best way to fix CIA L1A1

[cetme]

My dad's canadian reciever CIA built thumbhole sporter needs a flash suppresor but CIA cut the threads off the BBL and part of the little grove cut in the 6 o'clock position on bbl for the issue FS. Id like it to have a stock FS but what kind of work will this take?

The other thing I know it needs is a spring kit. Is there anything I need to keep an eye peeled for problem wise?

[Rampager]

Commonwealth guns (R1A1/L1A1) should have a long slotted FH. Some were 5 slot (early) and the later ones were 3 slot. I used the 3 slot on mine cause it was stronger, which was why they changed it.

As far as the FH goes your only real option if the barrel threads are gone is to have the barrel threaded. You could do it yourself, but I chose to have PCS, Inc. thread my L1A1's barrel. Jim will do it for $75 and you just send him the barreled receiver. He's got a machine setup to do it and it does a great job. Jim's a good guy to deal with too.
http://www.angelfire.com/ok5/pcsinc/imc_FAL_Services.htm

As you probably know you'll need to watch your parts count if you add the original FH. FAL followers or floorplates aren't too hard to find though and using one or the other would be an easy way to offset the FH.

I beleive Tapco still had spring kits for these and they are pretty cheap.

Here's are a couple of online vendors that have a lot of FAL parts also:

http://www.gunpartsguy.com/

http://www.gunthings.com/

[M1 Tanker]

Is this a pre 1989 gun? If so, its not going to have any US parts. Either way, if it has a thumbhole it won't have US parts and as long as you don't change the stock it doesn't need them.

Three years ago I would have told you to rebarrel it because it would have been cheaper then threading. Nowaday barrels are getting hard to come by, so you might wish to do as Rampager suggested.

[Planning]

mark at "GUNPLUMBER" has the U.S. made L1A1 flash suppressors for around $45 plus shipping. i got two of theM last week and they are well made and look like the orginal. you will still need to have your barrel threaded.

paul at "GUNTHINGS" had some L1A1 compliance stock sets for around $30 and may still have some triggers,sear, hammers,

compliance parts for the L1A1 is sometimes hard to find. good luck.

[okie shooter]

Chris, on the canadian built L1A1's or should I say C1A1, there isnt a great guide on what ban these guns are under, Mine came thumbhole(thus under any real ban, but trying to be sporting like the thumbhole aks and sks's and such), but I see no evidance from century that they have any 922r parts, the only part I can see is us is the buttstock. Century on their website only said at one time if you change out the stock you should use us made parts but again said nothing about the parts count.

I think if a good opnion on these is desired I would post over on the fal files fourm and see what the view on compliance and such is. Just my two cents on that one.

[M1 Tanker]

If these came in with a thumbhole and no US parts, then they were considered sporting rifles at the time and didn't fall under 922r. It wasn't until 92-93? that they ruled thumbhole stocks non sporting for import.

[Rampager]

Those are great points guys...I forgot about those thumbhole Century FAL's. Mine had the regular stock with the black plastic Century furniture when I got it.

[wandering_ronin]

From personal experience, your weapon will have no US parts other than the thumbhole stock and forearm. Mine was once in that configuration, and I e-mailed Century about US parts. They gave me a nice list that included the hammer, trigger, sear, and piston...plus the abominable stock, but they were fulll of it...everything but the stock and handguards had foriegn proof marks. I got inch fire control parts from FSE, a piston, bolt carrier and charging handle from Tapco (I don't think they have the bolt and carrier anymore), and a pistol grip from Ironwood Designs.

I put an original 5 slot flash hider on mine. You will need the flash hider, an assortment of timing washers, the locking washer and pin. I got these parts from Gunpartsguy.com. Thread the barrel, time the FH with a timing washer (get an assortment of 2 or 3 and get it close and adjust the washer with a file) . Get it where you want it, and recut the slot on the bottom of the barrel (I used the slot in the flashhider to mark it, and carefully cut the slot with a dremel). Screw on the flash hider and insert the lock washer in the slot... make any depth adjustments needed in the slot. When the hole in the washer lines up with the holes in the lugs on the flashider, insert the pin and stake the ends.

It actually is a lot simpler than it sounds. I cut my barrel just behind the remnants of the old locking washer slot, and recrowned the muzzle before I threaded the barrel.

Cetme, PM me.

[Tom Doniphon]

Keep in mind it will be difficult at this time to get enough U.S. parts for your L1A1. Currently it is very hard to find a hammer\trigger\sear that is U.S. made. I think that FSE will make them again but that is not for sure, I have asked. With the 7 U.S. parts needed it gets interesting to make it work. Mark Graham AKA Gunplumber is making some U.S. made flash hiders for L1A1's as others have said. It might seem that there is no reason to buy one if you can't get the rest but in the future I think the only way to get items like these is to buy when available and patiently accumulate the rest. Mark can also restore the barrel if you don't do it yourself.

[Rampager]

I use Thermold mags in my FAL for 3 easy US parts. Mine's a frankenfal L1A1 though that uses metric mags.

[cetme]

Thanks for the advice one and all. I'll dig around and see if I can get a few more US parts and get a hold of the gunplumber for the flashsuppresor.

[tracyballard]

Horn's Custom Rifles has US made inch pattern Hammer/Trigger/Sear sets for $45, they also sell US made gas pistons for $20. These parts are pretty good, although the sear required some filing to fit perfect.

http://hornscustomrifles.com/Custom_FN-FAL.php

[tracyballard]

PS - the filing was to correct an imperfection in the machining, the sear was not out of spec.

[cetme]

so far I've located
1,2,3) US stock set
4,5,6) FCG
7) gas piston
8) flash suppresor
I need one more since I have a canadian reciever on it, right?

[wandering_ronin]

I believe that you only need 7 US parts total.

[M1 Tanker]

7 US Parts total if you have a muzzle device.

[Enigma Nostra]

When I saw this post title ("best way to fix a CIA L1A1"), my first thought was "With a big fcking hammer"

Good luck mate, and remember that having extra US parts never hurts.

-E

[Tom Doniphon]

The H\T\S from Horns is an evil Hesse part so be careful.

[Seattlefungus]

One easily overlooked part that counts on the FAL is the Charger handle... Gunparts guy or Gunthings is a good source. The more US parts, the more you can play with different stock sets.