In the early 1990s, the Brazilian Imbel factory made a small run of FAL rifles converted to 5.56mm using AR magazines. They used standard FAL receivers and bolt carriers, with a boltface cut for 5.56x45mm and a magazine well insert with a new magazine release compatible with the AR magazines. About 700 were imported by Springfield under the designation SAR4800 5.56mm Sporter. These were all post-ban configuration rifles, with fake solid flash hiders and thumbhole stocks. This particular one has been rebuilt in the Para configuration with a proper flash hider, folding stock, and requisite replacement top cover and bolt carrier.
Sold for $2,875 at the December 2019 RIA Premier auction.
Did you guys really put an Argentinian flag instead of Brazilian in the thumbnail?
Looks like Ian has noticed as well and uploaded a corrected version with brazilian flag.
Well, an FAL type rifle in 5.56 x 45mm would make more sense than the standard 7.62 x 51mm. At least it wouldn’t kick like the standard model.
People who note the FAL/SLR’s rather sharp recoil generally don’t know that when it was first prototyped in the post-WW2 years, it was designed around the German 7.9 x 33mm Kurz round of the MKb42/MP43/StG44 family. Hence “Fusil Automatique Léger”- Light Automatic Rifle.
It was then modified for the British 0.280in round of the EM1/2 series rifles, which probably would have been the best all-around cartridge for it (unless they more sensibly went for 7 x 57mm Mauser).
In the end of course, it was built in the 7.62 x 51mm NATO chambering, resulting in a rifle designed for a .30 Remington class cartridge being used with a .30-06 class round. No wonder the beast kicks.
Probably the best “commercial” choice for the FAL after about 1970 would have been… 7.62 x 39mm M43.
cheers
eon
” (unless they more sensibly went for 7 x 57mm Mauser).”
Well… they did made similar cartridge and produced some FAL firing it. See 7×49 FN Venezolano: http://municion.org/7×49/7×49.htm
In that case and round, they also should have ditched the milled receiver and went with stamped steel.
Convert all that can be found back to former glory. De-Bastardize them!
Is this, essentially, an FN FNC-80? Seems to be a backdoor way of making the same rifle.
My understanding is the FNC-80 is a FAL chambered for 5.56/.223. Not sure the operating system is identical between the FAL and FNC-80, for one thing the firing pin seems different on the FNC.
But it seems they were heading in that direction with the FNC.
The FN FNC operates more like an AK than FAL . Long stroke piston and a rotating bolt.
Current IMBEL rifle production https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IMBEL_IA2
Now they lock into barrel extension which is clear departure from FAL design.
They are not much to marvel about, but are sturdy, workman-like weapons with reasonable mass. Worth of noticing is that Imbel did not adopt “modular” construction. This precludes compromises and makes construction of each rifle simpler.
This video is from 2015 while production started in 2012 which seem to display actual production weapons.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VifJZEbbMoc
Interestingly, they maintain same way of receiver break-open. The amount of plastics applied to this design is about right. I love the language spoken by demonstrating technician.