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The L1A1 Self Loading Rifle, also known by the Canadian Army designation C1, as the SLR, or as the "Inch pattern" FAL (especially on the American surplus market), is a British Commonwealth derivative of the Belgian FN FAL battle rifle, produced under licence. It has seen use in the armies of Australia, Canada (as the C1 rifle), Jamaica, Malaysia, New Zealand, Rhodesia (pre-UDI), and the United Kingdom.

In contrast to the so-called 'metric' FAL's, the design dimensions of the inch-pattern are British imperial units, rather than the metric units used in Belgium. Despite this, the measurements do match up, and many sub-assemblies are interchangeable between the two types. However components of those sub-assemblies may not interchange (for example, a metric upper receiver will mate to an inch pattern lower receiver, but inch and metric parts cannot be used together in the same bolt sub-assembly). Another notable difference is the difference in magazines. Also, butt-stocks are not interchangeable, since the stocks on metric pattern and inch pattern guns attach in different ways.

Variants[]

X8E1 & X8E2[]

Early variants used for troop trials, differing in only minor details from the final L1A1. The X8E1 used standard FN FAL iron sights, and had a stripper clip guide on its receiver cover. The X8E2 did not have the clip guide, but was equipped with a Unit sight, also found on the Thorpe EM-1 and Janson EM-2.[1]

L1A1[]

UK, Australian, New Zealand standard variant.

C1[]

Canadian variant. Features a shortened receiver cover to allow usage of stripper clips.

L2A1[]

Squad automatic weapon variant.

KAL 1[]

Australian bullpup conversion.

X3 F2A2[]

Australian improved squad automatic weapon variant.

Gallery[]

References[]

External Links[]

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