FN FAL From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search FN FAL

FN FAL Type Battle rifle Place of origin Belgium Service history In service 1953- Used by See Production and use Wars Cold War, Vietnam War, Falklands War Production history Designed 1951 Manufacturer Fabrique Nationale (FN) Produced 1953- Number built Over 1 million Variants See Variants Specifications Weight 4.0-4.45 kg (8.8-9.8 lb) Length 1,090 mm (43 in) Barrel length 533 mm (21 in) Cartridge 7.62 × 51 mm NATO Caliber 7.62 mm (.308 in) Action Gas-operated, tilting block Rate of fire 650 rounds/min Muzzle velocity 823 m/s (2,700 ft/s) Effective range 600 m (656 yd) Feed system 20-round detachable box magazine Sights Aperture rear sight, hooded post front sight

The Fusil Automatique Léger (Light Automatic Rifle) or FAL is a 7.62 × 51 mm NATO self-loading, selective fire rifle produced by the Belgian armaments manufacturer Fabrique Nationale de Herstal (FN) during the Cold War, and adopted by many NATO countries. It has also been adopted by many other nations for their armies as well as being a popular civilian rifle. Contents [hide]

* 1 History * 2 Production and use o 2.1 Argentina o 2.2 Australia o 2.3 Austria o 2.4 Brazil o 2.5 Canada o 2.6 Germany o 2.7 India o 2.8 Israel o 2.9 The Netherlands o 2.10 New Zealand o 2.11 Portugal o 2.12 South Africa o 2.13 United Kingdom o 2.14 United States o 2.15 Venezuela * 3 Variants o 3.1 FAL 50.41 & 50.42 o 3.2 FAL 50.61 o 3.3 FAL 50.63 o 3.4 FAL 50.64 * 4 Incidents * 5 References * 6 See also * 7 External links * 8 Video links

[edit] History

In 1947, the first FN FAL prototype was completed. It was designed to fire the 7.92 mm Kurz patrone (short cartridge) developed and used by the Germans during World War II (see StG44 assault rifle). After testing this prototype in 1948, the British Army urged FN to build additional prototypes, including one in bullpup configuration, chambered for their new .280 British intermediate cartridge. After evaluating the single bullpup prototype, FN decided to instead return to their original, conventional design for future production.

In 1950, the United Kingdom presented the redesigned FN rifle and the British EM-2, both in .280 British, to the United States for comparison testing against the favored U.S. Army design of the time: Earle Harvey's T25. It was hoped that a common cartridge and rifle could be standardized for issue to the armies of all NATO member countries. After these testing was completed, U.S. Army officials suggested that FN should redesign their rifle to fire the U.S. prototype '.30 Light Rifle' cartridge. FN decided to hedge their bets and cast their lot with the U.S., given that the U.K. appeared to be favoring their own EM-2. In 1951, FN even made a deal with the U.S. that they could produce the FAL royalty-free in the U.S. This decision appeared to be correct when the British unilaterally decided to adopt the EM-2 and .280 British cartridge in very same month. This decision was later rescinded after the Labour Party was ousted from control of Parliment and Winston Churchill returned as Prime Minister. It is believed that there was a quid-pro-quo agreement between Churchill and U.S. President Harry Truman in 1952 that the British would accept the .30 Light Rifle cartridge as NATO standard in return for the U.S. adopting the FN FAL as NATO standard. The .30 Light Rifle cartridge was in fact later standardized as the 7.62 mm NATO; however, the U.S. insisted on continued rifle tests. The FAL chambered for the .30 Light Rifle went up against the redesigned T25 (now redesignated as the T47), and a M1 Garand variant, the T44. Eventually, the T44 won out, becoming the M14. However, in the mean time, most other NATO countries were evaluating and selecting the FAL.

FN created what is possibly the classic post-war battle rifle. Formally introduced by its designer Dieudonne Saive and Ernest Vervier in 1951, and produced two years later, it has been described as the "right arm of the free world." The FAL battle rifle has its Warsaw Pact counterpart in the AK-47, each being fielded by dozens of countries and produced in many of them. A few, such as Israel and South Africa, manufactured and issued both designs at various times. Unlike the Russian AK-47 assault rifle, the FAL utilized a heavier full-power rifle cartridge. In the West, FAL's primary competitor was the German Heckler & Koch G3.

The FAL operates by means of a gas-operated action very similar