1953–present (Production stopped by FN Herstal in 1988)
No. built
7,000,000[1]
Variants
See Variants
Specifications (FAL 50)
Mass
4.25 kg (9.4 lb)
Length
1,090 mm (43 in)
Barrel length
533 mm (21.0 in)
Cartridge
7.62×51mm NATO .280 British[2]
Action
Short-stroke gas piston, closed tilting breechblock[2]
Rate of fire
650–700 rounds/min
Muzzle velocity
840 m/s (2,755.9 ft/s)
Maximum firing range
800 meters
Feed system
20- or 30-round detachable box magazine. 50-round drum magazines are also available.[3]
Sights
ramped aperture rear sight (adjustable from 200 to 600 m/yd in 100 m/yd increments)
post front sight
The FN FAL (French: Fusil Automatique Léger, English: Light Automatic Rifle) is a battle rifle designed in Belgium in 1953 by Dieudonné Saive and manufactured by FN Herstal.
During the Cold War the FAL was adopted by many countries of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), with the notable exception of the United States. It is one of the most widely used rifles in history, having been used by more than 90 countries.[4] It received the title "the right arm of the free world" from its adoption by many self-proclaimed free world countries.[5] It is chambered in 7.62×51mm NATO, although originally designed for the intermediate .280 British.
A license-built version of the FAL was produced and adopted by the United Kingdom and throughout the Commonwealth as the L1A1 Self-Loading Rifle.
^Cite error: The named reference :4 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ abBishop, Chris. Guns in Combat. Chartwell Books, Inc (1998). ISBN 0-7858-0844-2. [page needed]
^"Fabrique Nationale FN FAL Battle Rifle (1953)". MilitaryFactory. Archived from the original on 2 August 2014. Retrieved 23 November 2014.
^Hogg, Ian (2002). Jane's Guns Recognition Guide (1st ed.). Glasgow: HarperCollins. p. 290. ISBN 000712760X.
^"The FN FAL: Right Arm Of The Free World". American Rifleman. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
The FNFAL (French: Fusil Automatique Léger, English: Light Automatic Rifle) is a battle rifle designed in Belgium in 1953 by Dieudonné Saive and manufactured...
battle rifle of the Cold War is the FNFAL (Fusil Automatique Léger). The FAL is a rifle produced by Belgian company FN Herstal, firing 7.62×51mm NATO from...
successful FNFAL, but was an original design. Unlike the FAL, it was a market failure, although its development led to the more successful FN FNC. Prior...
proprietary, but were made to share the magazine loading charger with the FNFAL rifle used by the Argentine Army. These chargers are the same as for the...
GPMG. Its NATO partners adopted the FNFAL and HK G3 rifles, as well as the FN MAG and Rheinmetall MG3 GPMGs. The FNFAL is a 7.62×51mm NATO, selective fire...
replacement for the M1 Garand. It was a license-produced copy of the Belgian FNFAL rifle. The rifle did not enter service, as the U.S. military decided to...
Firearms designed and/or manufactured by FN include the S.A.W. M249, Browning Hi-Power and Five-seven pistols, the FAL, FNC, F2000 and SCAR rifles, the P90...
subsequently replaced by the FNFAL and G3 assault rifles. FNFAL: variants used comprised the Belgium-built standard FAL (50.00 model) and its folding...
Libanaises) HMS Fal, original name of UBS Mayu, the first flagship of the Burmese Navy FNFAL, a Belgian battle rifle F.A.L. or Fal-Car, an automobile...
Dieudonné Saive (who would later design the Browning Hi-Power pistol and the FNFAL rifle) developed the new version during 1926–1927. His design was smaller...
(Indústria de Material Bélico do Brasil) and are based on the 7.62mm NATO FNFAL, which was previously manufactured by IMBEL for many years under licence...
Armed Forces in 1989, as a service-wide replacement for the 7.62×51mm NATO FNFAL, after having been issued in small numbers to airborne infantry units for...
the U.S. Army's definition. For example: Select-fire rifles such as the FNFAL, M14, and H&K G3 main battle rifles are not assault rifles; they fire full-powered...
Cold War in 1989. The first German FALs were from an order placed in late 1955/early 1956, for several thousand FNFAL so-called "Canada" models with wooden...
to 1957 when various arms manufacturers such as FN Herstal and Heckler & Koch were producing the FNFAL and the Heckler & Koch G3, respectively. Variants...
British Lee–Enfield .303 British FN Model 1949 .30–06 Springfield FNFAL 7.62×51 NATO Bren light machine gun .303 British FN BAR .30-06 Springfield Vickers...
adapted. The decision was rescinded and a variant of the more conventional FNFAL was adopted in its place. A 7.62×39mm M43 calibre experimental assault rifle...
cartridge such as the 7.62 mm NATO. For example, battle rifles such as the M14, FNFAL, AR-10 and Heckler & Koch G3 were largely replaced during the 1980s and...
Belgian FNFAL battle rifle had initially been adopted by the Israeli Defense Forces in the late 1950s (chambered for the 7.62×51mm cartridge). The FAL had...
the Minimi had a flash suppressor with side ports as seen on the FNFAL, FN CAL, and FN FNC rifles; new production guns have a shorter, cone-shaped slotted...
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