Torched early Belgium barreled receivers

[holescreek]

I picked up one of the $15 torched barreled receivers Apex is selling just to get a good look at the barrel from the gas port forward. I have both an early belgium kit (Af model) and an early G1 kit from Apex, and the flash hiders are very different. Seeing the actual barrel that went with these kits clered up some things for me.

The barrel has a RH thread and the flash suppressor from my Af kit fits nicely. It looks a little strange since both the flash supressor and the barrel itself both have the dovetailed lug on them. The flash supressor from my G1 kit is made to rotate over a lug and lock on but won't fit on the early barrel without cutting the barrel length back towards the lug.

Having the end of the barrel in hand will be nice if I need to add a lug to another barrel, plus I get to see how it's cut for the bipod. Enough typing, here are some pics:

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y29/Holescreek/FAL/EarlyFALtorched001cropped.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y29/Holescreek/FAL/EarlyFALtorched005.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y29/Holescreek/FAL/EarlyFALtorched003.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y29/Holescreek/FAL/EarlyFALtorched006.jpg

[patjsimpson]

That just makes my heart ache. :crying:

[Noskov]

Is that even reweldable?

[holescreek]

Is that even reweldable?

Not by me!

Traditionally I try to avoid these torched parts but in this case I really needed to see the threads, lug and bipod cut for myself. There are a lot of FAL experts, I am not one of them since these two kits will be my first ever builds. I really want to get the Af model build right since they are so rare and this was the only way I could see what the barrel should look like. There aren't even many photos of original Af's that I can find. FALfiles has volumes of information available if you have the time to sort through it all. I don't.

[Buddymack]

I just got in my Belgian barrel yesterday I decided to pull the trigger on that one for this very same reason, it has no threads and both flash hiders lock on without any problems, I am surprised at how good the crown looks on this, I guess those flash hiders really help protect them.
But for 250 I am finding that is not such a bad deal especially when it an entire front end.

[jdowney]

Is that even reweldable?

My first rifle of my very own was an M1 carbine that had been re-welded. They did a slick looking job, I never knew for years of stripping and cleaning. But the headspace was never quite right and eventually the receiver broke at the weld. I'm pretty leery of rewelds... we had two fairly dangerous incidents with that gun before it broke, both due to the headspace problem.

[chili]

I just barfed my lunch over those photos. More so, because I am remined at how communist and stupid our government has become.

[mitchstoner]

I just broke down and bawled.

[Buddymack]

You know when you look at it right it is the result of ill tempered brat of a Government getting out of hand.

[SteelCore]

Mucho sucko! Que lastima.

[Rahatlakhoom]

Is that even reweldable?

Give me a bag of sad ugly junk.
(Your homeless, your tired.):airtight:

Needs a mid section (ejector block/locking shoulder section)
Needs front stub. Inch or metric for either, doesn't matter.
Tolerances are excellent from the golden age of machining.

I had great trepidation on welding this up.
G1 pieces seemed like a casting and would not hold temporary tack welds
without snapping under adjustment pressures.
However, I set the mig on a hotter setting and laid down some blazing hot
beads on the final weld. So far, after 400 rds, this thing is rock solid.
No failures or cracks.

Weld up the safety sear area so it cannot be installed.
Get the US parts count.

If you decide to do a weld like this, do it at your own risk,
and take adequate precaution on test firing. .308
can blow rifles into little pieces, although the most pressure sensitive
areas in battery is the barrel chamber, the shock against the bolt
can be considerable for a microsecond. I still wear heavy safety glasses
when firing.

http://www.gunsnet.net/photopost/data/500/medium/DSC01119-Jan22-2.JPG

Austrian STG 58 parts kit w/ DSA furniture, FCG, tapco piston,
US muzzle break(unknown source).
Runs like a top, one of the very best rifles I own.

http://www.gunsnet.net/photopost/data/500/medium/DSC01143.JPG

Top cover, mag, cocking handle, and bolt, serve as building jig.

http://www.gunsnet.net/photopost/data/500/medium/DSC01120-Jan22-2.JPG

http://www.gunsnet.net/photopost/data/500/medium/DSC01123-Jan22-2.JPG

[okie shooter]

IMHO, two welds under stress from the barrel to the locking peice is asking alot of welds. I the thought of it being one piece of metal was a reason it was a forged casting orginally.

