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L1A1 questions

gravedigger
OK, so I've beat around the bush a while and now I'm ready to get a semi-auto .308. I've decided on an L1A1. I'd like some of the experts out there to give me a crash course in these things before I buy. Which are the good ones? What's the difference in Metric and Inch? Is .308 & 7.62x51 ammo interchangable in these (I won't be handloading if that matters)? What kind of mags do these use? Are they FAL mags or are they specfically for these models?

-Marcus
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Comments

6 comments

Date Votes
  • ern98
    Let me first say that I am not an expert on the Fal/L1A1 just a fan. I own a rifle built from a L1A1 kit on a Enterprise arms receiver. It has been great and never given any trouble. As far a which are the good ones I would say any rifle which is factory built, Imbel of Brazil, FN, etc. will have to be the top rank. After that I have never heard anything bad about DPMS, and their products pass the current federal restrictions the last time I looked into it. If I was to have a kit built today I would go with either DPMS or Enterprise. The differences between metric and inch are tough to explain in that they are both trivial and fundamental. Many parts will interchange except for those that won't, like barrel and most of the rest of them. But both have basicly the same layout and parts and so are still really the same system. The L1A1 can use metric mags, less costly, but the Fals can't use the L1A1 mags. L1A1 mags have a block on the back of the mag that the Fal mags do not have. Ammo is a concern for rifles which shoot .308 not those that shoot the 7.62x51, which is mostly all surplus ammo. Have fun.........
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  • chemeng
    Gravedigger,
    Inch L1A1 were produced by England, Australia and a couple of their commonwealths. Metrics were produced by everyone else. The FAL designation came from the originals (FN-FAL produced by Fabrique Nationale in I believe Belgium). You can only use metric mags in a metric reciever and inch mags in inch recievers. The mag catches on the back of the mag are a little different. There were a ton of manufacturers for these so sometimes you might get a "crossover" mag that partially fits but will eventually give you feeding problems (been there). I believe the metric receivers (like the STG-58 with the built in bipod) were the only ones built with the last shot bolt "hold open". As far as shooting commercial ammo the only concern I have is that commercial stuff usually burns a little faster than military loads and might give you some feeding problems. I say might because the gas port is adjustable and you can play with the setting. Does get to be a pain if you are switching back and forth between several different loads.

    Love the FAL's, my personal favorite are the kits built on the STG-58 (Austrian) version with the bipod. DSA makes one heck of a gun, but with one heck of a price.

    Hope this helps, Mike
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  • Colt Super
    Don't want to hijack the thread, but how do the CETMEs compare to the L1A1? I'm trying for the lowest possible cost buy-in on a decent .308/7.62NATO battle rifle?

    God Bless America and...
    NEVER Forget WACO
    NEVER, EVER Forget 911
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  • chemeng
    I have both. The L1A1 and FAL both have a barrel that screws into the receiver. The Cetme is an early version of the G3, the barrel trunion is welded onto the receiver. In other words if you need to replace the barrel you have to buy a new receiver with the G3.

    I like them both, but the FAL/L1A1 is a better built rifle for my money. Although, with the prices today I highly recommend buying both!
    Mike
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  • gravedigger
    chemeng,

    You say that you must use the corresponding mags that match the receiver (inch/metric). How do you tell if the receiver, or the mags for the matter, are inch or metric?
    -Marcus
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  • chemeng
    The easiest way I tell is by the handle cutout. The metric is smaller than the inch. Most rifles built today are on the metric receiver (Imbel, Enterprise etc.). There are just not as many inch rifles around as compared to the metric ones. If you look really close at the area where the barrel meets the receiver you will see a barrel washer on inch units, metric barrels have you "shave" the face to get it to fit and do not use washers.

    I have seen very few inch receivers for sale, the majority of them will be metric. Also - inch mags have a block across the back that is larger than the metric mags. The two questions I would ask when purchasing would be who made the receiver (not a big fan of Century receivers, believe Hesse made them) and whether or not it is a metric rifle. Hope this helps, Mike
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