#2: Being magazine fed, the standard 20 round and even the rare 30 round mags ran dry too fast. #1: Unless they were on a bipod, the rifles were difficult to control. All of the literature I have read indicates that soldiers in the field rarely used the full-auto selection.
#CENTURY ARMS FN FAL FULL#
This is particularly because the military versions were select-fire with a full auto option. Therefore, original Belgian-made rifles are in high demand and hard to come by. SA58 from DS Arms.įN Herstal officially stopped making the FAL in Belgium in 1988. The SA58 from DS Arms, a Rhodesian chest rig and ammo bandolier. The 7.62 NATO was not a long range round. Historical reports of battles showed that most engagements took place at what we would call close range, 100 meters and closer. 308 Winchester as a long distance round, during the Bush War, Rhodesian troops became experts at employing their rifles in close quarters. While many Americans view the 7.62 NATO or. The famous Selous (pronounced səˈlu) Scouts used the FAL but were also as likely to use AK’s as they made raids against the communists guerrillas hiding in the various border countries. Also, as most NATO countries turned their backs on Rhodesia, thanks in large part to the cowardly British, Rhodesian troops could not be too picky.Īll that being said, the FAL was the official standard issue infantry rifle for the Rhodesian Light Infantry, Reserve units and others. Portugal, who was one of the few open supporters of Rhodesia, was armed with H&K G3 rifles, many of which found their way into the Bush War. Yes, I will acknowledge that the UK used them in Northern Ireland and the Falkland Islands.įirst off, we must acknowledge that the FAL, whether Belgian or South African made, was not the only rifle used by the Rhodesians and their allies. NATO countries issued the FAL all over Europe, but the Rhodesian Light Infantry arguably engaged in combat with these rifles more than most anyone else in the world. We will consider the Rhodesian Bush War as this conflict was likely the one which made the FAL, or R1 as it was known in South Africa, a household word for gun people. The one on which I would like to focus is the Rhodesian Bush War. There are many stories to tell about the history of the FAL. It is not surprising that the FAL would find its way from Europe down to Africa and across the Atlantic ocean to Central and South America. I know some folks who will heatedly assert that it is the #1 fighting rifle in that chambering. Despite that competition, the FAL in its various forms is arguably one of the most popular 7.62 NATO battle rifles ever. The Germans built the G3 based upon improvements made from the original CETME rifles. Of course, the United States had to be different and adopt the M-14.
#CENTURY ARMS FN FAL FREE#
Therefore, the rifle became known as the Right Arm of the Free World. Their allies fighting against the evils of communism also adopted the rifle. Fabrique Nationale produced the FAL in that caliber and it was rapidly adopted by numerous NATO countries. NATO initially agreed that that standard rifle cartridge for allied infantrymen would be the 7.62x51mm NATO. Keep in mind that 1953 was the early stages of the Cold War NATO versus the Soviet Union and Communist China. The Austrian version was called the Stg58 and the American version, built by DS Arms, is the SA58. Depending on the nation of origin, the FAL had other names such as the R1, the L1A1 (L1), and the C1A1 (C1). There have been many others to do it as well. The most notable nations have been South Africa, Austria, the UK, Canada, and later, the United States. Since it was released to the world in 1953, numerous countries have produced licensed copies of the original FAL rifle. The English translation is Light Automatic Rifle. FAL means Fusil Automatique Leger in French. They are often referred to as “FN Herstal”. For the uninitiated, FN stands for Fabrique Nationale the Belgian firearms manufacturer in Herstal. When I was coming of age, the FN FAL was known as “the Right Arm of the Free World”.