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Thread: Imbel (FN) FAL in .22lr

  1. #1
    urx is offline 2,602.00 GBP −10.00 (0.38%) at the close
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    Imbel (FN) FAL in .22lr

    Well, I splashed out on the .22lr semi auto I've always wanted.
    It finally arrived this week and first impressions were very favourable.
    The rifle is solid and business like (as you would expect) its heavy and long so not one for lightweights I suspect the magazine is the full size steel 7.62 box mag with a .22 mag insude that looks and feels well made rather than knocked together. cocking is as per the fullbore with a cocking handle on the left side, towards the front of the receiver. Nice large ejection port on the right and a heavy sludgy trigger which is what you would expect from a military training rifle. I suspect impromptu drops on the floor would not result in an accidental discharge. The stock is of the folding type which requires 8 hands. push on a small button side ways then push the stock downwards to unlock then swin to the right till it loks in place. Reverse the procedure to extend. Its a substantial stock with a thin rubber recoil pad and looks fully capable of whatever military rifle butss do. There is a nasty gouge in the steel of the stock which looks to be have been there since manufacture so I'll be seeing if that can be replaced.

    The safety on the left is so heavy (at the moment anyway) as to be virtually unusable so its just as well it isnt a match trigger. The receiver locking catch is on the left to the rear of the safety and a good push on this unlocks the receiver which hinges on a pin towards the front. The gun needs to be cocked before opening if the bolt is to be removed. The top cover stays in place for this but the Tapco scopemount/top cover needs to be unscrewed to remove at the same time as the bolt etc. I havent investigated this yet so it maybe resolvable.

    Nice long barrel with a flash hider threaded on which has a serrated end ...looks suitable for punching through walls etc

    Next, whats it like to shoot?
    well I had a quick plink with the FAL last night after putting the scope mount cover on board and fitting a bushnell scopechief.
    The initial results were more inspiring than my first few shots with the AR15/conversion in .22lr which had trouble holding all the rounds inside a 2" circle at 25yds.

    I tried Winchester, RWS and Remington subs through it. the remingtons cycled maybe 2 out of 3 shots. The RWS maybe 1 cycle from every 2 rounds and the RWS was basically straight pull.

    Accuracy with all was surprisingly good considering the end of the barrel looks like it hasnt been crowned
    All shots grouped ok with RWS being best, popping 4-5 inside less than an inch easy. occasional fliers, as was expected with a brand new gun but all still inside the black. So far so good.

    Cycling problem seems to be that although it fires, extracts and strip the next round, either the mainspring or hammer spring (or both) is/are too strong and the hammer isnt cocked. Think maybe I need to get some spare springs and experiment with weakening them slightly.
    It was very quiet to shoot with the subs and I think the local bunnies should be very afraid.

    oh yes and just in case it will accept the standard bayonet for use when the bunnies charge and you are out of ammo

    Overall and so far so

    Updates as the rifle wears in and I get used to it
    Gun control means using both hands.

  2. #2
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    I'll dig the armourers manual out and try to come up with some suggestions for the trigger.

    Weaker hammer spring looks to be all you can do, the disconnector spring doesn't seem to contribute to the recocking force like it does in an AR
    I would buy 2 hammer springs, cut one down till it's starting to light strike, then cut the second one down not so far as the first. Keep the original as a spare.

    I would be cautious about removing any coils from the mainspring. You are messing with the breech timing and can run into problems with feeding the first round when cocking manually.
    Last edited by Sid; 26-10-2006 at 04:41 PM.

  3. #3
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    You really can't start a thread like this and not post pic's .
    PM me if you need them hosted.

    Looking forward to hearing how it shapes up.

  4. #4
    urx is offline 2,602.00 GBP −10.00 (0.38%) at the close
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    Gun control means using both hands.

  5. #5
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    WHAT no i'm one mean motherf***er poses.

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  7. #7
    urx is offline 2,602.00 GBP −10.00 (0.38%) at the close
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    Quote Originally Posted by mr smith View Post
    WHAT no i'm one mean motherf***er poses.
    err no I dont do that
    Gun control means using both hands.

