"FN FAL Was Almost America's Battle Rifle" Topic

"It could have the United States' main battle rifle. Instead, it became "the right arm of the free world."

Name a war, revolution, or revolt during the Cold War that involved the British Commonwealth, Western European nations or their allies and you found the Fabrique Nationale FAL in the hands of the soldiers fighting the battles.

No wonder the FAL earned its nickname and became a symbol of the struggle against Communism.

Starting immediately after World War II, FN produced two million copies of the Fusil Automatique Léger—or Light Automatic Rifle. More than 90 nations adopted the weapon. At one time, the FAL was even the official rifle of most NATO countries…"
Full article here
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From my personal experience… it's bad!.

Amicalement
Armand

That is one cool rifle!

I used to love firing the SLR – our version of it. But it was heavy.

My eleven years in the army reserve was spent with the L1A1 SLR (Semi-auto FAL) and my only wish was there had been a carbine version with a shorter barrel issued for those of us in Armoured Recon units. There ain't much room to move left an M113A1 with two crew, ten assault troopers and all their gear ;-).

I also had an odd liking for the L1A2 Hvy barrel full auto with folding bi-pod (think BAR chambered for 7.62x51 NATO)

I used both the FNC1A1 and the FNC2 when I first joined the Canadian Army in the mid to late eighties. I have many memories of recruits coming off the ranges with black eyes because they didn't hold on to the weapon tight enough. I will always remember how heavy the FNC2 was to cart around, not to mention wearing those ammo bras for the 40 round mag across your chest. When I went back as an officer in 2003 the C7 felt and sounded like a toy in comparison.

I also used the FN C1 and was part of the FN C2 team during my time in the Canadian infantry in the early 1970's. Naturally I grew to love it. I remember my front sight fell out just before a live fire exercise. I went to the range with a M/Cpl and an officer and tracer ammo to do a quick zeroing in. I was so impressed as I shot like John Wayne. The first time I went to the range with a C7 I did not believe the marker in the butts and had to shoot off mark to see if he was actually marking correctly.

Great rifle. I'm pretty sure I can still field-strip, and assemble, a C1 blindfolded having done it often enough back in the day.

Me too with the C1.

I loved everything about my C1 except carrying it.
I miss my old 1957 2L****.

First time firing my C7 I had to ask the guy acting as my range coach if the thing actually went off or not.

Funny the number of serving Canucks on here.
You'ld think our army was bigger based on a sampling just here on TMP.

How many US troops shot FN FALs on the job, as it were. And this is a FN FAL thread….

Found the SLR a pain to cock when on the move – quite stiff and didn't protude much. Please don't make any of the obvious comments…

One thing I was told at the time (early 70s) was that the only thing stopping the SLR from being full auto was a protuding lug. I was also told that some individuals/units used to ile this down making it full auto – no idea how true this was.

As far as carrying the thing goes, it was lighter than a Bren!

Haven't shot mine yet as they need some work.

Definitely not light, although it is very close to what my PSL weighs and that is not a bad carry for a day.

Amusingly a fellow down in Texas decided to see how long a post-ban (US) semi-auto STG 58 would operate without being cleaned. Currently up to 16,500 rounds of surplus ammo (as ammo has gotten more expensive the count has slowed).

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Pictures -

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Fellow has used the gun in competition, so it apparently was still reasonably accurate.

P.S. In a discussion on the FN FAL files on full auto a former British soldier stated that it was possible to place a folded gum wrapper in the action of an L1A1 to enable full auto firing. He stated that that was done to use up 'extra' ammo at the end of a day at the range. As it was on a web discussion I can't vouch for the accuracy of the claim.

One thing I was told at the time (early 70s) was that the only thing stopping the SLR from being full auto was a protuding lug. I was also told that some individuals/units used to ile this down making it full auto – no idea how true this was.

The working parts of our L1A1 were a direct copy of yours, GM, and you didn't need a file, just a matchstick or folded bit of the silver paper out of a cigarette packet, placed under the sear. Or replace the sear with one from an L1A2, if you knew a friendly armourer. The problem was that the rifle barrel didn't like auto too much and would quickly warp if it got too hot and start to droop, if long bursts were fired. Legend has it that some SASR blokes cut down the barrels and put L1A2 sears in their SLR's, rather than use the M-16 in Viet Nam. However, I never met anyone who actually said they'd done that or had seen it (not that I met too many Chook Stranglers, though).

I also found the SLR to be a much better weapon than the M16A1, though the M16A1 was easier to use in the really thick stuff or in BUA. But that prejudice may have come from my first couple of secco's, who'd developed a dislike of the M16 in Vieties (though the M203 was appreciated). There was a lot of resistance to the F88 Austeyr when it was brought in, with a lot of the older members of the RAR wanting to keep the SLR, distrusting the 5.56mm cartridge. It took 1RAR's deployment to Somalia to persuade many that the F88 was a decent rifle. It was also easier to teach people to shoot properly with the F88, especially females and those who hadn't fired a rifle since Kapooka.

I loved the SLR and it was the basic rifle for the first 15 years I was in green. It was reliable, easy to use and keep clean, and it could consistently put rounds into the inner or bull on a target at 500m. I didn't find it that heavy, either- it was lighter than the M60, MAG58 and L4A4 . So I wasn't surprised when there were calls for SLR's (or some form of 7.62mm X 51 rifle) again, even just a couple per section in Afghanistan (and M60's/MAG58's to replace the useless bloody F89 Minimi). Theorists always win over experience, despite the lessons of history.

Dal.

The Belgian FAL had a pin that prevented the selector to be switched to full auto. The idea was that it could be removed in times of war, but some soldiers tried it anyway.

One interesting bit of trivia is that it was originally designed to fire the British .280 ammo, but the US army believed that only "real red-blooded macho-man full powered ammo" should be allowed on the battlefield and the FAL was redesigned to accept the more powerful 7.62mm ammo.

Put it this way, what was Action Man's weapon of choice?