My Rifle - Aussie clone.

[dcollector]

I don't post much here, but I do read a lot: This is my Aussie parts kit built on an Imbel receiver.
Arizona Response Systems did the build.
I sourced the wood and small parts, which is becoming trickier.

I own a number of FN FAL in metric, so I chose to keep this in metric configuration to only require one type of magazine in storage.

This one is one of my favorite rifles to shoot, and I have shot several thousand rounds through it, I do not baby it. It just keeps ticking and makes that wonderful metallic ka-ching when you shoot it.

I have ARS doing an NZ in black plastic currently.
(I look for unloved CAI thumbhole's with Imbel receivers.)

Anyway, it's nothing textbook, but, a is an appreciated shooter that I thought might be interesting.

[browningautorifle]

It just keeps ticking and makes that wonderful metallic ka-ching when you shoot it.

One thing that you can hear from a bit of distance, the distinct ring of the steel when it fires.

Very nice piece, I carried one of those many miles through thick and thin.

[Daan Kemp]

I found the 30 round magazine works well up to the point where jams are common. The cartridged move in the magazine when shooint and the bullets dent the front of the magazine, making them catch in the dents. Small hammer rectifies that but it happens again.

Check the locking bar/shoulder in the receiver regularly for movement. Mine shot loose after about 10 000 or more rounds, severe flame cutting in the gas cylinder too.

[Bruce_in_Oz]

That locking shoulder is supposed to be installed with the assistance of a small hydraulic press.

The factory made a bewildering array ,(SIXTY), of shoulder sizes; both the headspace setting, and fit / retention press-fit-wise. Use the issued tapered gauge to establish correct headspace, then select the shoulder to be an "interference" fit into the body. This process of removal and replacement of locking shoulders is NOT infinitely repeatable, because of "wear and metal displacement in the body (which is softer than the shoulders), will eventually render the body "beyond repair". In service, this should take several decades of abuse from the "rough and licentious soldiery". Get it right, NOW and the rifle will probably outlive you.

There is a reference table either in the EMEIs and / or the "Factory Handbook". The "taper" of the recess in the body will USUALLY handle the job of retaining 'tolerance" in the interference fit for several shoulder changes. Basically, the primary variable id Headspace, If you can swap out the shoulder to provide acceptable headspace AND the new "standard-fit" shoulder passes the "center-punch test" all is good.

The shoulder should NEVER be a "racing fit". and wander out in normal use. Per the "instructions, a "fifty-pound" strike from an automatic center punch MUST NOT dislodge the shoulder. If it does, the rifle should be shunted from "unit" workshop responsibility to a more serious establishment; (Field, Base or Factory). If the locking shoulder is not secure, there is every likelihood that other "issues" will also become apparent.

I have never tried to use "FAL" shoulders in an L1A1, and never had the requirement to "re-shoulder" a FAL.

In Oz service, there WAS an armourer "test" of the "security" of the shoulder in the body. This involved an "automatic" centre-punch set to a VERY specific "force", 50 Pounds).

Is this an "aftermarket" receiver / body? There appear to be some "interesting" (in that Chinese Curse sort of way) hybrid bodies being offered.

Here in the penal colonies, all we have are the memories and the notebooks.

[mrclark303]

Very nice, I assume Mark removed the AD serial from the TMH and engraved the master from the receiver?

Does anyone make inch pattern cut receivers in the US?

[enbloc8]

Inch pattern receivers have been made intermittently (and of varying quality) by several American manufacturers.

DSA is probably the best known; their early Australian-pattern examples (made by a subcontractor called LMT) were of excellent quality, while their in-house examples (both Australian and British pattern) have been hit and miss.

Two now-defunct companies, Entreprise Arms of California and Coonan Arms of Minnesota, also made inch pattern receivers in the past. Outside of early Entreprise examples (also made by a subcontractor, also excellent), they tended to be problematic, ranging from "minor issues" to "blatantly unsafe".

IMBEL of Brazil (a legitimate FAL manufacturer) produced semi-automatic versions of metric Type 3 receivers for the US market in the 1980s. Century Arms had some of them cut to accept inch pattern mags for their "R1A1" rifles (assembled in Canada from a mixture of inch and metric parts), and some have machined the British-pattern profile cuts into those receivers. Many consider that the best option for building a proper-looking British rifle today,

[dcollector]

Inch pattern receivers have been made intermittently (and of varying quality) by several American manufacturers.

DSA is probably the best known; their early Australian-pattern examples (made by a subcontractor called LMT) were of excellent quality, while their in-house examples (both Australian and British pattern) have been hit and miss.

Two now-defunct companies, Entreprise Arms of California and Coonan Arms of Minnesota, also made inch pattern receivers in the past. Outside of early Entreprise examples (also made by a subcontractor, also excellent), they tended to be problematic, ranging from "minor issues" to "blatantly unsafe".

IMBEL of Brazil (a legitimate FAL manufacturer) produced semi-automatic versions of metric Type 3 receivers for the US market in the 1980s. Century Arms had some of them cut to accept inch pattern mags for their "R1A1" rifles (assembled in Canada from a mixture of inch and metric parts), and some have machined the British-pattern profile cuts into those receivers. Many consider that the best option for building a proper-looking British rifle today,

I have two Imbels built as L1A1's (The Aussie clone in the OP, and an NZ clone with black plastic furniture.) and one DSA made up as an STG58.

I went hunting for the Imbel receivers as they were recommended to me as the best ones to build a kit on.
The old DSA STG is a great rifle, it's 20 years old, but apparently DSA receivers are no longer to be trusted.

I chose to have these built to accept metric magazines, as I own a supply of metric magazines.

All personal choice.

[Ovidio]

Very nice, thank you for sharing.
I like FALs a lot, but due to space restrictions, I decided to only have bolt-action rifles 1900-1945.
The only exception I made is my Garand (for which I reloaded yesterday evening, after a looooong time).

[Daan Kemp]

Made in South Africa R1. Doubt if they are supposed to shoot that many rounds but when I handed it back after some more thousands it still shot better than I could.

[Flying10uk]

Did Australia ever produce a wooden carry handle for their version of the SLR? My understanding is that they didn't.