Look how they massacred my FAL, with firearms and weaponry expert Jonathan Ferguson 

If it is from a desert country the plastic tube might be an attempt to protect the users cheek from a hot metal stock.

The "weird plastic pipings" on the folding buttstock struts are common flexible corrugated conduits for protecting electric cables. As other viewers have pointed out, they're there not for aesthetics, but for the practical purpose of insulating the cheek from the metal surface on a hot day or a cold night.

That's more of a handheld stun-grenade than a rifle.

The NZ and Australian SAS in Vietnam modified their SLRs by cutting the barrel down and modifying them to full auto for the shock and awe factor at close range in the jungle. Their philosophy, operating in small teams was to break contact as quickly as possible and move away. The sound and muzzle flash of a burst of fully auto fire from a cut down SLR was pretty intimidating and helped to get the enemies head down and appear to be far more fire power than just that of a small recon team.

The plastic wrap around the stock ought to be pretty effective at preventing frostbite to the face when using it it in cold weather.

The other advantage of a shortened L1A1/FAL was the intimidation effect when used to break contact for a recon patrol. An ARVN patrol commander that was mistakenly engaged by an SASR patrol with modified L1A1s reported the noise effect was more like being ambushed by multiple .50cal MGs and his troops reacted accordingly....

Fun fact, if you buy a shortening kit for FAL barrels; khaki short-shorts are included, and mandatory to wear.

I know it's sacrilege, but I like it, and I DO think it looks cool. I love weird semi-field crafted firearms.

I don't recall ever hearing Jonathan describing a gun as "junk", a title this gun certainly deserves.

Thank you for commenting on the “right arm” phrase. It’s so proliferate in even general firearm circles and I had never heard the about its proper origin beyond “lots of Western nations adopted it”. Thank you, excellent pick from the collection

I noticed the Royal Armouries do have a couple Brazilian Imbel rifles, both derivatives of the FAL. It would be nice to see a video of them.

When I joined the Aussie Army in 1983, the official nomenclature for our SLR was that it was our "MBR" or "Main Battle Rifle". Also, in 2007, I was offered one of these, almost identical, from the Black Market in Afghanistan. I suspected it was a Peshwar Valley copy.

The L1A1 was my first rifle and this poor abomination of a rifle gives me heartburn just looking at it... Thank you for the great work you do as whenever I visit the family I do try and visit the Leeds museum... which is an amazing place the museum not so sure about Leeds though...

Be willing to bet the plastic on the stock tubes is protection for the shooter's cheek against a painfully hot or freezing cold bare metal stock. I suspect eith thr super shorty barrel, it's slightly more likely to be concerns of hot metal rsther than freezing conditionsm

I know pretty much nothing about firearms but I really enjoy watching him talk about them.

That looks like shooting it on full auto might be a rather intense experience (assuming it’s select fire)… Edit: oh, apparently it may explode

Thanks again Jonathan and team. This almost seems like a real world example of the kind of 'junk' gun that you start out with in some FPS games, before you get the chance to upgrade to better items.

Would have been nice to see it beside a regular FAL

'Rapid Unscheduled Disassembly' the most British term for it will blow the hell up

Kind of reminiscent of my FAL except I did mine properly. Mine 16 inch barrel, SAW pistol grip, L1A1 charging handle, L1A1 mag release, L1A1 safety selector, Railed dust cover. Fun to build fun to shoot .

Ian Yuel used a shortened FAL in the Wild Geese.

Looks like a parts kit rifle we were building in the late 90's/early 00's in the US from surplus rifles that had been de-mil'd and sold as spare parts. You could get a kit from $100-$200 and an upper receiver for about the same amount, back then. Some guys experimented with a short barrel and short stroke piston system, done in their home workshops. Headspacing was the easiest thing to get right when working on them. A lot of folks couldn't get the builds correct, so they sold them off to poor, unsuspecting suckers. They were a lot of fun to build, and ammo was cheap - some guys could pool their money and order surplus ammo by the pallet.

Keep up the good work and great content! Love yall!

