Jump to content
308AR.com Community
  • Visit Aero Precision
  • Visit Brownells
  • Visit EuroOptic
  • Visit Site
  • Visit Beachin Tactical
  • Visit Rainier Arms
  • Visit Ballistic Advantage
  • Visit Palmetto State Armory
  • Visit Cabelas
  • Visit Sportsmans Guide

The Last Armscorp FAL Built


Pappy1600

Recommended Posts

Here is the story I posted on a couple of other forums, Hope you enjoy it. And I got a great deal on this rifle since I will be it's curator until the next owner once I'm gone.

I purchased something special with a great back story, the gentlemen I purchased this Israeli Heavy Barrel FAL worked for Jack Friese of Armscorp USA, some of you know this gentlemen since he supplies M14 parts to many of us but I told him I would not mention his name. I had contacted him about seeing if he had some FN parts by chance and seeing he worked for Armscorp back in the day figured he may have some parts left over, he did not have any FAL parts but mentioned to me that he had the last FAL that was built at Armscorp and considered selling it.

After some texting and pictures and a great backstory I purchased this rifle to add to my collection, the rifle is in original finish and sports a Armscorp T48 308 match marked receiver. This rifle will remain as is untouched for future generations and for historical nostalgia. My friend was kind enough to include a letter of the back story for this rifle to remain with it, so here is the letter that was written by him, enjoy the story.

" In the summer of 2004, I found a long package wrapped in blue plastic in a back store room at Armscorp USA. The room was pilled high with boxes hurriedly moved there several years prior when a water pipe broke in the ceiling of the office area. As I was told to determine what was in the room, I unwrapped the package and found a disassembled ,complete Israeli Heavy Barrel FAL parts kit minus the receiver. As Armscorp had stopped making it's T48 Israeli FAL at least 10 years before, I knew this was something special. In fact, there were no other Izzy parts kits anywhere in the warehouse. Given the consistent appearance of all the parts, the kit looked as if was a disassembled gun, rather than a collection of various parts.

I asked Jack Friese, the owner of Armscorp USA (formerly Armscorp of America) about the package. His gruff response was that it was left over from the "old days." Telling him that I like "old things," I bought the parts kit from him. I also asked if he would sell me one of the half dozen Armscorp FAL receivers sitting in the back room (These receivers had been sitting there for at least 10 years, leftover from when Armscorp made and sold Israeli FAL's) But, Jack wouldn't agree to sell me a receiver. I pestered Jack for two years to sell me a receiver, but still he wouldn't do it. While I could have built the gun on a DSA receiver, I wanted an Armscorp.

Finally in the summer of 2006, Jack relented and told me he would sell me a receiver for my birthday in October. Bear in mind , the receiver wasn't a gift, the gift was the opportunity to BUY the receiver. That was the type of guy Jack was. In October of 2006, I paid for the receiver, which along with the parts kit sat in the gun building room until the spring of 2007, when there was time to build the gun. Jack had the CDC machine operator/gunsmith build the gun as he was an experienced FAL builder. Despite me having built M-14's for years, Jack didn't want me building the Izzy FAL. So in early summer of 2007 the gun was built and test fired. I officially did the transfer paperwork on August 15th 2007 and brought the Izzy home.

There were numerous small Israeli small parts in the warehouse, left over from the days when Armscorp built FAL's. There were also a sizable quantity of Belgian FAL magazines. While I did not buy any replacement parts, I did get a couple of mag loaders, one of each of the FAL tools in stock , and a few magazines.

Sadly, I never shot the gun. The effects of Lymes disease makes it impossible for me to be out in the sun and/or heat for any length of time. Hence, trips to the range are infrequent and when I go, I tend to prefer shooting a Garand or two.

On February 20, 2018, I sold the gun to Terry, who promises to give it a good home.

For some people, this is a very special Israeli Heavy Barrel FAL. It is the last FAL ever made by Armscorp USA."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...