FN CAL

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

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.

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 alllowed 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.