Weird FAL. Need ID help.

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Minuteman
  • Apr 17, 2018
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    So it takes an age to register over at falfiles, so I figured I would ask this here.
    I have seen this fal a buddy has and it has some really weird features. It seems to have indications of both FN and Imbel mfg.
    I know that FN made some FALs for Brazil early on but I don’t think this is one of them.
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    Nice FAL! The only FALs I have experience with were Argentine, and I can say that this example is not an Argentine FAL. I know that's not much help, but it at least eliminates 1 country of origin for you.
     
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    Did a google search for "FN FAL Fz SA C-3A" and everything that comes up points to it being Belgian parts on an Imbel receiver. Does it have any kind of an import mark on it, like Pacific Armament Corp?
     
    Ok. Thanks. What was throwing me for a loop was that it has no import marks whatsoever. It has a FN marked lower that is serial number matched to the upper but the upper serial is obviously a later stamp. I also thought it odd that someone would take the time and effort to stamp the FN Herstal Belgium on the rifle. It is a very intricate and high quality marking and not bubba’d at all.
     
    Actually, the FN Herstal is engraved on your buddy's rifle... real ones are stamped. The markings on the rifle in question do not look anything like the real FN stamped markings. Might have been humped to increase the price they could get for it from an uninitiated buyer. Looks like a mostly STG 58 kit on an Imbel receiver. Does it have 922r compliance parts?
     
    Honestly? That looks like an Austrian STG58 bbl. assy. (it was one of the best FAL barrels ever made, I've got one on my FAL, made by Steyr) with an FN commercial upper and an Imbel lower... A parts gun. But a damn fine looking one at that and made with quality parts and most assuredly prior to the Cliton fiasco of 1994 when FAL's went to shit save for DSA.

    There are details on that rifle that just aren't present on modern FAL rilfes. And they ran out of new Steyr barrels a loooong time ago.

    If it turns out not to be a collector (I doubt it is one) you can always keep it as a good shooter or even upgrade that rifle into a more modern version. They can still hold their own, though they have some brutal recoil and aren't much of a long range platform. They are, however, a reliable and solid fighting rifle.

    This one started out life very much like yours though it was Austrian parts on a DSA receiver set. Cerakoted inside and out, I removed the carry handle, installed a folder, an Elcan 7,62 optic and DSA full top rail/optic mount, SDN6, oversize controls and a 2 stage adj. Jard trigger. Some other tweaks have been done and there's a PEQ if it needs it. This ain't Dad's FAL for sure. With a 4lb trigger it can do around 1MOA but in all honesty it has random fliers that can open this up to a few MOA but I think that had to do with the handguard being loose, which has since been fixed but not tested. Austrian mags are best, IMI is good and FN is good --try and stay away from the rest. Can't speak for DSA's new mags but if they're made on the same machinery as the Austrian 20's they'll be great. Korean knockoffs wouldn't even fit mine. Some say the DSA Bren modified 30rd mags don't work, the curved ones, but I have four and they all work great.

    Oh the times I've tried to sell this rifle, wasn't gouging, just have too much in it I guess... FWIW, I saw a competition where it was FAL vs. SCAR17 and the FAL beat it's ass in all but the few accuracy dependent tasks. I guess that made me feel better about keeping it.
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    Interesting because ALL STG-58s are post 1994 imports. They came in 1997-1998, bet it is a post ban receiver too. If it was a gear logo Imbel it would be gtg

    Yeah, I didn't know that, I'm just going by the barrel and handguard.

    But could be older parts recently imported and assembled too. Doesn't have an importer or "mfg." mark with a US address? Then it's a parts rifle someone built most likely.

    After 94 all you really saw regarding FAL's were Century fuckups, L1A1's (Queen's gotta disarm her people!) and later DSA became the goto for FAL's and is about all that's left today. Unless you're looking for certain collector rifles, etc. Most are some kind of parts rifles IME. Can still make a great shooter, like I said, and those are still good parts best I can tell without looking at it.

    PM me if you want a quality scope mount and a PRS stock for one. Probably have some other parts you can have if you take those.
     
    It is an Imbel non gear logo receiver built on a steyr Stg58 parts kit. Great kit and receiver. Feed it good mil spec ammo with good mags and it should a real good shooter
    Cheers, congrats and hope this helps.