The Top 5 Most Common FAL Rifles

“SLR”, L1A1, “right arm of freedom world”, and many other names have been given to the FN FAL. The widespread adoption of the FN FAL by NATO-aligned countries during World War II made it the right arm for the free world. The FAL project had the goal of standardizing NATO on a small arm and cartridge. However, the differences in rifles between member states was so great that it was considered a failure. While the project did produce a fine rifle and cartridge that was loved by millions, it is not to say that it didn’t have its shortcomings. However, it is to point out that parts interchangeability is not as easy with a British L1A1 than it is with an original FN. The FAL and its variants were produced under license by at most eleven countries since its inception. Here are the five most common makes that you will still see in the wild. Belgian-Made FN FALThe original cold fighter, straight from Liege, Belgium. Fabrique Nationale de Herstal is the original designer and producer of the FAL rifle. Although it is difficult to find official production numbers for any manufacturer, it is safe to say that FN-made FAL rifles are the most common. This is partly due to the fact FAL was made by several countries, but they were primarily doing so to supply their own armed forces. FN was not the only one that sold and distributed rifles overseas. From 1953 to 1988, FN was producing FAL rifles for armies around the globe. The order of a batch of FAL rifles from Belgium was the first step in many countries’ production. Rock Island Auction Company. Many Belgian FALs made by FN were sold to less stable governments. Guerrilla fighters in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia are more likely to use FALs than others. Only countries in which an FAL is encountered will not be made by FN. These are either Commonwealth member states or nations that produced their own copies. This was the first adaptation of the FN metric pattern rifles by Canada in mid-50s as the C1. It laid the foundation for the commonwealth FALs in inch that would become the standard in countries loyal to the British crown. The L1A1 was the dominant rifle from Hong Kong to Halifax, Bombay and Brisbane. The L1A1 pattern rifles have a few distinctive features that distinguish them from their metric-pattern older brothers such as the folding charging handle, and different rear sight. Rock Island Auction Company. Also known as the SLR (self-loading rifle), L1A1 FALs saw a lot of action before they were discontinued in 1999. The L1A1 was used by ANZAC troops in Vietnam, by British forces during the Falklands War, and by some United Kingdom Special Forces units in Iraq. It has proven to be just as effective as a battle rifle than FN-made models. Some people hold the L1A1 in a higher regard than Metric-pattern model, despite some minor modernizations. L1A1 rifles are mainly made in the UK. However, some Canadian, Indian, and Australian-made models have been widely distributed around the globe. This is especially true in areas that were once under British influence. There were also countries of mixed influence that used L1A1 and FN pattern FALs, such as Rhodesia. ANZAC troops in Vietnam with L1A1 guns. Photo: WikipediaArgentine FM FALNo. “FM FAL” does not stand for typographical error. When Argentina made the switch from purchasing FALs from FN to producing their own under license, they changed the acronym to reflect their own production facility–Fabricaciones Militares. The Falklands War saw the most use of FM FALs. They were compared against the L1A1 FAL variants from the Brits. However, Argentina also produced them for export. They were mostly sold to South America and Central American countries and probably comprise the majority FALs found there. However, some of them made their way to other countries during the Balkan Wars of the 90s when they were sold to Croatia. FMAP-made select-fire FM FAL. Rock Island Auction Company. The FM FAL is Argentina’s standard service rifle, but it is being phased out. FMAP has produced all FAL variants other than FN over the years, including machineguns, snipers and folding-stock versions. Some FALs from Argentina were imported to the United States as sporting rifles. Many original military examples were captured in the Falklands. Photo by Botswanac, YoutubeBrazilian IMBEL FALLlike Argentina, Brazil licensed FALs to equip their armed forces. However, unlike Argentina, they did no export large numbers. The majority of IMBEL FALs are still in Brazil, or were sold as parts to America, where they were used to build FAL rifles. Century Arms used some of them in conjunction with L1A1 part kits to make Franken FALs. This was due to the cross-over of metric parts and inch-pattern pieces. Springfield Armory imported the better quality IMBEL FLALs from the U.S. as semi-auto sporter rifles under the designation SAR-48. The majority of IMBEL FALs are still in use by some Brazilian police and army units. Brazilian troops train with IMBEL FALs. Photo: WikipediaIsraeli “Romat FAL. Although the Israelis initially liked the FAL enough to buy the licensing rights to make it themselves, their negative experiences with it led them to develop the Galil in 1972. It replaced the FAL after just 17 years of service. Sand is the biggest problem with the FAL and the platform as a whole. This issue was not visible in the jungles of Asia, where the FAL was first tested. However, it quickly became apparent once the FAL was brought to the Middle East desert. IMI, the Israeli FAL’s producers, tried to borrow the L1A1 “sand cuts” concept to improve reliability, but the platform was eventually abandoned. Israeli FAL parts kit. Photo by Rock Island Auction Company. Target grids and bullseye sizes can be downloaded in MOA. Perfect for long-range shooting! Get free targets