French Trials FN CAL: Adding Rifle Grenade Capability (Ad-free)
Added 2025-09-10 12:00:03 +0000 UTCCheck out Headstamp Publishing's extensive catalog of excellent books:
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In the 1970s when the French Army was looking for a new rifle 5.56mm, they tested a number of foreign rifles alongside development the FAMAS at St Etienne. These included the HK33, the M16, and the FN CAL - and today we are looking at the FN CAL. It already had a four-position selector switch (safe/semi/full/burst), fulfilling one of the French Army requirements. But it did not have sufficient grenade launching capability, and so several examples were modified for trials with unique rifle grenade launching hardware.
Ultimately the HK33 was the best performing rifle, but it was not seen as a politically acceptable option and the FAMAS was chosen instead. I have not seen the trials reports to understand specifically why the FN CAL was unsuccessful, but we know that it was unsuccessful in many other trials, and FN dropped it for the distinct FNC design instead before long.
HK33F Video: https://youtu.be/sKqfAIEkFgg
Many thanks to the IRCGN (Institut de Recherche Criminelle de la Gendarmerie Nationale) for allowing me access to film these trials prototypes for you!
Comments
Look at how skinny & long the barrel is on that FN-CAL and your argument doesn't hold up. Suspect it has more to do w/ the AR's gas system not having a gas cut-off, or Colt being too busy trying to keep up w/ US demand to worry about yet another French govt. gun competition they'd never win to even bother entering.
Bruce Brodnax
2025-09-11 17:39:07 +0000 UTCThe French govt. never considers buying anything from someone else, they just hold "competitions" to see whose ideas they can lift and incorporate into their own design... π Their new HK is the 1st break w/ that loooong tradition... probably because they couldn't get away w/ it any more!π
Bruce Brodnax
2025-09-11 17:28:26 +0000 UTCCurious why the M16 didnβt make the cut. It was fairly developed by that point. Guessing it wasnβt sturdy enough for rifle grenade use prior to the A2 profile barrels in the 80s
Squid556
2025-09-10 13:00:35 +0000 UTC
