Questions about my L1A1

[Mako275]

I like to frequent public auctions and one day I went to one that listed, ".308 Sporter" as a firearm they were selling. I went up to the table and instantly recognized it was a FN FAL. I purchased it and shot it the same day (50 rounds of steel case, 40 rounds of Winchester brass.) with no problems.

My problem is I haven't seen any that look like mine. The grey metal, lack of a flash suppressor, and the barrel looks shorter than pictures I've seen. I know that in the 80's Century Arms sold a lot of these as kits and I believe this to be one of them. Stamped on the side it clearly states "Century Arms L1A1 .308 Sporter". I know that the receiver is metric as I purchased some inch magazines and they will not fit, but other than that I'm in the dark. I would also like to try and determine it's value because while I enjoy the piece, it doesn't fit in my collection.

Any information you all can provide would be much appreciated.

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[ArtioZen]

Hi Mako, I tried to download and super zoom into te photos but they get pretty grainy before yielding too many clues. Looks to be a Century "Franken-FAL" built on a mostly Commonwealth kit(s). Its made during the ban period and has been newtered of its muzzle device - if not shortened - see if there is a little o th original keyway left on the underside of the barrel - typical of newtering. The Upper could be by Imbel and has at least some Inch features - folding cocking handle...some of these almost Inch receivers used the Metric mag detent (can be machined to accept the Inch lip hcih will also take the metric mags) and may not have the tags to locate an Inch slide cover. These upper receivers were orignally Park gray. The lower looks to be Commonwealth Inch, but has no marks to lead to Australia or Britain and may have been bead blasted down to its original Park (mine is) - it may have STG or similar catches and latches - some are inch. The butt and forend look like Brit plastic the carry handle is a nice Commonwealth wooden example. The sights look Commonwealth (Britt). As a rule of thumb if the indivual parts are covered in stamps and marks then thay are Britt (lots or part numbers, years and factory marks) - spars use of marks (broad arrow some numbers / letter) is typical is Australian some unmarked bits may be Canadian. These will take most of the equivalent latch parts from STG, G etc so they could be mixed in. To research it (price etc) look for Century L1A1 in ban configuraton. I hope this quick look and summary helps and turns out to be mostly correct!

[Mako275]

There is a small dimple on the under side of the barrel tip and the look of wear around it. It almost looks like that something was attached there as the wear is in a nice even line. There are some marks on the lower near where it meets the stock. I took some close up pictures of all the markings I could find. I hope that helps. Let me know if you need a picture of something else.

I know she certainly isn't the prettiest FN FAL but it does shoot great and I just couldn't say no at the price I paid.

[browningautorifle]

The lower has traces of an AD serial number indicating Aussie or Kiwi I think. The finish looks like grey spray paint or maybe teflon, it's hard to say from this many miles away. Full mix of parts, looks like a full auto selector Ishapore carry handle and maybe a Brit barrel. Peter Laidler will be along shortly and then we'll see...

[Peter Laidler]

It's an Australian trigger mech housing but like the others say, it just looks like it's a mix 'n match of parts or what we call '....neither fish nopr fowl'! Or just a bitzer. I know that they do shorten the barrels but as students, we did loads of student type trials and tests with shortening barrels to see the effects of gas and pressures and stroke and all sorts of things with L1A1's but the ballistics and harmonics ALWAYS reared its ugly head and whatever you did with that barrel, the length was critical. As you chopped it back, so the accuracy fell away in a logarithmic curve. This was the reason why the 7.62mm Bren had to have a longer barrel than the standard Mk3 gun barrel. Nothing to do with gas bleed-off and timing or pressure there of course. Just accuracy. Sorry to go off at a tangent

Off at another tangent....... The L1A1 was a great rifle to do these student things with because there were plenty of them and there were so many different things you could play with. Flash eliminators, effects of changes or none, whether they acted as muzzle brakes (no) or muzzle depressors (no) or flash hiders (a bit) eliminators (er...... a bit more.....). But barrel shortening..... Nope.......!

[ArtioZen]

I can see clearly now - thanks for the new pics! it seems this was neutered of its L1A1 threaded & keyed brake and then had the dreaded "Century break" added - which can date it as after the AW sunset. Century had their own machined billet brake, which was pinned into place and then the pin welded and ground smoove. Some have observed that the drilling for the pin was so deep it had started to deform some barrel walls - check for an "outie" into the end of the barrel. Removal is a case of sand/ grind to locate weld and pin - centre punch, drill out weld, EZ-out pin and remove offending metal endpeice. The marks on the barrel attest to a pin and probably some (small) issue removing it. So with all this considered the barrel is somewhat shorter.. If it is a post AW sunset Century build, kits were drying up and they came increasingly bitza'd. With a few key points preserved (or exempted - especially for safety), no matter how much you abuse the FN FAL it can still be reliable and loads of fun to shoot - jut takes work to make em good looking and more to pull groupings.....

[Mako275]

Thanks for all the information guys. I kinda figured looking at other CAI guns that it was a cobbled together firearm.

I don't see a dimple at the end of the barrel where the hole was drilled so perhaps I was lucky in that regard.

One final question. Do you think I did well paying only $290 for this piece?

[ArtioZen]

Hi Mako - that is a great price! The bare upper receiver alone can be worth that much - or more! The remaining parts as kits go for $300+ and are typically STG or similar Metric. Any of the Inch parts are little more valuable. Keep it one piece, work on its looks and enjoy it..otherwise list it as best you can on an auction site and see what happens! A nice investment. I know of some who have been looking for them, but come up with nothing at local shows.

Peter - my old mates commented both ways on the L4A1 accuracy and reach, some said they would have prefered a larger "beaten area" (especially amongst the rocks of the South Atlantic), sounds like a shorter barrel would have got them that! I apprecate the "tangents".

[Peter Laidler]

Like the fabled .303" Bren, the 7.62mm L4 version (it was called an L4 and an LMG but to Armourers the world over, it was still just a Bren.....) wasn't as accurate as even the most mediocre rifle. But we were not encouraged to discuss that outside the Armourrers test ranges. We did emphasise its tremendous firepower, reliability and simplicity so the legend lived on.

[Brian Dick]

I can hit a 2' metal popper that's 9" across at center mass on my 150 yard range with the L4A3 Bren. It's easy on single shot and I can get one one out of a 3 shot burst on full. You know the other two ain't far off! It's not a sniper weapon but it's certainly plenty accurate for it's intended role.