Weapon Talk ~ FN FAL
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Caliber : 7,62mm NATO (7.62x51)
Action: Gas operated, tilting breechblock, select-fire or semi-auto only
Length: 1100 mm (990 / 736 mm for "Para" model)
Barrel length: 533 mm (431 mm for "Para" model)
Weight: 4.45 kg empty (3.77 kg empty for "Para" models)
Magazine capacity: 20 rounds (30 rounds for heavy barreled SAW versions)
Rate of fire: 650-700 rounds per minute
The FN FAL is a gas operated, selective fire or semi-automatic only, magazine fed rifle. It uses short piston stroke gas system with gas piston located above the barrel and having its own return spring. After the shot is fired, the gas piston makes a quick tap to the bolt carrier and then returns back, and the rest of the reloading cycle is commenced by the inertia of bolt group. The gas system is fitted with gas regulator so it could be easily adjusted for various environment conditions, or cut off completely so rifle grenades could be safely launched from the barrel. The locking system uses bolt carrier with separate bolt that locks the barrel by tipping its rear part into the recess in the receiver floor. The receivers initially were machined from the forged steel blocks, and in 1973 FN began to manufacture investment cast receivers to decrease production costs. Many manufactures, however, stuck to the machined receivers. The trigger housing with pistol grip is hinged to the receiver behind the magazine well and could be swung down to open action for maintenance and disassembly. The recoil spring is housed in the butt of the rifle in fixed butt configurations or in the receiver cover in folding butt configurations, so the folding butt versions require a slightly different bolt carrier, receiver cover and a recoils spring. The cocking handle is located at the left side of the receiver and does not move when gun is fired. It could be folding or non-folding, depending on the country of origin. The safety - fire selector switch is located at the trigger housing, above the triggerguard. It can have two (on semi-automatic) or three (on select-fire rifles) positions. The firing mechanism is hammer fired and use single sear for both semi-automatic or full automatic fire. Barrel is equipped with long flash hider which also serves as a rifle grenade launcher. Design of flash hider may differs slightly from country to country. The furniture of the FAL also can differ - it could be made from wood, plastic of various colors or metal (folding buttstocks, metallic handguards on some models). Some models, such as Austrian Stg.58 or Brazilian LAR were fitted with light bipods as a standard. Almost all heavy barrel versions also were fitted with bipods of various design. Sights usually are of hooded post front and adjustable diopter rear types, but can differ in details and markings. Almost all FAL rifles are equipped with sling swivels and most of rifles are fitted with bayonet lugs.
http://www.ar15.com/content/FAL762.pdf
http://www.dsarms.com/subcats.cfm?Category=01&storeid=1
Should it be brought back to be used as a designated marksman rifle?
Anyone here was in the SAF during the period when they used the SLR's if so how do you find the rifle?
http://66.253.213.147/JP%202-5-05/images/DSC02995.jpg
Any other cons other than the weight. I know 308. rounds ain't light. -
Was during 1st year when we had an FN rifle for demo purposes. IFC 1 I think, intro to the battlefield. weapon fired 7.62 blanks. Had no blanks attachment, thus had to be re-cocked each time fired.
Bloody long, heavy and kicked like a mule.
Similar to G-3/FN rifles used by Indo army?? -
Was during 1st year when we had an FN rifle for demo purposes. IFC 1 I think, intro to the battlefield. weapon fired 7.62 blanks. Had no blanks attachment, thus had to be re-cocked each time fired.
Bloody long, heavy and kicked like a mule.
Similar to G-3/FN rifles used by Indo army?? -
The FN FAL is my favourite "modern" assault rifle. Of course it is no longer modern being at least 50 years old. I like its very beautiful classic look.
During BMT they demo one to us to explain the difference in calibre/firepower. They also let us hear the difference in the sound the FN FAL makes compared to the M-16. It is different from the one you shown here. It was the original FN FAL and had brown wooden butt and foregrip.
The one you shown here is probably the British-made L1A1. The Argentine version is also all black.
I like the all black ones more than the original ones with wood.
Yes it is a very long weapon. We didn't get to fire it but the NCO's did. It would be very unpleasant to have to soldier with this weapon. Not only is the weapon big and heavy, so is the ammo! -
FN FAL is one of my favourite rifles.
I like both the British L1A1 SLR version [only version i've fired]
and the folding stock [Paratrooper] version as used by the Argentinians in the Falklands war [which i've handled is nice, and obviously its length is made convenient because of the folding stock]
The FNC deiretive is also not bad.
Other versions which have interested me are carbinea and variants of the paratrooper version:
some variants can be found here:
http://www.arizonaresponsesystems.com/smith/fal/galleryfal/pagefalgallery.htm
http://www.ohiorapidfire.com/fal.htm
IIRC the L1A1 was still seen being used by certain units of the British forces as a 'precision' rifle in the first Gulf War. -
The FN FAL has a twenty round 7.62mm magazine, there was even a swing down carrying handle to trail arms.Originally posted by tvdog:The FN FAL is my favourite "modern" assault rifle. Of course it is no longer modern being at least 50 years old. I like its very beautiful classic look.
During BMT they demo one to us to explain the difference in calibre/firepower. They also let us hear the difference in the sound the FN FAL makes compared to the M-16.
It would be very unpleasant to have to soldier with this weapon. Not only is the weapon big and heavy, so is the ammo!
Anyway the demo (which was phased out by the time I got back to ITD after SAFINCOS) was flawed as there was no blank attachment (subtle difference though).
Reminds me of the description in film "Courage under Fire" (Meg Ryan, Denzel Washington) when the testimony of the witnesses turned upon the description of the sounds of the AK47 vs M-16 during a firefight (boom vs crack). -
(lousy system) double post again
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(lousy system) double post again
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The demo I saw used live ammo. Though it was a long time ago I am very certain cause they actually moved a section of a tree trunk down range and fired both the M16 and FN FAL at it. It was silly as you can't see the result anyway as the rounds from both guns couldn't penetrate through the tree trunk.Originally posted by baer:Anyway the demo (which was phased out by the time I got back to ITD after SAFINCOS) was flawed as there was no blank attachment (subtle difference though).
Maybe that's why they phased out the demo...
