FAL Tutorial: Converting Type A lower to Type B

(updated 04-11-2020)

Introduction

An early Type A lower has a relief cut at the rear and the stock is cut to wrap around it. It’s a rare lower, but the stock is even more rare. Other than cosmetics, there is no issue with putting a type B or C stock on a type A lower. This project was tough because it’s a shame to convert such a rare lower, but as the stock is even more rare, the customer opted to have the type A cuts filled in. Adding to that decision was that the detents for the Israeli selector had been filled in and recut for a standard FAL selector. I opted for silver soldering some flat stock.

I don’t have a “before” picture but this is a type A off a Belgium Congo 1959 “Force Publique” rifle I restored

here you can see how the type A stock envelops the receiver for a short distance.

I’m not too happy with the selector detents – done by hand with a Dremel tool.

I was struggling over that gap at the tang. But it turned out the flat stock I was using was exactly the right thickness. So I cut a small piece, wiped it with flux, sandwiched it between the tang and the big piece, and just let the solder flow around it.

You can see the small piece sticking out. The big piece is way oversize, because I figured it would be easier to cut it off after it was soldered in, then to first cut to size, and then get it to stay in the exact spot as I soldered.

I did one side, then used the receiver lock pin hole on the other side as a pilot to drill the hole in the new piece. Then I soldered the other side and used the hole I’d just drilled as a pilot.

It was one of those things that I was willing to do because I had nothing to lose. I’m fairly pleased.

I did find there was a slight difference in angle between the recoil plate rear and the front of the NOS shoulder stock. I’m not sure if that’s because it was a type A, or if the stock was a little off. So I had to change it by about 1 degree to get rid of the gap.