L1A1 Self-Loading Rifle
Country of origin
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
ManufacturerRoyal Small Arms Factory
The L1A1 Self-Loading Rifle (SLR), also known by the initial Canadian designation C1, or in the U.S. as the "inch pattern" FAL (from French: Fusil Automatique Léger), is a British version of the Belgian FN FAL battle rifle. The L1A1 was produced under licence and adopted by the armed forces of the Commonwealth of Nations, mainly by United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, India, Jamaica, Malaysia, New Zealand, Rhodesia and Singapore.
The L1A1 is manufactured to a slightly modified design using British imperial units, not the metric units of the original Belgian FAL. Many sub-assemblies are interchangeable between the two types, while components of those sub-assemblies may not be compatible. Notable incompatibilities include the magazine and the stock.
Most Commonwealth-pattern FALs are considered semi-automatic only, but they are not. On the L1A1s, the safety lever with a single cut, trigger overtravel pin, auto-sear, spring and connector were replaced with parts that prevented the L1A1 from firing until the bolt was fully locked. The receiver was machined to the same dimensions as a select-fire FAL, and if the auto-sear and parts are installed as they are in an FAL, the L1A1 will function...
The L1A1 is manufactured to a slightly modified design using British imperial units, not the metric units of the original Belgian FAL. Many sub-assemblies are interchangeable between the two types, while components of those sub-assemblies may not be compatible. Notable incompatibilities include the magazine and the stock.
Most Commonwealth-pattern FALs are considered semi-automatic only, but they are not. On the L1A1s, the safety lever with a single cut, trigger overtravel pin, auto-sear, spring and connector were replaced with parts that prevented the L1A1 from firing until the bolt was fully locked. The receiver was machined to the same dimensions as a select-fire FAL, and if the auto-sear and parts are installed as they are in an FAL, the L1A1 will function...
