OT: I'm so ashamed of myself (yeah, sure!)

Rusty

Rusty

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Almost a year back I was looking for a Savage 99, as Gun Parts Corp had a 358 barrel for sale, and if I found one in 243 or 308, it would fit. A friend told me of a guy that had one for sale. I checked, and he had one in 308 for sale for $250, but he was waiting to hear from his kid to call back on it. I checked back the next day and the kid took it, but he was selling stuff to build a 1911 45 auto, and told me to come back the following day cause he had another 308 I might be interested in.

Next day he showed it to me inside the shop. It was really bright outside so my eyes didn't see so good. Told me it was a G1, so I figured it must have been an earlier version of the G3/CETME design. Looked odd to me, but it was a semi-auto, came with two 20 mags, and he didn't want that much so I took it anyway.

Later found out what it was, and to be on the safe side I bought seven US compliance parts. Cost $110 for (1)butt, (2)pistol grip, (30forend/handguard from Tapco (CAI mfgr), (4)hammer/(5)trigger/(6)sear and (7)gas piston from RPB (FSE mfgr). Oh, and it doesn't count toward compliance, but I paid $8 for a carry handle. And $50 for 10 like new 20 round mags. That comes to $168 plus the $250 I paid for the gun. $418 total, plus shipping for parts.

Anyone figure out what I lucked into yet? Does saying it's got an Imbel receiver give you a hint? Gorgeous grey parkerizing? That I'm thinking of adding another US compliance part, a charging handle assembly so I can leave the original metal handguard with bipod on it?

Should I be ashamed of myself for paying $250 to that nice old man for an FAL?

:D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D
 
Oh yes - to add knife content: where can I get a bayonette for it? :confused:
 
You dog. Good score, Rusty. :D Perhaps it was seeking out a fitting owner?

Not trying to sound like the bad guy here, but I'd get it checked out just in case. My room mate once happened upon a "nice" FAL for a good price; upon firing it demonstrated frequent case head seperations. While we were troubleshooting it the top popped on a round of Radway Green. Big boom, cloud of smoke, a quick ceasefire and some consternation followed. The shooter got off with a few brass fragments but nothing serious. The top cover was a goner.

The problem? Improper assembly, headspace off, barrel out of time - it had been a garage job.

I'm surprised Tapco didn't have a bayonet for it...they used to practically give the things away. I have a few myself kicking around here and there. The one I have access to right now I can't immediately identify but it's a half-rounded spike bayo that locks over the flash suppressor - I want to say G1 but I'm not positive. If this is it, shoot me an email...I have no use for it. (Got it in a "bag 'o parts" deal.) I've got the duty tonight and things are shaping up to be interesting but I'll dig through the bin when I get a chance and see what's kicking around in there.
 
Satori said:
You dog. Good score, Rusty. :D Perhaps it was seeking out a fitting owner?

Not trying to sound like the bad guy here, but I'd get it checked out just in case. My room mate once happened upon a "nice" FAL for a good price; upon firing it demonstrated frequent case head seperations. While we were troubleshooting it the top popped on a round of Radway Green. Big boom, cloud of smoke, a quick ceasefire and some consternation followed. The shooter got off with a few brass fragments but nothing serious. The top cover was a goner.

The problem? Improper assembly, headspace off, barrel out of time - it had been a garage job.

I'm surprised Tapco didn't have a bayonet for it...they used to practically give the things away. I have a few myself kicking around here and there. The one I have access to right now I can't immediately identify but it's a half-rounded spike bayo that locks over the flash suppressor - I want to say G1 but I'm not positive. If this is it, shoot me an email...I have no use for it. (Got it in a "bag 'o parts" deal.) I've got the duty tonight and things are shaping up to be interesting but I'll dig through the bin when I get a chance and see what's kicking around in there.
Click to expand...


The trouble is there are both inch pattern and metric pattern receivers out there, and not all the parts are interchangeable. Many guys don't know that and buy a receiver and then all the parts separately and expect everything to fit. If you know what you're doing and have some basic gunsmithing skills you can get some great deals on these. My brother built his own, but he sure didn't get this kind of pricing on it!

Norm
 
Nothing like a little swaggering....
Gun Parts had like two of those barrels in 358.. I wonder how long they lasted?

There is something about a Paranoid like Rusty scoring a heavy military arm that smacks of a Giant full of Jack.



munk
 
The consistency of the refinish job on the parts kit they used, even carried over to the finish on the new non-Gear label Imbel receiver imported through Century makes me think that it was done competently. And in a batch or lot. In fact, about the only blued parts are the ones on the 922r list.

