Anyone in MA interested in building an FN FAL with me?
I've been playing around with the idea of building a rifle for some time now, mostly just for the fun of doing it and the learning experience. After doing some research, it looks like the FN FAL is a good rifle to start with.

My plan is to buy the components over the next year or so in installments and build the rifle when I have the free time, ideally after the Assault Weapons Ban has expired so that I can put a flash suppressor on it. I expect the project to cost somewhere between $500 and $1000, depending on the configuration I choose and whether I send it to a professional for the tricky parts or try doing them myself.

The key parts needed are the receiver, which is the only part you need a license to get, which are going for about $285 here in MA, a parts kit, which is only $155 at the moment, less than than $100 worth of tools and supplies, which we can share the cost of, and possibly a few bucks more in US made parts (if those aren't included in the $155), and maybe a few bucks for a locking shoulder, which has to be bought in a specific size. The particular configuration I have in mind for mine, a replica of the T48 tested by the Army, would also include about $150 to $250 in additional parts. A professional headspacing job (the hard part) costs about $50, full assembly would be $175 or $275 with refinishing, too. I've also heard good things about the DSA hammer, sear, trigger kit, which goes for $90.

What do you say, guys? I think I'm going to start off by ordering the parts kit with my next paycheck. It should be a lot of fun and a good learning experience, plus its an easy way to buy a top-quality rifle piece by piece... and if we get in over our heads, buying our way out isn't too bad. Let me know if you might be interested, since this will be cheaper and easier if there are more of us doing it together.