  8. #8
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    URX
    I have just what you need for your new black rifle some nice FN accessories £35 the pair plus post

    http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f1...R/S3700503.jpg
    http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f1...R/S3700501.jpg

  9. #9
    Keef Guest
    Your pictures do not show the front of the rifle so it's unclear of the type of muzzle attachment that is on it.

    On the British version the flash eliminator was screwed to the barrel and retained by a round key piece with a pin through it. This was located at the 6 o'clock position on the flash eliminator. Other eliminators may be different.

    For the one there is washer between the front face of the barrel and the inside of the eliminator. To fit the eliminator, it was hand tightened and the key way should have been under turned by 15 degrees. Various size washers were available to achieve this under turn. Once the under turn was achieved the eleiminator was screwed tight preferably with the correct wrench, more usually with an adjustable spanner.

    If the washer that was fitted gave more than 15 degrees then the washer could be squashed and the hole through the middle reduced in size. This would affect accuracy. Depending on the design of eliminator, washer size and hole in the washer it might be an idea to check the fit. If you know someone with a lathe have a bore guage made. Turn a cylinder 0.15" diameter by 3" long. It should drop through the barrel from the breech end.

    The 0.15" diameter is from memory, the last time I used a guage like that was in the Jurrasic period so if Sid is kind he might like to look up the size in the Inspection Standards part of his EMERs.

    To be honest, the only way you are going to reduce the pull off weight is to change the angles on the sear front face and the hammer engagement bent. The danger is that if you over do it the rifle will slam fire or not cock at all with the hammer sliding off the sear. The weight should be 6 to 8lbs (again from memory, Sid may confirm). If I remember the hammer spring is a sealed unit, plunger and spring in a container with the end spun in. It may be difficult to separate the two. Check the plunger and spring in the pistol grip to ensure they are not binding, it can up the pull off weight.

    If you decide to play with the trigger weight, have a spare hammer, sear and hammer spring assembly before you start.

  10. #10
    urx is offline 2,602.00 GBP −10.00 (0.38%) at the close
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    I'll add some muzzle pics later tonight (or maybe tomorrow) to let you see
    Trigger work sounds err challenging
    Gun control means using both hands.

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by urx View Post

    That FAL is a real beauty.

  12. #12
    figjam Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by urx View Post
    err no I dont do that


    lol thats not what i have in my photo album!

    i do rememebr a very windy outing to a quarry with a pump action shotty!

    photo's dont do it justice doug, it's gotrgeous in the flesh people.


    rgds
    kenny

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by urx View Post
    Nice gun, brings back memories of the 7.62mm SLR I used to have in the 80's.
    Webley Vulcan .22, Webley Tempest .177, Beeman Kodiak .25, Beeman R9 .177, Weihrauch HW30 .177, Slavia 618 .177, Colt Commander .45ACP, Browning Hi-Power 9mm, Bushmaster AR-15 5.56/.223

  14. #14
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    Blimey....how much did that cut and shut job cost???
    Looks like an argie folder, of which huge amounts were put into store after being taken off their previous owners for not being used in a responsible manner , even more were run over by 4 tonners and landies in a bid to clear the surplus. Check that stock gouge out, could be a part of history

  15. #15
    urx is offline 2,602.00 GBP −10.00 (0.38%) at the close
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    um ..... allegedly its a new rifle with no Malvinas (or other) provenance

    it was made as a dedicated .22lr rather than a conversion of a 7.62.
    Hence its legal here. IIRC 7.62 semi is now sec 5 so even dropping the calibre to .22lr would leave the gun at its original unobtanium sec5 rating.

    I beleive a job lot were made by Imbel for a South American army as training rifles. 20 were imported to Europe but the price was high then and the price for the following batch of 20 had gone up by so much they werent worth importing.
    Its fairly rare as there are only 10 fixed and 10 folders unless someone knows different......
    Gun control means using both hands.

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