I suspect I've got lots of the compliance parts installed in it already that I've gone ahead and purchased to have a paper trail. Foir example, DSA makes US compliant floor plates but don't mark them in any way to show that they were US parts.

Remind me to tell you about my gunsmith bringing me flowers. True story.

Anyway he's retired but we traded favors Saturday. He wants to go out shooting again. And we both know the guy I bought it from, who said it worked safely. Anyway, it'll get shot by the smith and we'll see just how hard he tries to trade me out of it! :p ;) :D
 
munk, the next gun I got after the FAL was a 308 Savage 99. By that time the 358 barrels were gone.
 
You got a sweet deal Rusty. As long as it got put together right, it should do great. My FAL has nearly completely replaced the M1A in my affections.
aayo_gorkhali.jpg
 
A great weapon and a GREAT deal. I bought an HK years ago - preban as they used to say. The FAL came later in a trade -- an Austrian. While the HK is OK, the FAL has real class. Congratulations, Rusty.
 
What a snag! Here in Kali all we can get are the emasculated, sodomized ones that have fixed ten round mags that you have to use stripper clips with. :mad: My bosses roommate was going to sell me his (right before the fed ban) for $500 ~ it was still in the box, never shot. It was an original FN! At the time we were about $25 dollars a year above the poverty level :grumpy: Oh well. If it weren't for bad luck, us Millers wouldn't have no luck at all. :)

Rusty, I did see one of the few good deals I've seen for a long time at a gun show just this Saturday. It was a 1940-50's .300 Savage Model 99 . Original stock finish with handling marks, 85% case colors on lever, receiver graying, barrel blue good, original buttplate, Redfield tang sight. Guy wanted $325, the sights alone are selling for $100 on Ebay! It sucks to be broke; I left with two boxes of ammo and a ammo can :rolleyes:

stevo

ps~ Did I say already that I love those 99s? I have one in .250, pops has a .308.
 
You got a sweet deal Rusty. As long as it got put together right, it should do great. My FAL has nearly completely replaced the M1A in my affections>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Must I hear sacriledge too? I can see no way a FN will replace the M1A in my affections, especially not if I have to carry it. The M14 holds like a 03, and unless something amazing has occured in target land while I slept, the M1's are more accurate. Yes, I know increased attention on the accuracy of the FN is taking place, with more aftermarket parts.

It's a wonderful machine, and I like it and have fired it, but I like the M1A.


munk
 
My 99 isn't in as nice a shape as it should be in for what I paid. My friend the gunsmith tells me the forend has been dished out on the left side almost to the barrel from riding a in a saddle scabbard. Buttstock needs replacing as it has the cracks at the back of the tang as usual. Action needs tightening at the lever lock-up, not a problem per my friend. Bore needs good cleaning before I can tell what's what. It's a 99A series A, and it's in 308. Rotating magazine. Been rode hard and put up wet ( ok - not literally - ZERO rust ). Newer model but well used. Give it a little TLC and it can get put behind the truck seat and ride there a while. It's got soul in there somewhere. I suspect we'll get along just fine.
 
:( I like *selected* Cetmes only because I can arm a squad for the cost of an individual.

Great snag Rusty...
 
munk said:
Must I hear sacriledge too? I can see no way a FN will replace the M1A in my affections, especially not if I have to carry it. The M14 holds like a 03, and unless something amazing has occured in target land while I slept, the M1's are more accurate. Yes, I know increased attention on the accuracy of the FN is taking place, with more aftermarket parts.

It's a wonderful machine, and I like it and have fired it, but I like the M1A.

munk
Click to expand...

A few years ago it would have been sacriledge to me too, but then I lived and competed with the FAL... Not prostletyzing here, just a list for folks who might be making a choice:

IMHO FAL has these advantages:
- Holds like a heavy AR(since you mention it), straightline stock for recoil control
- Easier to field strip and clean
- Easier to mount optics
- Much cheaper magazines ($5 each), can choose between steel for strength or aluminum for weight.
- Cheaper to buy, and easier to build on your own
- With the explosion of kit building, I believe spare parts are more accessible and affordable for the FAL.
- More history of use around the world

M1A is still good:
- Much better stock iron sights
- Fewer legal issues
- Arguably better looks in a wood stock

I do not believe that there is much difference in accuracy during field use by rack-grade rifles. You can make a M1A extremely accurate, but it takes alot of work to get there and alot of work to maintain it. My FAL makes hits all day on a 12" plate at 300 yards with surplus ammo, good enough for me. I had an M1A for a long time, and built up enough magazines to be comfortable (I called the mags my retirement fund), but now the FAL has taken the forefront. The other one I need to look at is the Bushmaster BAR-10 (I think), AR-10 rifle that takes FAL mags. About time somebody built that, although it is overly expensive.

