FN CAL assault rifle

 

 

FN CAL Assault Rifle with fixed butt
FN CAL Assault Rifle with fixed butt

 

 

FN CAL Assault Rifle with folding butt and optional telescope sight
FN CAL Assault Rifle with folding butt and optional telescopic sight

 

 

 

 

Specification Value
Full text name FN CAL assault rifle
Caliber cartridge 5.56x45 NATO, .223 Remington
Action type select-fire
Trigger type sa
Overall length, mm 926
Barrel length, mm 467
Weight empty, kg 3,0
Magazine capacity, rounds 30
Cyclic rate of fire, rounds/min 850

 

The FN CAL (“Carabine Automatique Légère”, or “Light Automatic Carbine”) was first demonstrated in 1967. It was an early attempt by the famous Belgian company Fabrique Nationale Herstal (FN Herstal) to produce an assault rifle chambered for the then-new American 5.56mm small-bore, high-velocity cartridge.

The FN CAL rifle was designed with mass production in mind, utilizing steel stampings and plastics as much as possible. However, the production life of this rifle was relatively short, and only about 12 000 of FN CAL rifles were manufactured before FN closed the CAL production line in 1977. At that time it switched to a more promising design, the FN FNC. Most FNC Rifles were sold in Latin America and Africa. The main problems, associated with FN CAL, were the complexity of manufacture of certain parts, insufficient reliability and the somewhat complex maintenance procedures.

 

Technical Description:

The FN CAL Assault Rifle is a gas operated, select-fire weapon. It uses a short-stroke gas piston, located above the barrel. The locking is achieved by a rotating bolt with multiple radial lugs that engage the barrel extension. The receiver is made from steel stampings and assembled from two parts (upper and lower), hinged at the front.

The trigger unit is equipped with a 4 position safety / fire selector, and allows for single shot, 3-round burst and full automatic fire. The charging handle is located on the right side of the receiver, and moves along with the bolt group when gun is fired. This rifle can be fitted with a fixed plastic butt or side folding metallic butt.

Standard sights consist of front post and L-shaped rear sight with two apertures (for 250 and 400 meters range). The muzzle compensator / flash hider is shaped to accept rifle grenades. The US-made M203 grenade launcher can be fitted under the rifle, if required. Feed was from proprietary box magazines with 20 or 30 round capacity.