Century SGT-58 FAL on Imbel Receiver

[DougB]

Anyone seen or shot one of these? I'm thinking of ordering one, but have heard some negative comments about Century's quality. But I understand that the Imbel is a good receiver, so, for the price, I'm thinking that this may be the way to go.

If it shoots and looks okay, I'll probably be happy with it. If it has any real problems, I'll work with the vendor and/or Century to get them fixed. And if I want to upgrade it in a year or two with nicer components or finish, I should be able to have this done, right?

I live in California, so my priority is to get a working rifle before 1/1/2000. The Imbel receiver gives me confidence that I'll at least have a good basis which can be upgraded later if necessary.

Are these rifles okay, or is there some serious problem or drawback to them? If so, I'd appreciate any recommendations as to where to get a decent FAL in the $650 range (or less, of course). Thanks.
Doug

 

[fal308]

Two of my FALs are built on Imbels IIRC. The Imbel is a good receiver. The problem is Century's assembly precodures. It appears that they have a quota-meeting production line. There is such a run on assault-style weapons that quantity has taken precedence over quality. As long as you have an Imbel receiver you'll have a good base to build from, even if the original purchase is a POS. It can be rebuilt using aftermarket parts to make a great weapon.

 

[Destructo6]

At $650 it sounds pretty good. At worst, you might need the barrel to be trued or remounted and headspaced. That might cost $100. As long as you don't acquire a Hesse receivered FAL (or anything else, for that matter), you'll probably be fine.