The FN FAL rifle is often called “The Right Arm of the Free World” — and for good reason. From the early days of the Cold War, it became the standard battle rifle for the NATO alliance and the Commonwealth forces, defining a new era of modern warfare.
In this military history documentary, we explore how the Fabrique Nationale FAL evolved into the L1A1 SLR, used by the United Kingdom and the British Empire, and how it helped shape global power during one of history’s most tense periods.
Chambered in 7.62×51 NATO, this rifle bridged the gap between World War II bolt-actions like the Lee-Enfield and the semi-automatic weapons that came to dominate the 20th century. From WW2 legacy to Falklands combat, the FAL’s influence on soldiers across Europe and beyond is undeniable.
If you’d like to learn more about he conflicts and and weapons featured in this video, these are some of the best resources I’ve found:
– The Battle for the Falklands by Max Hastings & Simon Jenkins – https://amzn.to/3WBATXb
Timestamps:
00:00 – The Rifle That Replaced a Legend
00:08 – The End of the Lee-Enfield Era
03:05 – From Bolt-Action to Self-Loading
04:18 – Britain’s Search for a New Rifle
04:46 – The EM-2 and the Lost .280 British Dream
07:13 – Enter the FN FAL
08:32 – Birth of the L1A1 SLR
09:19 – Inside the SLR: Design and Features
13:48 – The Rifle That Defined a Generation
16:25 – Combat Proven Around the World
19:19 – The Falklands War and the SLR’s Finest Hour
21:11 – Comparing the SLR to Other Battle Rifles
24:16 – The End of the Battle Rifle Era
25:14 – Replaced by the L85 and the 5.56 NATO Era
28:16 – The Legacy of the L1A1 SLR
Credit to : Chronicles of Battle