[heavy_weapons_guy]

:kewl::wohow: Rahatlakhoom You are the MAN! That is so awesome :rockon:! Great job on that re-weld!!

[slipface]

1- did you heat treat the reciver after the reweld?
2- can you explain the following statment form your post
"Inch or metric for either, doesn't matter"

I have been tempted to trying this myself. A new reciver is cheep compared to the effort to reweld a FAL reciver,
but the challenge is tempting.

[Rahatlakhoom]

IMHO, two welds under stress from the barrel to the locking peice is asking alot of welds. I the thought of it being one piece of metal was a reason it was a forged casting orginally.

You are exactly correct. It is asking a tremendous amount from the
weld areas. I did some test welds on the Apex demilled G1 thin wall
receiver pieces and beat them silly with a hammer. Typically, as we are
often told, welds are stronger than the surrounding substrate. And, this
held true for my testing. Still, one has to be very critically mindful of
how these joints must be rejoined. Very close to creating slag, very hot
welding. No quenching.







1- did you heat treat the reciver after the reweld?
2- can you explain the following statment form your post
"Inch or metric for either, doesn't matter"



No heat treating was done to the reweld body.
I don't think the welding detracted from original hardness of
components, however I cannot prove it.

Inch pattern is the L1A1 type. The front stub has a different lightening cut,
but is compatible with metric barrel, also joins up to the metric magwell
section. The middle section I used was also from an L1A1. Everything lined
up and functions using a mix of inch and metric pieces.

[Smokehouse69]

Very impressive, I don't have near the skill or guts to try that, but I wish I did! I guess I need to order some of those torch cut Uzi and Galil receivers and practice! :D

[thebufenator]

How much time did that take you?

[Buddymack]

Is that Arc or Mig or ?

[jbruney]

May I suggest that you get a temp stick( about 350F) and some kaowool. Bring up the heat evenly, weld it keeping an eye on the inter pass temp, then immediately wrapping it up and allowing to slowly cool for the prevention of cracks(large and small). If the weld is going to form cracks it always takes place as the puddle cools, sometimes extremely small. Investing in a magnaflux kit or having it done is a good idea( inexpensive and available at any fab shop worth a damn).
Do a little research on the base metal, as to composition(for filler metal selection), and check the Rockwell hardness of an original piece which was not near the torch cuts. Once the work is complete you'll have the info to take the finished receiver to a place such as Neptune or Cooper Heat Treating for hardening and annealing to prevent catastrophic or minor failure down the line.
The only areas I'd really have concerns for would be if you're repairing in the high stress regions, like the locking lugs, etc. I've done some AK's, VZ58, and a couple of others, but I've always ensured not taking on one cut through the locking areas because of the pita the safety procedure can become for the above reasons. I would just feel good knowing you cover your bases lowering the risks.

[Rahatlakhoom]

How much time did that take you?

Weekend job.


Is that Arc or Mig or ?

Gas shielded MIG, .024" mild steel wire.


May I suggest that you get a temp stick( about 350F) and some kaowool. Bring up the heat evenly, weld it keeping an eye on the inter pass temp, then immediately wrapping it up and allowing to slowly cool for the prevention of cracks(large and small). If the weld is going to form cracks it always takes place as the puddle cools, sometimes extremely small. Investing in a magnaflux kit or having it done is a good idea( inexpensive and available at any fab shop worth a damn).
Do a little research on the base metal, as to composition(for filler metal selection), and check the Rockwell hardness of an original piece which was not near the torch cuts. Once the work is complete you'll have the info to take the finished receiver to a place such as Neptune or Cooper Heat Treating for hardening and annealing to prevent catastrophic or minor failure down the line.
The only areas I'd really have concerns for would be if you're repairing in the high stress regions, like the locking lugs, etc. I've done some AK's, VZ58, and a couple of others, but I've always ensured not taking on one cut through the locking areas because of the pita the safety procedure can become for the above reasons. I would just feel good knowing you cover your bases lowering the risks.

Thank you sir, I appreciate the tips and safety concern on metal testing.
I will eventually get to some of these testing levels you mention.
It's a learning curve. Calculated risk is a factor to recon with and face
in realistic terms. Points well taken.

[jbruney]

Your work does look excellent and done with pride.

BTW..Where are you getting the repair sections?

[Rahatlakhoom]

Fal files, other forums.
You just have to ask around.
It takes some time to land what you need.