared it right up.

My next build will be a G-1 FAL (did you know that the HK G-3 was the German's third choice?) on a Dan Coonan Type I receiver. The Coonan receiver, available from FAC, is getting great reviews and it sells for under $200.

AR-tim · 04-15-2002, 06:50 PM

FALphil; I originally was going to post that DSA bought/use Styer machines, but I wasn't sure about it, so I deleted it before I posted it.

Paul I, do you want to build a FAL rifle, or buy a complete rifle? I am just curious. I think you would save money if you only wanted one rifle, to buy a complete one.

I have been thinking about buying a Dans M-444 too, but want more of a STG-58 type rifle. We'll see though, a M-444 is a bit easier on the wallet than a DSA STG.....Decisions...decisions...

-Tim

WyrTwister · 04-15-2002, 08:49 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Paul I
How about the century receiver is this one any good? Saw one on the net for under 500 plus S&H and paying FFL to receive it. Seems doing it this way could be pig in the poke. But could save
a few hunred.

Paul I

If you buy a Century FAL , make sure it is on an Imbel receiver . My FrankenFAL is & it shoots great . But I bought it known good from a friend .

Not all Century assembled guns work correctly . I would say if you get an Imbel receiver rifle & can get it for the right price , go for it . Ig you have problems , they can probably be corrected , if the remainder of the parts were in pretty good shape .

Order or borrow a .308 Winchester no-go headspace gauge . Check HS before you shoot it . If you do not know how , get the video from American Gunsmithing Instute oe ask & we can help you .

This goes for any tifle that is assebbled from parts , especially not-new parts and boubbly for Century assebmled rifles .

If this scares you off , get one of the Imbel rifles ( Imbel receiver + Imbel parts kit ) , a DSA rifle or get GunPlumber to build one for you .

Wyr
God Bless

Paul I · 04-16-2002, 08:46 PM

I think that I will not try to mail ordering a parts gun. But see want I can work out with my gun store. I hate trading anything in but I have guns I may never shoot again because theres only have so much free time I have (and it's not really free). I will try looking up gun plumber.

Thanks

Paul I

WyrTwister · 04-16-2002, 11:01 PM

Check out the Imbel M 444 at http://www.falparts.com/firearms.asp

Wyr
God Bless

04-14-2002, 07:54 PM	#1
Paul I Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 41	FAL Buying I am thinking about getting a DSA FAL. Is It Hard mount a scope. What receiver to stay away from it seems that no one likes the Hess. My local gun store says a DSA is around 950-1000. Paul i

04-14-2002, 10:47 PM	#2
AR-tim Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: WI Posts: 307	If you are going to buy a DSA rifle(you want a complete rifle, not a kit right?), it will not have a Hesse receiver, it will have a DSA receiver. DSA receivers are built off of the original Steyr (Austrian) blueprints. Are you looking at their STG-58 rifles or their SA-58 rifles. If you are looking at their STG-58 rifles, I have heard you can have a dealer get them for around $800. Their SA-58 rifles will be over $1000. I am looking into buying a DSA STG-58 rifle, but that is a lot of dough for me spend on a gun. Not sure about your scope mount question. If you need more info, others here and I will recomend FNFAL.com. Hope I have answered some of your questions. -Tim __________________ "Unfortunately, the Army has revealed no plans to develop an air-droppable, laser-guided, self-chilling keg of beer!" From "Airborne" by Tom Clancy

04-15-2002, 06:38 PM	#4
FALPhil Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Occupied Confederacy Posts: 241	Century? Yikes!!! The new Century receivers are worse than the Hesses from what I have heard. Having had some experience with the angry beavers, I'd advise you to stay away from Century unless you are an accomplished WECSOGger. If you have to pay a gunsmith to work on one, then you are better off financially buying a DSA. DSA doesn't just use the Steyr STG-58 blueprints, they actually use the Steyr machinery, which they imported a while back. DSA makes the most "in spec" American made FAL there is. They are a little pricey, though. Your best bet for a decent rack grade FAL is the IAI M-444, available at Dan's Ammo . The M-444 is an Imbel (Brazilian) parts kit on an Imbel Type III metric reciever. Imbel is the only licensed manufacturer of FAL receivers left. They are thought to be the best FAL receiver by many (not me, I prefer the DSA, but at $375 a pop, I only have one). Or, you can shop around for a parts kit and build one yourself. I have done this many times. I have built FALS on Imbels, DSA, Entreprise, and, yes, even Hesse. The Hesse actually turned out great. Had a little problem with the ejector block, but some judicious Dremel work cleared it right up. My next build will be a G-1 FAL (did you know that the HK G-3 was the German's third choice?) on a Dan Coonan Type I receiver. The Coonan receiver, available from FAC, is getting great reviews and it sells for under $200.

04-15-2002, 06:50 PM	#5
AR-tim Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: WI Posts: 307	FALphil; I originally was going to post that DSA bought/use Styer machines, but I wasn't sure about it, so I deleted it before I posted it. Paul I, do you want to build a FAL rifle, or buy a complete rifle? I am just curious. I think you would save money if you only wanted one rifle, to buy a complete one. I have been thinking about buying a Dans M-444 too, but want more of a STG-58 type rifle. We'll see though, a M-444 is a bit easier on the wallet than a DSA STG.....Decisions...decisions... -Tim __________________ "Unfortunately, the Army has revealed no plans to develop an air-droppable, laser-guided, self-chilling keg of beer!" From "Airborne" by Tom Clancy

04-15-2002, 04:08 PM	#3
Paul I Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 41	How about the century receiver is this one any good? Saw one on the net for under 500 plus S&H and paying FFL to receive it. Seems doing it this way could be pig in the poke. But could save a few hunred. Paul I

04-16-2002, 08:46 PM	#7
Paul I Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 41	I think that I will not try to mail ordering a parts gun. But see want I can work out with my gun store. I hate trading anything in but I have guns I may never shoot again because theres only have so much free time I have (and it's not really free). I will try looking up gun plumber. Thanks Paul I

04-16-2002, 11:01 PM	#8
WyrTwister Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Southern USA Posts: 297	Check out the Imbel M 444 at http://www.falparts.com/firearms.asp Wyr God Bless