Scot ("buy 'em all")

If you have a strong stomach for rifle abuse, check out the Legend of Ol'Dirty :eek: :D
 
I do not believe that there is much difference in accuracy during field use by rack-grade rifles. You can make a M1A extremely accurate, >>>>>>>>>>

You are welcome to believe that. There is a great difference. MHO. You didn't touch upon the major percieved advantage the FN has over the M14- better controlled auto fire. I guess that isn't a big factor to most of us. Israel preferred them for that reason.

As for the hold, pesonal taste.

edit; the FN is more easily field stripped. The M14 specifically says do not strip. The M14 has a partially exposed action bar- an alledged weakness. Don't know- they are also known for functioning in all conditions. The FN would be a neat thing if there were not two (or more) patterns out there. This sort of makes mute the easy exchange of parts.

With the AWB falling, mag prices should too. EVen during the ban, I could get aftermarket mags for 20.

The FN weighs more. That doesn't sound like much- a pound or two, until you've carried one a couple thousand feet uphill.

A friend has a CETME, the last model which was very light, even lighter than a M14.

The weight thing is interesting to me because the old war horse Garand was always criticised for being too heavy. Solution? Just as heavy H&K's and FN's.

If I had money, I'd like an FN. But I'm not hurting, and there are other weapons I'd like before I got a FN. The Barrett Fifty sounds nice to me. Or the Ruger 480 SRH. It doesn't look as if I'll ever get rich, so the Barrett is out, but the Ruger looms.

The FN has always struck me as coming out of the same era that brought us the Erector set for children. It is the Erector set for 308s...

Unfortunately, a friend has a Russian SKS for 200 so when I'm out of debt I'll probably do that. Like I really need another stinkin SKS. Dont' get me started on the SKS. Grumble. I've owned I don't know how many and still can't sell them all off...everytime I do another comes creeping back...I've been SKS free for three years now and it was too good to last.

All we need now in this thread is for a Galil Fanatic to weigh in.

I've sold or given away my AR's...I'd like Armalite to come out with the 180 with a folding stock. I suspect the AR series is likely the last Military small arm the public will ever have easy access to, but I could be wrong. They will be making and exchanging parts for that platform for a hundred years or more.

Rusty- I can get 99's all day long in Montana for 350 bucks or so.

munk
 
My dad has a .358 Savage 99 and has killed many deer with it. Nice gun. He also has a .300 and a .303 I think. My brother has a .300 one and one in 250-3000.
 
The two 99's I'd like are the .358 and .375 Probably not in this lifetime.

Is Browning still making the .358 in the small lever? The reissue was sold out so fast I'm not sure. All they want is like 700 bucks for one. Geeze.


munk
 
munk said:
You are welcome to believe that. There is a great difference. MHO. You didn't touch upon the major percieved advantage the FN has over the M14- better controlled auto fire. I guess that isn't a big factor to most of us. Israel preferred them for that reason.
Click to expand...

Forgot one other, mag changes are faster in the FAL than M1A, at least if you have a long index finger. I've found even in fast semiauto fire, the straight stock of the FAL is a help. Recoil is perceived less in the FAL too. Too bad the E2-style stocks for the M1A are so expensive, or I could compare directly. Forgot also the FAL does not have the reciprocating charging handle. Can be a plus or minus. I laughed at myself the first time I fired my Garand after shooting the FAL so much. What the heck was that chunk of metal coming back at me? LOL

In my experience with both, I don't see much difference in surplus-ammo accuracy between your base Springfield Inc M1A and the base factory-built FAL. The neccessary level is minute of torso, and both do much better than that. Both need extensive work to get into the realm of a precision rifle. I think the reputations of both have suffered lately with the non-GI parts in M1As, and the profusion of home builders for the FAL. Very few folks still using M1As in highpower competition thanks to the AR development. Of the few brave souls who shoot 7.62 in 3-gun competition, most I've seen are FALs.

Now, in the M1A it is much easier to show the accuracy due to the good sights. But then again I can add a scope to my FAL in about 3 seconds.

Edit: no fair editing your post too :D
As for cost, I could probably find several non-Century FALs around here for about $500, but there is a real big FAL community in the area.

There are a surprising number of parts that are interchangable between metric and inch pattern FALs, up to and including major components like bolts. Not really an issue that I've seen. I'm more worried about chinese parts when I try to build repair kits for the M1A. A GI op rod is how much?!? LOL
 
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