CCAFE_FN_FAL_Vol_3_Les_metriques_Part6.pdf

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250
T h e G e r m a n Gewehr 1
Fig 199 The ubiquitous prototype no 47, (as featured in
the frontispiece and fig 116), doing double-duty as 'the
specimen' in this early German Border Guard instruction-
al sheet.
The Browning machine rifle, converted to cal-
ibre 7.62 N A T O , was then demonstrated and fired to
show the universality of this cartridge.
On Tuesday Jan 18, a demonstration grenade
shoot was held, using M E C A R grenade projectors fit-
ted to both a Mauser rifle and a FAL rifle. The course
of fire was as follows:
1. 50-metre precision grenade shooting using inert
E N E R G A grenades;
2. 100-metre prone precision grenade shooting, sup-
porting the rifle on sandbags;
3. 100-metre armour plate penetration grenade trial;
4. 250-metre armour plate penetration grenade trial;
5. demonstration of accuracy firing the E N E R G A
grenade from a FAL rifle held at a 45° angle. The
precision was excellent.
Following this, some live grenades were fired, as
follows:
1. E N E R G A grenade on 25 cm armour plate fired
from 90° at 50 metres.
2. AP grenade on 25 cm armour, fired from 63° angle
of incidence, thus increasing the armour thickness to
an actual 28 cm.
3. E N E R G A grenade on 12 cm armour, angle of in-
cidence 3 0 ° , at 50 metres.
A clean and complete penetration w a s achieved
in each case.
Trials carried out Thursday Jan 20:
1. A one-minute, timed single-shot event, fired at 100
metres with the firer seated with elbows supported on
a table. Number of shots fired: 61; dispersion: 39 +
35 = 72 cm.
2. A one-minute timed shoot, same range and con-
ditions, firing short bursts. Number of shots fired:
100; number of shots on the 1.5-metre square target:
77; dispersion 96 + 66 = 162 cm.
3. Same as no 2 above. Number of shots fired: 110;
no of shots on target: 83; dispersion 120 + 120 =
240 cm.
4. 20 single shots, standing, 100 metres: 90 + 42 =
133 cm.
5. A repeat of no 4 above, after a short rest for the
firer: 20 + 36 = 56.
6. 20 shots in bursts of 2 at 100 metres, standing: 10
shots on target.
7. Nine special small targets, representing the head
and shoulders of a prone enemy, were placed at
various distances from 70 to 100 metres. The firer
was to fire a short burst at each target as rapidly as
possible. Results: 9 bursts, 18 shots; 8 silhouettes
pierced, some by more than one bullet. Total
duration 20 seconds.
Fig 200 German receiver markings on the first
Bundes-
grenzschutz
FAL rifles. Note change lever positions ' D F '
and ' E F ' (single shot and auto fire).
8. A 300-metre event, shot f r o m the seated position:
44 + 27 = 71 c m .
T h e 1955 FN G e r m a n test report e n d e d p r o u d l y
with the f o l l o w i n g short statement: " W e fired in
total a b o u t 2,500 rounds, without the o c c u r r e n c e
of a single s t o p p a g e or incident."
On the strength of the W a h n test results, the
German
Bundesgrenzschutz
or 'Border safety police'
p l a c e d an order with FN for several t h o u s a n d FAL
' C a n a d a ' rifles, fitted with the US type, 5-prong
f l a s h hider. T h e actions on the rifles were to be
particularly 'fine t u n e d ' with the hammer notch and
sear c h r o m e plated for a crisp, sharp let-off.
T h e major G e r m a n order was p l a c e d o n N o v -
ember 13, 1956. Under the terms of the post-
W W I I N A T O m u t u a l aid a l l i a n c e , the W e s t G e r m a n
A r m y , the
Bundeswehr,
w a s a l l o w e d to reform and
re-arm. A brief ten years had passed s i n c e the
defeat of N a z i G e r m a n y , and the order to rearm the
Fig 201
Prototype of the
Bundeswehr
' l o w line of sight'
Gewehr 1.
German-designed stamped handguard and
bipod.
252
The German Gewehr 1
G e r m a n military giant was received in Herstal with
mixed feelings.
A request f r o m the G e r m a n p u r c h a s i n g c o m -
mission c a l l e d for several innovative modifications
to the basic F A L ' C a n a d a ' design.
A l r e a d y , in s o m e m o d e l s being built for ex-
port, a new i m p r o v e d firing pin with a purely
c o n i c a l rear s e c t i o n had r e p l a c e d the earlier type,
and s o m e clients had requested the optional two-
p i e c e extractor d e s i g n w h i c h M. S a i v e had perfec-
ted, at C o l Studler's request, in 1953. T h e G e r m a n
m o d e l , the G (for
Gewehr,
or rifle) 1, built in these
two features as standard for the first time. T h e fore-
end w a s not to be of w o o d , as in previous models,
but a new G e r m a n d e s i g n of two-piece pressed-
metal with an ingenious built-in b i p o d . T h e Ger-
mans intended no b a y o n e t s to be used in the
Bun-
deswehr.
T h e plain m u z z l e - a n d - b a y o n e t - l u g of the
F A L ' C a n a d a ' were kept, however, and several a c -
cessories were d e s i g n e d to fit over it.
T h e final alteration c a m e in a request from the
officer in c h a r g e of the G e r m a n mission; he wanted
the c o m p l e t e line of sight of the rifle to be lowered
by three millimetres. T h e n o n p l u s s e d Belgian
designers protested that this w o u l d be a fairly
c o s t l y p r o c e d u r e , a n d they felt the a d v a n t a g e
g a i n e d w o u l d not be worth the effort. T h e G e r m a n
officer l o o k e d at them and s a i d :
" I n the c a s e of a head w o u n d , three
millimetres is the d i f f e r e n c e between a w o u n d e d
e n e m y and a d e a d o n e . "
O n e hundred t h o u s a n d G1 rifles were ordered
with the new low line of sight, m a k i n g an instantly
r e c o g n i s a b l e break in the flow of events, as, after
this order, w h i c h was p r o d u c e d at FN f r o m April
1957 to M a y 1958, the feature was m a d e standard
on all FN models. T h e G e r m a n stamped metal hand-
guard and bipod was henceforth offered as an option.
T h e G e r m a n s used their F A L s for a short time
only, later a d o p t i n g their native G3 d e s i g n , as
m a n u f a c t u r e d b y H e c k l e r and K o c h o f Oberndorf/
N e c k a r , in 1959.
Fig 202 The German Bundeswehr
Gewehr
1, serial no 1.
The total order was for 100,000 rifles. No bayonets were
ordered or used with the G1.
Fig 203 The G1 with accessories: grenade launcher;
flash hider; BFA.
Fig 204 G1 in a Sniper role with 4x Hensoldt scope at-
tached over-the-bore.
Fig 205 A closeup of the German Hensoldt 4x Sniper
scope, mounted in flexible rings on its special FAL top
cover. Rubber lens caps closed.
254
The German Gewehr 1
f i g 206 Instructional cutaway, G1. Note Bundeswehr
selector switch markings.
Fig 207
Instructional, FN-made G1 rifle, right side.

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