Inch vrs Metric FALs

IrisM

February 08, 2005 12:00

I see a lot of advertisements for copycat FAL rifles in "Inch" or "Metric" patterns. What do these designations really mean? Are the parts manufactured to different measurements, or does this just refer to the measuring systems of the countries that adopted or produced the FAL? Do the parts interchange? How do I determine which pattern my Century-receiver FAL uses? Thanks!

vr,
"IrisM"

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  richbug

  February 08, 2005 12:20

  Inch guns can use metric magazines and inch magazines, metric guns can only use metric mags unless you modify the beak. Inch guns generally have a folding charging handle. Some parts interchange, some will interchange as a group, some don't at all.
  
  Generally the century Guns are considered "Franken FAL's" and I doubt century could tell you what parts they used. Almost all century built guns I have seen had combinations of inch, metric and even indian parts(indian guns are a combo of inch and metric with specialized parts to adapt the two).
  
  My border collie is smarter than your honor student.

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  vytis

  February 08, 2005 14:43

  Metric rifles were built to metric dimension based on original Fn FAL plans. Examples include FN products, Steyr, German G-1 (produced by FN), Imbel. Isreali FN is also metric with some improvements for operation in desert conditions. Inch pattern rifles, using standard inch dimensions, were made in Great Britian and Comonwealth countries like Austrailia. Also India used inch pattern. There are some differences in consrutction, one of the most important being that the inch pattern use a breeching washer to control headspace which the metric did not. As noted in the previous post there is some magazine interchangablity. Early century rifles mixed parts with some problems with operation. I've heard that this has improved as of late. Generaly speaking the majority of parts will probably be metric as will the mags.

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  Horse Plains Drifter

  February 09, 2005 06:53

  Check out the link below.
  
  http://www.centuryarms.com/receivers.htm
  
  
  81st FA BN WWII...Thanks Dad
  U!S!A! ALL THE WAY!!

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  roysha

  February 09, 2005 07:58

  A great deal of information can be found at gunthings.com and FAL files forum.If you can't find the answer to your questions at either of those places, you probably won't find it anywhere.
  
  "What you do ultimately means nothing, and you could be replaced tomorrow by the first passing cretin." Corinne Maier

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