Rhodesian FAL was initially shortened for the RLI paratroopers where it was common for full length barrels to get bent when landing on operational jumps

If this thing is from a cold environment i would suggest that the stock plastic covers could just be a way of preventing your face from touching metal when you aim. Could also presumably be better in a hot condition, as plastic heats up slower than metal

Ah yes: the repeating flash bang device.

7.62x51 PDW.

We ran F1A1 when i was in service, loved this rifle, the 7.62 round was perfect.

Once again great video.

Quite an intersting example of a firearm. Thx for the Video

one of the FALs I have in my own collection is a brand spanking new (2019) DS Arms FAL in nearly this exact configuration. And I can tell you that I LOVE IT !!!!... Don't get me wrong, I love my 21" FAL and my "old school" L1A1 with its S.U.I.T and wood furniture (not original woof, sadly) is one of the first rifles I ever purchased about 40 years ago I would never think of selling. However, the DSA shorty PARA is wonderful. It is fun and fast and is something quite different than the ubiquitous AR style rifles everyone uses here in the US. Granted, my shorty is newly manufactured here by an excellent company that puts out a quality product, and it is not a chopped-up, bastardized assembly of rusted junk. I can tell you my shorty FAL always gets the envy at the range or in the woods. She is a hell of a truck gun and unmatched at dropping feral hogs. (shorty has put a lot of meat in the smoker). Perhaps its just deep-fried, American hillbilly sense of the aesthetic, but I like it. The one you are showing, maybe after a few drinks and from a somewhat greater distance, but yeah,, I like it.

I just like how you guys refer to Ian McCollum on Forgotten Weapons for info about the Para FAL. He’s officially a professional source!

I have been lucky enough to hold one of these things and it was quite the treat. pretty neat rifle!

Jonathan, being a fan of the MP-5 why don't you make a "What is that weapon" with a HK G53, lot of people aren't aware of this weapon history and existence and it would be cool to see it getting some recognition !

A FAL is one of the items still on my "to acquire" list. I've got a few FN-49's and they're great rifles too. Quite similar in their internals but are built much more along the lines of a pre WW2 infantry rifle with a wood stock. I'd love to get a Canadian military FAL but you'd have more luck finding a bushel of hen's teeth.

i believe the plastic around the stock is for reducing discomfort in hot or sub-zero environments. the finns did something similar with the rk rifles.

I love that they kept the carry handle

i love the almost forensic accuracy of your statements and comments about this weapon!

It resembles the cut down FAL used by the Argentinian Federal Police except theirs came with a forward pistol grip, just a standard FAL pistol grip mounted to the underside of the gas block.

All things considered, whoever owned this gun in its service life clearly loved it very much(or maybe was forced to), enough to optimize the stock for a hot desert day/freezing night, and enough to refinish the gun with a new pistol grip and ergonomic charging handle. I personally quite like it, I think its a gun with a lot of character

I was in the South African military when we used the FAL (R1, as we called it) and built 2 examples here in the US - metric-pattern 21" and and 18" Para. Now, I was a contractor in Iraq for OIF II and III ('04 and '05) and there was a building in Camp Cooke (an Iraqi military facility in Taji, some miles north of Baghdad) full of rusty FALs - so the one Jonathan's clutching may very well have been sourced from a place like that.

How about doing a video on how these weapons are acquired by your institution, and from where? The relationships involved, permits/paperwork, etc, would be interesting...

With the gas port location the bolt must give a massive jolt when it hits its rearward end of travel.

Does changing the position of the front sight forwards or backwards mess up the elevation adjustments of the rifle? I don't mean in the short term, but the graduations of 100m 200m 300m etc built into the rear sight.

Not one but two meme titles. Good job Royal Armouries.

While at university in the UK in the early eighties I played soldiers in the OTC so was running around with an SLR. I loved it. Someone has been very mean to that poor FAL Jonathan, give her a pat from me before you put her away.

Speaking of mini FALs: Does the RA have one of the Brazillian 5.56 FALs? I’m doubting it, but might as well ask.

The plastic sleeves on the stock serve two purposes - one is to maintain the stock at a mangeable temperature, which is especially important in cold climates. the other is to mitigate stock slap that's generate by recoil.

