I've fixed or rebuilt or corrected a lot of FAL related stuff over the years but this is about the most dangerous thing I've seen in a long time, at least 10 - 12 years. This CAI modifed Type III IMBEL to Inch receivered L1A1 "build" suffered a catastrophic KABOOM (Aguila .308 factory ammo) and I agreed to diagnose and fix it if possible. As suspected the headspace was way off. I mean way, way off.
The momo who put this together decided to save about $20 on a correct sized locking shoulder and simply file the one he had to fit. First, well...there are so many things wrong with that "idea" that I don't want to type them all out. Needless to say, when I drove out the locking shoulder, I was stunned to see this.
File marks AND...AND....AND... dimples in the shoulder where the rear of the bolt locking surface was POUNDING the (now soft due to filing) mating surface of the locking shoulder. I have no idea where the headspace started on this one, but measurements from the foot to the end of the mating surface ranged from .250" to .256". The actual headspace needed on this rifle was .260" so I installed that sized locking shoulder and test fired it with Hirtenberger 7.62X51mm NATO cartridges. No issues.....and while I was at it, I checked all the other known "problem areas" for Billy Bob "hold mah beer" builds on these rifles. Century did not to my knowledge grind on locking shoulders although their sins are many, they didn't do this I think.
Here is the magazine that tried to contain the release of 62,000 psi.
Bottom line if you've read this far is if you don't know exactly what you are doing with a gun, it's better to do nothing at all or hand it over to someone who does know what they are doing. Your face, eyesight, etc., isn't worth saving a few bucks for DIY sake.
The momo who put this together decided to save about $20 on a correct sized locking shoulder and simply file the one he had to fit. First, well...there are so many things wrong with that "idea" that I don't want to type them all out. Needless to say, when I drove out the locking shoulder, I was stunned to see this.
File marks AND...AND....AND... dimples in the shoulder where the rear of the bolt locking surface was POUNDING the (now soft due to filing) mating surface of the locking shoulder. I have no idea where the headspace started on this one, but measurements from the foot to the end of the mating surface ranged from .250" to .256". The actual headspace needed on this rifle was .260" so I installed that sized locking shoulder and test fired it with Hirtenberger 7.62X51mm NATO cartridges. No issues.....and while I was at it, I checked all the other known "problem areas" for Billy Bob "hold mah beer" builds on these rifles. Century did not to my knowledge grind on locking shoulders although their sins are many, they didn't do this I think.
Here is the magazine that tried to contain the release of 62,000 psi.
Bottom line if you've read this far is if you don't know exactly what you are doing with a gun, it's better to do nothing at all or hand it over to someone who does know what they are doing. Your face, eyesight, etc., isn't worth saving a few bucks for DIY sake.
