Are FN FAL's really legal? They are on Roberti

[greenninja5150]

- Roos list from 1989 so how can they be legal? Is it OK if they are built from a kit? I just bought a G1 kit so I need to figure out how to build it in a manner that will keep me out of jail. I did a search but Didn't really know what to look for. I tried California assault weapon laws and pages and pages of stuff came up. I planned on using the required US parts, even more than needed if possible financially, and was planning on using a 20/30 round magazine converted to 10 rounds in a fixed position and will use DSA's stripper clip top cover. I'm thinking Ironwood Designs wood for 3 US parts, DSA magazine would be another 3 US piston should be 7. That's minimum correct? Would this be legal in California?

[ElvenSoul]

Make your own or find a off list reciever. Finishing out a 80% reciever would be considered a home built. Then you could use most of your kit parts.

[tacticalcity]

Same rules apply as with California legal ARs, AKs, etc. You'll find more information discussion how to make those rifles legal. Reading those threads will be helpful.

You need to start with an off-list receiver or complete rifle. Then you need to make it SB23 compliant.

There are over 10,000 articles, flow charts, etc. on how to do that already here. Don't get hung up on them not being FAL specific. It is the same difference. You go about it the same way.

[redcliff]

People commonly misidentify their off list receiver rifles as "FN FaL's". They aren't. They are just "FAL's". You're correct that the Fabrique Nationale FAL's need to be registerred assault weapons in California.

[greenninja5150]

Make your own or find a off list reciever. Finishing out a 80% reciever would be considered a home built. Then you could use most of your kit parts.

I'm considering a Coonan receiver. The Off List part is the info I needed. Thanks.

Same rules apply as with California legal ARs, AKs, etc. You'll find more information discussion how to make those rifles legal. Reading those threads will be helpful.

You need to start with an off-list receiver or complete rifle. Then you need to make it SB23 compliant.

There are over 10,000 articles, flow charts, etc. on how to do that already here. Don't get hung up on them not being FAL specific. It is the same difference. You go about it the same way.

People commonly misidentify their off list receiver rifles as "FN FaL's". They aren't. They are just "FAL's". You're correct that the Fabrique Nationale FAL's need to be registerred assault weapons in California.

OK I got hung up on the terminology. As long as I use an aftermarket receiver it's not a FN and I'm good. Thank you.

[TURBOELKY]

I haven't heard much good about Coonon receivers, I would really research that. DSarms makes supposedly the best receiver, but are pricy. Entreprise Arms also makes receivers, and will build your kit. I personally have an Entreprise Arms Fal that performs flawless, except the pinned 10/20rd. mags. When I use my pre-ban high caps, it performs flawless (properly "featureless" configured of course).
If anything, do yourself a favor...Don't use the stripper clip top cover, just use a Mag Lock, you'll be much happier you did. If you were ever to travel outside of the state, you'd easily be able to drop mags like you should.

Sounds like a fun build either way!! Enjoy!

[bwiese]

As long as your receiver is not marked FN FAL, FN LAR, FN Sporter, and FN 308 Match it's OK.

"Series" concept generally doesn't count, and guns must generally be banned by specific make/model. So gun built on an Imbel, DSA, Coonan, Entreprise, etc. would be legal providing it was not in an SB23-banned configuration.

Of course, you'll have to obey 18 USC 922(r)/27 CFR 478.39 and play the "10 or less key foreign parts" game. There's enough US FAL "compliance parts" in the cosmetic and small parts arena, from vendors like DSA, that you can build a great gun without changing any action parts.

Remember that not all US-mfgd FAL parts are 'compliance' parts: the only parts that count are on the ATF list of key foreign parts.

One 'recipe' for compliance that doesn't change many OEM operational parts:
- DSA pistol grip, DSA handguard, DSA or Penguin buttstock (3 US parts);
- Hammer, trigger, sear (3 US parts);
- US muzzle brake or flash hider (skip if running bare muzzle)

You can play some games with US mag floorplates and followers too to get the count of foreign parts down, but it makes the gun hard to legally use other magazines you might want to use at the range. [Remember to not use hicap over-10rd mags in a maglocked rifle!!!!]

Remember that if the FAL clone is to be a non-AW in CA, it need some kind of BulletButton /Raddlock -style magazine lock and can only be used with a 10rd or less magazine.


BTW, the new Coonan Arms FAL receivers seem to have a good rep with Gunplumber:

http://www.arizonaresponsesystems.com/notes/notesfal/faldci2/pagefaldci2.shtml

[ElvenSoul]

You could build using one of these and have drop free mags

http://www.solartactical.com/FAL-KYDEX-SLIP-ON-GRIP-137.htm

[bwiese]

You could build using one of these and have drop free mags

http://www.solartactical.com/FAL-KYD...N-GRIP-137.htm

Good point! Forgot about this option...

[redneckshootist]

the answer of legality looks to already be answered. As far as the coonan recievers go Ive built many on those and all have preformed flawlessly, they arent as nice as the DSA but our basic shop fal build is imbal on coonan.
I think the coonan will suit you well if you are on a budget.

[BKinzey]

Arizona Response Systems had a wealth of info. I bought his book.

FALFiles is the discussion board to go to.

[greenninja5150]

The reason I was going to use the stripper clip top and fix the magazine was so I wouldn't be tempted to drop the mag losing the US parts needed for compliance thus making the rifle illegal when changing magazines. I didn't want to change the trigger hammer and sear but is is always a possibility. I'm trying to figure out everything I need before I start buying stuff unnecessarily. I have a ton of CA specific questions about this and am trying to find the answers doing searches but as usual with every other forum I've been to I am not having much luck with it. Does someone have a link to the rules on this that are in plain English?

[greenninja5150]

Arizona Response Systems had a wealth of info. I bought his book.

FALFiles is the discussion board to go to.

Yeah I just got the Book and DVDs lotsa info but I haven't found anything California specific. Yeah FalFiles is awesome as well. My next question is going to be about flash hihers. I want to use lhe long L1A1 style. Can I?

[greenninja5150]

You could build using one of these and have drop free mags

http://www.solartactical.com/FAL-KYD...N-GRIP-137.htm

Drop free?

[Anchors]

There are so many different types of those Coonan receivers. Which is for what?
How much for parts kits run total?
If I can get a parts kit decently priced and one of those $300 receivers, this could be a sweet project.

Drop free?

You wouldn't need to have a fixed mag if you had that kydex sleeve on your pistol grip (and didn't have a flash hider).

How much was your parts kit, just curious?