Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Dieudonne Saive at Fabrique Nationale began developing the FAL to submit for the British post-war program to adopt new small arms. He built the first example in the German 8x33mm Kurz cartridge, as this was of a lot of interest at the time, and offered the possibility of controllable automatic fire from the shoulder. The rifle was tested successfully, and led to a British request for two more guns for more substantial testing - but those next two were to use the .280 (7x49mm) cartridge. This example, serial number 1, is really the only intermediate-caliber FAL ever made.
Many thanks to the Ars Mechanica Foundation for giving me access to this unique rifle to film for you!
The best firearms reference books: headstamppublishing.com
patreon.com/ForgottenWeapons
floatplane.com/channel/ForgottenWeapons
Cool Forgotten Weapons merch! shop.forgottenweapons.com
Dieudonne Saive at Fabrique Nationale began developing the FAL to submit for the British post-war program to adopt new small arms. He built the first example in the German 8x33mm Kurz cartridge, as this was of a lot of interest at the time, and offered the possibility of controllable automatic fire from the shoulder. The rifle was tested successfully, and led to a British request for two more guns for more substantial testing - but those next two were to use the .280 (7x49mm) cartridge. This example, serial number 1, is really the only intermediate-caliber FAL ever made.
Many thanks to the Ars Mechanica Foundation for giving me access to this unique rifle to film for you!
The best firearms reference books: headstamppublishing.com
patreon.com/ForgottenWeapons
floatplane.com/channel/ForgottenWeapons
Cool Forgotten Weapons merch! shop.forgottenweapons.com
