When most veterans of the Vietnam War think of an infantry weapon, it’s usually either an M-14, M-16, SKS carbine or AK-47.
But to veterans from Australia and New Zealand, the iconic long arm was the L1A1, a British- and Australian-built version of the Belgian Fabrique Nationale’s classic self-loading rifle (SLR) whose use in some 90 countries earned it the sobriquet “The Right Arm of the Free World.”
More rugged and reliable than its American equivalents, it was also more accurate and its 7.62mm round was more effective than the M-16’s .556mm bullet.
Bob Cashner’s entry in Osprey’s “Weapon” series provides a concise summation of this long-lived long arm, with highlights from the many conflicts in which it saw use—including the Falklands War in 1982, when British and Argentine variants engaged each other.
In the short but pointed section dealing with Vietnam, the statistics surrounding the infantry from Down Under should raise some eyebrows, as should the original issuance of just five 20-round magazines per soldier until the Battle of Long Tan on Aug. 18, 1966, which convinced the Aussies to carry more.
Superbly illustrated with photos and artwork by Steve Noon, The FN FAL Battle Rifle sheds light on a relatively overlooked fixture in the Vietnam landscape.
This story was originally posted in Vietnam Magazine.
It might be an obscure reference for young Marines early in their marksmanship training, but it holds a special place in the sniper community, especially for those steeped in the legend and lore of the sniper’s role in Vietnam.
The new rifle can be converted to three different calibers.
Slagga, a Connecticut-based startup, now aims to be the first in the country to quench that thirst by producing the VSS entirely in America, built to a virtually the same spec, albeit with a few standard modifications to make it compliant with current firearms regulations.
North Korea’s first truly indigenous handgun design, the Type 70 is nevertheless an interesting conglomeration of features from other countries’ guns, combined in a simple, effective firearm.
Based on the company’s wildly popular 98B bolt-action rifle, the MRAD’s most important feature and biggest selling point is that it can be easily refitted to fire different cartridges at the end-user level using just a single tool.
Up to 40,000 Army National Guard soldiers haven't yet gotten the mandated COVID-19 vaccine.
The World War II Navy destroyer has become the deepest wreck to be discovered, according to explorers.
After learning of an upcoming deployment, the soldier began passing information he learned to members of 09A as he proposed and planned a deadly attack on his fellow troops, authorities said.
The C-17 crew brought in special ops to rescue Americans on the ground, evacuated Afghans in danger and transported the remains of U.S. troops.
The female airman faces about another year of advanced skills training before she is assigned to an operational unit.
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