DSArms sez: "Swap that Argie Ejector Block" FTF

R

RickD

Moderator
With all of my amateurish research and question begging about my FTF mag problems with my DSArms-imported ArgieFAL done (or just exhausted), I decided to call a tech at DSArms.

He said that my problem was caused (as I figured) buy the back of the receiver keeping the magazines from rotating fully into the magwell (so that the rear of the top of the mag would not tightly seat high enough so that the bolt would reliably strip off roungs.)

More specifically, the offending part was the "ejector block."

From speaking with him I infered that Argie ejector blocks were noted for not being built to the tightest of tolerances.

I asked if I could just swap out the Argie ejector block for another that was "thinner"?

He said that I could but that would be an expensive way out. Knocking out the pin would necessitate refinishing and could result in a squished receiver. But more importantly, finding an ejector block of the correct dimensions would be a hit or miss proposition. You put one in, test it, put another one in, test it.

He said that it would be cheaper to just get a crap-load of magazines which would work in my rifle.

Yeah, I could do that, but I would still have a rifle that is out of spec. What if I needed someone else's magazine one day? Ooops, jammmm!

DSArms will be in Phoenix for the Crossroads of the West gun show so finding twenty or so mags that work shouldn't be too tough.

Any comments on the ejector block angle?

Rick
 
While I cant answer your question, I can recommend somebody who might be able to help you out, in your neck of the woods. T. Mark Graham at Arizona response systems may be able to help you. Their on the web www.arizonaresponsesystems.com. Mark is a great resource on the FAL, he can be a little grumpy though.
 
I took my FAL to Mark at lunch at took it home for dinner.

He machined the Argie ejector block down a few thousandths. All of my mags now fit even with the .0039" longer Imbel mag catch on my Argie receiver. And they appear to have the back of the mag tighter to the back of the mag well. So, in essence, I can say that the "out-of-spec" e-block was part of the problem.

I will test using my "stop-action" technique on the lower receiver (pushing the bolt over a loaded mag to see if it strips). Then I will test the rifle at Ben Avery.

Funny story, he took my rifle, cocked the hammer and pulled the trigger. "Sweet trigger," he said. I reminded him that he did a trigger job on that rifle three years ago. "I do good work, don't I?" What a turd.

Then, he shamed me by making fun of my Druganov thumbhole stock. I showed him. I bought the conversion kit. Damn him!

Rick
 
Yeah, it is difficult to have folks see what is going on via internet description. With the rifle here in my hands and talking to DSArms about the problem, it was very clear that this was the first thing (and hopefully the last thing) to try.

I'm not out of the woods yet. Got some testing to do, ya know.

Rick
 
Tonite it was time to test the results of the machining on the e-block. I placed the upper receiver in my rifle stand and took off the dust cover. Each of my 20 mags were placed and locked into the mag well. Two rounds were placed in the magazine so that the left side (the troublesome side) would have the round in place to be stripped by the bolt. I looked at the tops of the mags and all of them looked to be in good position. The mags which were labeled as functioning before all this gunsmith work was done were still flush up against the top of the mag well. The mags that previously were low in the rear (due to the e-block not allowing them to seat properly and the fact that the bag mags had a slight dip towards the rear) were not sitting higher and tighter. All of the mags but one were able to lock in. It looked pretty promsing.

I slide the bolt into the open receiver and gently tap-tap-tapped it so as to slowly strip the troublesome left round from the mag. It released from the magazine lips perfectly and was in position to be shoved into the chamber. All magazines performed well, even the ten bad mags that flunked this test just a few days ago.

The next test will be a grueling day at Ben Avery shooting range (wo is me). My guess is that the will perform just fine. But you will be the first to know.

Rick
Happy FAL owner again.
 
I went to Ben Avery today.

I tested each of my 23 mags. They all functioned flawlessly.

While I was at it, I noticed that my patterns were an inch high and a half-inch to the right at 25 yards. I had been using the scope almost exclusively and had not adjusted the sights since I switched from Argie surplus .308 to Portugese .308.

Adjusting elevation using the front sight was no problem but but windage adjustment using that odd double screw thingy was less than positive. I got it done, but I sure would look favorably to getting an after-market M1A1 rear sight stuffed into the FAL's dovetail. ;)

Rick
 
That's great to hear your FAL is working now. I hate having a questionable gun in the arsenal.

I can sympathize since my G3 clone is krunk and a barrel change seems to be the only fix. Crap.
 
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