Suppressors My FAL with AAC suppressor (pics)

[srv656s]

I finally got my FAL put together (IAI M-444 all Imbel rifle). I’ve had it for a number of years, but hadn’t shot it for a while because I took the EOTech off it for my machinegun and because it was so unbelievably loud with the muzzle break it had on it. It also was a little long with a 20+ inch bbl plus the muzzle break.

Here’s how it looked when I first bought it way back in 2001:

GAP doesn’t normally do this kind of work, but since they’re local I begged them to do it so I wouldn’t have to mess with shipping it somewhere. Big thanks to them for taking this on. They chopped the bbl to 16”, threaded the bizarre backwards threads and put the flash hider mount on it.

Anyways, when I bought my 30 cal can I decided to get one that would be able to mount on multiple rifles. It’s a 762SD can from AAC. On my bolt gun it’s ear safe with supersonic ammo (sounds like a .22). We’ll see how loud it is on the auto loader. I’m a little worried that it will still be pretty loud with the sound of the action cycling and a little worried that it won’t have enough backpressure to cycle reliably.

I’ll be taking it to the range ASAP, will post a range report as soon as I do.

Shawn

 

[m1garand30064]

Re: My FAL with AAC suppressor (pics)

The can will actually add back pressure so cycling should not be a problem. It will be a little louder as you expect because the action cycles and noise will escape from the action. I have the same can on a remington LTR, an M1a, an HK 91, and an AR-15. The semi auto guns are louder than the LTR, but they are still ok to shoot without ear protection IMHO. YMMV

 

[V-Taper]

Re: My FAL with AAC suppressor (pics)

Very Nice!

 

[RollingThunder51]

Re: My FAL with AAC suppressor (pics)

..

I take it you have taken the time to address the backpressure issues with suppressing the FNFAL, right? There is work to be done if you have not. Most cans will create dangerous back pressure on that host and you can have real issues. Especially with 16"! Many will just shut the gas off and shoot manually, is that what you are going to do?

Are you all set with this set-up?

 

[m1garand30064]

Re: My FAL with AAC suppressor (pics)

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: RollingThunder51</div><div class="ubbcode-body">..

I take it you have taken the time to address the backpressure issues with suppressing the FNFAL, right? There is work to be done if you have not. Most cans will create dangerous back pressure on that host and you can have real issues. Especially with 16"! Many will just shut the gas off and shoot manually, is that what you are going to do?

Are you all set with this set-up?


</div></div>

That is a really good point. I know bookhound runs this setup. Maybe he could weigh in here or you can PM him asking what his setup is.

 

[KYS]

Re: My FAL with AAC suppressor (pics)

It may be tolerable to your ears but you really should still wear hearing protection. I have shot a 12.5" AR10 upper with a Form 1 can on it. It was tolerable but I left with a pounding headache. Long term exposure can really damage your ears.

 

[srv656s]

Re: My FAL with AAC suppressor (pics)

I PM'd bookhound. I was planning to shoot it with the gas as low as possible and increase as necessary to function the rifle. Sounds like I'll have more gas than I will possibly need!

 

[BookHound]

Re: My FAL with AAC suppressor (pics)

I run a very similar setup.

The threads are 9/16x24L on most metric pattern FALs, so that is actually a pretty standard thread pattern.

I have a rifle length STG-58 with a ~21.5" barrel and a "para" with an 18" barrel. Since the FALs have adjustable gas blocks I very simply adjusted my gas settings for use with the suppressor the same way you should adjust the gas settings for an unsuppressed FAL. I then marked my gas blocks so I'd know what were my default settings.

The FAL isn't the quietest suppressor host for sure. The action is loud and the way I am adjusting my gas block causes extra gas to vent. But it is still a lot better than unsuppressed.

It is certainly true that any over-gassed auto-louder can (and likely will) eventually cause problems. On my para while I was adjusting things the pressure sheered the recoil spring guide rod. The gun still functioned fine but when I separated the receivers the spring shot out of the rifle. Yikes!! Not sure if the back pressure caused the failure or not but it would not surprise me.

I'm not an expert by any means on suppressing FALs. I've had a suppressed FAL for many years and put a lot of rounds through it both with and without the suppressor. I've also shot several other suppressed FALs over the last few years. The para is relatively new to my collection. The para guide rod breakage is the only suppressed FAL failure I've had. I guess my experience is fairly limited here, especially with the shorter barrel system. Sorry I'm not much help.

Did GAP open up the gas port at all?

 

[srv656s]

Re: My FAL with AAC suppressor (pics)

Mark-

Thanks for the response.

GAP didn't open up the gas port. Hopefully it will run without any more modifications. I'd hate to ask them to do any more work for it, they didn't actually have the tools on hand to do this work so it was already a big favor to get this done.

Shawn

 

[RollingThunder51]

Re: My FAL with AAC suppressor (pics)

..

Shawn, I thought that might have been overlooked, most do. But that isn't the way to go.

FNFAL will suppress just fine and can be as quiet as you would want. For real quiet, switch the gas block off and actuate manually.

But for gas auto the work begins. There is NO safe setting using the standard gas adjust. What one has to do it to rework the gas plug. Many will take the time to just go out and get a new spec one, keeping the original as is. Weld the gas plug completly shut. Then re-drill a new hole to .06 or .07. Then start with the gas turned all the way off (down). Open it up slowly until the bolt just cycles. Then add one or two more clicks. Shoot to see if that will do it. Keep the gas l-o-w.

There you go.

<span style="font-weight: bold">From this point forward, on all your FAL work, go to folks that do it all day long</span>. One of the very best is Mark the Gun Plumber of ARS. He was the 2007 Small Arms Review Gunsmith of the Year which was good for him and bad for the rest of us as he is busy.

Contact him here:

http://www.arizonaresponsesystems.com/

Enjoy this:

http://www.arizonaresponsesystems.com/smith/rifle/fal/pagesmithfal.shtml

http://www.arizonaresponsesystems.com/smith/rifle/fal/pagegalleryfal.shtml

http://www.arizonaresponsesystems.com/notes/notesfal/pagenotesfal.shtml

http://www.arizonaresponsesystems.com/notes/pagenotes.shtml#anchor3


There you go, no more guessing!
Any issues, PM me. Best of Luck



..

 

[300WSM]

Re: My FAL with AAC suppressor (pics)

cool. Don't see that setup to often!

post some vids!!!

 

[GRIM]

Re: My FAL with AAC suppressor (pics)

FAL built by Ed Vandenberg with Shilen heavy barrel and M30A HTG suppressor and Ed's free-floated handguard. Functions flawlessly & sub MOA. Shot some groups that are unreal. Ed knows his FAL's.

 

[srv656s]

Re: My FAL with AAC suppressor (pics)

Thanks for the info RollingThunder51. I sent gunplumber an email, will see what he says!

Thanks

Shawn