Note: Pics above and directly below, show the LS I had handy from my TAPCO G1 parts kit and don't
truly reflect the quality of the Vanden Berg Custom FN/FAL locking shoulder I received from The
FAL Files.
Thanks to Jen (The Admin of The FAL Files Forums) who delivered a .259" locking shoulder
into my eager hands within 2 days, I'm able to proceed with final assembly of the "Texas Jungle"
Carbine project!! I've noticed a couple threads on "The Files" about locking shoulders (LS) and how
(where) to measure them. The pic at top hopefully shows clearly how they are measured and where
(Note Inset pic Red Arrows). As you can see, the one Jen delivered is right at .259" going by my
dial calipers. The "short" flat (Bottom Pic) is the surface the bolt rests against when it's in
full battery, and is the location where one side of your calipers should be placed. The adjacent
surface, where the other side of your calipers should rest is rounded (Inset). There is another
(longer) flat, but that is where the bolt rides over top of just prior to going into battery.
Both flats should be smooth and free of burrs for a smooth reliable action.
Two other areas to check on the LS, is where it engages the receiver. The "lug" should fit snugly
into the recess in the receiver, and the round end of the LS should be of a size that will provide
a .002" to .004" press fit. My upper receiver's LS hole measured .294" (Pic Above) and the round of
the LS measured .297" giving me a .003" press fit. The lug of the LS fit snug in it's recess (Inset
Pic), so no fitting was needed.
One last step before final assembly, is to drill the gas port to a larger size. Since the barrel
has been chopped down to 16.25", more volume of gas needs to be gained to replace the gas pulse
duration a stock barreled FN/FAL provides that has been lost from the modification. Chucking
the barreled receiver up in the drill press, I drilled (in small increments) the stock gas port
(.098") to .118". This should be sufficient, but I'm prepared to go up to .125 if needed.
The FN/FAL "Texas Jungle" Carbine is fully assembled (but not complete). Don't fret, the
final assembly steps will be documented, but not until some test
firing is accomplished and any bugs that may need to be sorted out are done. As you can see in
the pics above, the furniture has not been refinished yet. I decided to assemble the rifle with
them "as is" for testing purposes. All range testing to include any tweaks necessary to acchieve
a functionally reliable rifle will be documented here as they are
accomplished. Stay Tuned!!
Shoot Safe!!!
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Thanks to Jen (The Admin of The FAL Files Forums) who delivered a .259" locking shoulder into my eager hands within 2 days, I'm able to proceed with final assembly of the "Texas Jungle" Carbine project!! I've noticed a couple threads on "The Files" about locking shoulders (LS) and how (where) to measure them. The pic at top hopefully shows clearly how they are measured and where (Note Inset pic Red Arrows). As you can see, the one Jen delivered is right at .259" going by my dial calipers. The "short" flat (Bottom Pic) is the surface the bolt rests against when it's in full battery, and is the location where one side of your calipers should be placed. The adjacent surface, where the other side of your calipers should rest is rounded (Inset). There is another (longer) flat, but that is where the bolt rides over top of just prior to going into battery. Both flats should be smooth and free of burrs for a smooth reliable action.
The FN/FAL "Texas Jungle" Carbine is fully assembled (but not complete). Don't fret, the final assembly steps will be documented, but not until some test firing is accomplished and any bugs that may need to be sorted out are done. As you can see in the pics above, the furniture has not been refinished yet. I decided to assemble the rifle with them "as is" for testing purposes. All range testing to include any tweaks necessary to acchieve a functionally reliable rifle will be documented here as they are accomplished. Stay Tuned!!
