FAL gas plug problem

P

pariah

New member
Hi y'all
finally got to take my Century Arms (Imbel)inch pattern L1A1 to the range, my intent was really to adjust the gas system, since it was an indoor 50 yd. I had a hell of a time trying to get it to function right. FTE's and FTF's messed my evening up bad. finally got it to perform at a gas setting of 2 and about 60 rounds, got better the more rounds that went through it. I read elsewhere in this forum that it takes 400 rounds to keep it from being squirrely and 1000 rounds for it to be reliable, I personally think that sucks, but I'll take the tribal knowledge and hope for the best (hope your right boys, I'm gonna be hunting wild hog with this and I'd sure hate for it to jam while I'm staring at the business end of a pissed pig).
ANYWAYZ.... I was cleaning the puppy and ran into a problem with the gas plug. The manual suggests that if you take a cartridge point or other suitable implement, push in the the little thingy and turn 1/4 turn clockwise, then the gas plug comes right out with it's own spring pressure. mine popped up like it wanted to, but then would not pull out. I wiggled it, yanked on it, popped it up and down to no avail. Any suggestions? I kinda hate to force something that wants to stay in so bad.
By the way, just dicking around with the gas setting, I still managed to put about 20 rounds in a 1.5 inch circle (which ends up being a big hole). Can't wait to get it to a 100 yd range and start sighting it in!
 
It could just be gummed up. Or it could be really screwed up, Century has a rep for putting garbage parts in their rifles. My SAR-48 plug comes right out, but it is usually a bit tight when dirty. Pull it out as far as possible then pour some powder solvent on it and see if that losens it up.
 
Let me ask you a dumb question, did you turn it all the way around? That plug also serves as the gas system regulator. There are 3 position, A for semi fire. This is the normal position that opens the gas port allowing the gas to enter and operate the piston. This is the normal selection and is all the was counter clockwise as you look down the barrel from the breech. Then there is the G setting(180 degrees clockwise from A) which is closed. This does not allow the gas system to operate and the gun becomes a single shot, bolt action rifle(if you will) and then the final postion is the opening one, where the plug will come off and out pops the piston wit the spring. From the normal position, you have rotate the plug 270 degrees clockwise to get it to come out. Atleast that's the way it is on my DSA.
 
Continuing with Rock-n-Glock's advice, if you happened to get an inch model, then there is no A or G. The semi-auto position is with the ridges up, and 180 degrees out has not ridges. The plug will stop in each position. Continue around to get to the release.

BTW, the G or smooth side on the inch gun is for launching grenades.
 
Gas Setting

I had similar results concerning the gas setting when I first shot my R1. The problem, as I read somewhere (either here or at fnfal.com), was that the regulator was not screwed to the most forward position when I first started shooting to find the proper setting. [I read the solution before shooting so I knew what to do when it happened.]

When you're out to find the proper gas setting for your L1, make sure that the regulator is at the most forward thread position by screwing it clockwise. Every time you unscrew it all the way around, it will allow more gas out that the previous settings. That is, (e.g.) No.4 setting when the regulator is adjusted from the most forward thread position is not the same as the No.4 setting when the regulator is adjusted starting from the middle or back thread position.

When you first crank the regulator all the way forward until it stops, turn it counterclockwise (back out) until you hit No.7, then start shooting and find the proper setting. I was at a gas setting of No.1.5 or No.2 when it hit me that my regulator was probably not at the most forward thread. So I cranked it all the way forward, backed out to No.7, then finally ended up at No.4.
 
Thanks y'all, I checked and unfortunately I was at the forward most thread, so I think I'll be on a 2 until I break it in a bit more or change ammo. I tried turning it 270 degrees, that didn't help. So I sent an e-mail to arizona response systems and was told I should make sure the A (or in my case the slot | ) was at the left from the shooting position and then take a screwdriver and pry it up gently. If I thought it was going to mar the metal then take a rod and try to tap it up through the breech side. well the screwdriver worked and it was pretty crusty in there. So I polished everything up real good and dried it. and then tried to put it back in, well it didn't want to. So I looked for burrs and high spots and did a little surreptitous filing, sanding and polishing. Well it was better, but I still had to grunt to push it past whatever it doesn't like. I reckon I will need to dick with it a bit more next time (tired of messin' with it right now, want to shoot it). So I guess someday, I'll send it off to the gunplumber for 4 weeks and get it tuned up. Again, thanks for your help.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top