The piping on the stock is so you don't freeze to it Or get burnt by it in the heat Someone mentioned the freezing part I just saw, but for leaving in the heat, dark painted metal is gonna get hot

“Has been bodged onto the gun “. Love when Jonathan uses technical language.

My experience with the SLR is that the weak spot was the gas port, what happened is that people didn't clean the barrels properly after using BFAs, so you'd get a ring of carbon in the barrel which increased gas pressure with live ammunition. That led to gas port erosion and damaged the gas plug and the piston and then the rifle stopped working. People forget that the main reason for the adoption of the SA80 was because the SLRs were worn out, and the SA80 was delayed. If you go to a shorter barrel you also bugger up the gas system, it's not a good idea. The SLRs were put in war reserve, that was a pretty big contract to repair them from what I recall, some company down in Devon? Can't remember the name. Anyway, I was always of the opinion that the purpose of the SA80 was to make FIBUA easier, the explanation of "it fits into a Warrior IFV" was the official reason, no one wanted to say: "it fits into a terraced house in Belfast more easily."

I always like the short barreled variants, I would have to say the FAL OSW is one of my dream guns. Garand Thumb did a video on it and boy it is a sexy firearm.

...gotta be the most bestest euphemism of of ALL TIME..."Rapid, unscheduled disassembly..."

When I had a personal FN FAL one of the things I liked about it was the intimidatory factor of it's sheer size! Agree it was awkward in type spaces. Fulton's of Bisley fitted a heavy barrel (which seemed even longer in my memory). Very accurate and comfortable to shoot. It is in the basement of the Imperial War Museum now is that anything to do with you? I've been out of the country for 35 years.... P.

My dsa osw shorty FAL is my favorite. Very loud but it’s awesome!

My favourite Firearms Expert talking about my favourite Firearm? Oh yes please

its a curiosity for sure, thanks for sharing

Some original Belgian type III 50.63 Paratroopers came with folding charging handles, similar to the charging handles on the British L1A1’s. I can’t tell which one that rifle has.

I'm poor and live in the US this is the closest I'm ever going to get to your museum thank you for these videos

Omg! Bet muzzle blast and recoil is unbelievable!

The FrankenFAL ! I would guess that the plastic tubing encasing the butt stock may have been installed to help stop the metal frame becoming hot in the sun or cold on desert nights , and to assist the user form a more comfortable cheek weld . Weird guns are always really interesting , it would be nice if the museum could get hold of a correctly modified "official" conversion . Stay Safe & Stay Well , catch You next episode .

"Massacred"?! That thing is AWESOME! It's the FAL version of an HK51.

The definition of "Make do and mend" I like it.

i wonder why Jonathan didnt bring in an emotional support FAL just to ease his pain

as a woodworker that grip looks pretty good, curves are hard!

the PARA-FAL(as we call in Brazil) was designed and is used(to this day) to parachutist units ONLY(as exception a few police special units use them aswell), due to its size and foldable stock, very very trustable weapon that can resist pretty much all sorts of weather without jaming(if made by real factories like IMBEL, not diy ofc)

i think the stock is like that for comfort metal heats up and freezes that plastic stuff shouldn't get as hot or cold

i see EM 1 or 2 and XL60 , will u do those video?

In one of my stories the characters would describe that as a 'tenderizer'. Good enough to get fast and messy, no loss to dump.

Its a thing of beauty!!!

Is that the junior version of it?

I did see a very similar weapon with somebody in the Kosbs in 86. Exercise E.T.

I absolutely love short rifles and a lil' shorty FAL is at the top of my list of favorites

The FN FAL is a metric piece and only produced in metric , all others are licensed imperial manufactured by UK , Australia etc . Plastic stock guards for protection from heat or cold . The charging handle assembly does not interchange between the 2 readily , without a considerable amount of work including notching the receiver and bolt carrier and not a simple bodge or swap . The other distinguishing feature that appeared on the L1A1 variants by this time which would have been useful here was the bolt carrier dust/sand grooves . This cocking assembly was also used for some AR15 upper receiver forgings for left hand cocking along with the existing rear charging handle . If you happen across one of these, the FN FAL cocking assembly does not fit , nor can it be made to fit as the detent that communicates with the carrier is in a completely different position on its slide . This FN may have been modified here in the UK , if its 1975 Persian origin can be substantiated. A contemporary rifle , the G3 had been successfully modified in the UK in the 80s to a shorter length carbine with collapsing stock for a special forces , policing role under contract to Turkey . The G3 having no gas system to worry about , of course . I mention this as clearly the H&K styling was used for the pistol grip design.

