FN CAL

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FN CAL
FN CAL
Type	Assault rifle
Place of origin	Belgium
Production history
Designer	Ernest Vervier
Designed	1963-1966
Manufacturer	Fabrique Nationale (FN)
Produced	1966—1975
Specifications
Weight	3.35 kg
Length	980 mm
Cartridge	5.56x45mm NATO
Action	Gas-operated, rotating bolt
Rate of fire	850 rounds/min
Muzzle velocity	3200 feet/second
Feed system	20, 25 and 30-round detachable box magazine
Sights	Iron sights

The CAL (Carabine Automatique Légère) was the Belgian arms manufacturer Fabrique Nationale's first 5.56 mm rifle.

Contents 1 Design details 2 Operation 3 References 4 See also

[edit] Design details

Contrary to popular assumption, it is not a scaled-down and rechambered FN FAL. FN had already constructed a Mini-FAL prototype before shelving the idea as unmarketable, noting the growing sales success of the HK G3 rifle. FN decided that for any future rifle to be competitive and successful, it would need to use fewer expensive precision-machined parts. These would be replaced by less expensive castings and stampings where possible. While the construction of the new CAL reflected these design principles, it met with no significant sales. It was eventually dropped for the even less expensive FN FNC.

A small number of FN CALs are sold to the US. ^[1]

[edit] Operation

Although this weapon resembled a scaled-down FN FAL, it was in fact a rotating bolt, unlike the FAL. The earlier models of the weapon had a 3-round selector system, which allowed the weapon to fire a three-round burst with each trigger pull. The weapon could also fire in automatic and semi-automatic form.

The gas system used a tappet piston rod to operate the bolt carrier, and the bolt itself had interrupted lugs to lock it into the chamber.^[2]

[edit] References

1. ^ Remtek.com's FN FNC. Retrieved on July 28, 2007.
2. ^ Hogg, Ivan V. & Weeks, John S. (200), Military Small Arms of the Twentieth Century (7th ed.), Krause Publications 

[edit] See also