Interestingly indicative to the now-older DSA OSW 13" guns, I frankly enjoy the look of the super-shorty 7.62 NATOs, ala OSW, HK-51, etc. Some know the (more popular) 11" OSW and the horrifying HK51 or DSA Para 8" guns, but 7.62 NATO's velocity REALLY tanks under 13 or 14 in, obviously the cartridge thrives under 20 or 22 in barrels.

Why would it blow up when fired? If the round was chambered correctly if would shoot normally?

The dsarms FAL’s are gorgeous

Upon the unwieldiness of "battle rifles" Doing my military service as a pioneer (combat engineer) equipped with the G3. When building bridges sometimes a soldier found himself with the weapon on one side of the girders and his body on the other side connected to each other by the sling, hopefully one of his comrades where able to uncouple the sling from the weapon, sometimes this where impossible and then the parts of the bridge had to be dismantled (in wartime under time constraint cutting the sling where a valid option)

Why not showing the long FAL for visualisation of the differences like the barrel? And why should a shorter barrel be a problem? For the m16 there are also short barrel versions.

What happened to the breach block carriers rats tail (slide and slide rod )?

We used to use that piping on our bike chains back in the 80's. I think it was electrical piping for electronics.

It would be absolutely sick to see a version of this that's refined to be more reliable and maybe chambered in 556. I like seeing miniaturized versions of beefier guns, so this is really cool to me, even if it is probably correct to call it junk.

I think the tubing could be on the stock one can aim down the sights in super hot or cold weather.

Just love the FAL, be it short or long.

Was this weapon used by Ian Yule in the Film The wild geese?

A shame you didn’t look at the Recoil System, I think that must have been substantially altered. Did they do the IDA trick on the breech block?

Don't shorter barrels also often impart less spin stabilization to the projectile? I always assumed that was the primary reason for less "accuracy" in a shorter barrel.

One of the more interesting weapon's you've shown us i'd say, it looks like it may have one mighty story. Perhaps a well-liked weapon, used and repaired until its condition became a total mess haha

Would love to see you also shoot these devices in your videos!

Looks like one of the ones Tosh Yule used in that '70's documentary on Africa, "The Wild Geese". The magazine he used was a bit longer, thirty-rounder or possibly forty-rounder.

I'm reminded of that scene in Garth Marenghi's Dark Place, where Sanchez shoots his pistol with another pistol.

How long is the Barrel exactly? I would guess about 14-15 Inches.

In Rhodesia it was recognised a short barrel was desirable for troops transported by Alouette. Also I seem to recall they were popular for use by mounted units ( horse ) It was a pig, full stop.

Fue mi herramienta de trabajo muchos años. Lo sigo admirando. Es un gran fusil.

The SAS once experimented with an MP5 chambered in 7.62x51, the HK51 and found it intolerable to fire as it induced concussive effects in everyone nearby. Unsurprisingly, they didn't use it. I can imagine how firing this FAL would be.

The look of confusion and disgust just sells it! :D

How about the DSA SA58 osw?

Those of you who remember the movie 'Wild Geese' [1978] will no doubt be aware of the 'shorty FAL' that was used by the character played by Ian Yule ['Tosh']. I tried to find out more about this weapon. It was (I was told by Mr. Yules agent) supplied by a 'contact' in the South African army (the movie was shot in South Africa with the support of the Apartheid Government of the time). In proportions this modified 'short FAL' used in the movie was similar to the modern DSL made SA58 OSW. An additional interesting aspect to that weapon was that it was fitted with - the now nearly forgotten - 'SINGLEPOINT'. Ian Yule himself was a very interesting character. Ex-SAS, he wore his SAS berry in the movie, he was also a member of 'Mad' Mike Hoare's Congo mercenaries.

The muzzle flash on that thing would be spectacular though.

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