FN CAL

Prior to the development of the CAL, FN had already constructed a scaled-down FAL prototype before shelving the idea as unmarketable. Noting the growing sales success of the cheaper and simpler HK G3 rifle, FN decided that for any future rifle to be competitive in the marketplace, it would need to use fewer expensive precision-machined parts. These would be replaced by less expensive castings and stampings where possible. While the construction of the new CAL reflected these design principles, it was still relatively expensive and complex, and met with no significant sales. It was eventually dropped for the even less expensive FN FNC.{{cite news|url=http://remtek.com/arms/fn/fnc/|date=December 1985 |work=Soldier of Fortune Magazine|author=Kokalis, Peter G. |title=FNC; Belgium's Compact Carbine|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20230214205255/https://remtek.com/arms/fn/fnc/index.html|archive-date=February 14, 2023}} A small number of FN CALs were sold to the civilian market in the US.

Although the weapon resembled a scaled-down FN FAL, it in fact used a rotating bolt, unlike the FAL, which used a tilting bolt design. The earlier models of the CAL had a three-round selector system, which allowed the weapon to fire a three-round burst with each trigger pull. The CAL could also fire in fully and semi-automatic modes.

The gun used long stroke gas piston to operate the bolt carrier, and the bolt itself had interrupted lugs to lock it into the chamber.{{Citation| last1 =Hogg| first1 =Ivan V.| last2 =Weeks| first2 =John S.| title =Military Small Arms of the Twentieth Century| publisher =Krause Publications| year =2000| edition =7th| url=https://archive.org/details/militarysmallarm0000hogg| url-access=registration}}

Locking lugs were cut diagonally at a steep angle. So while the bolt is rotating to unlock, bolt face is slowly moving back, giving primary extraction of the case. Similar feature can be seen on MG 30, MG 15, MG 17 and MG 34.

• {{Flag|Belgium}}
• {{Flag|Colombia}}
• {{Flag|Gabon}}Jones, Richard D. Jane's Infantry Weapons 2009/2010. Jane's Information Group; 35 edition (January 27, 2009). {{ISBN|978-0-7106-2869-5}}.
• {{Flag|Ireland}}: Provisional Irish Republican Army{{Cite book|last=Clarke, Lism|first=M. Kathryn, Johnston|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wapnAAAAMAAJ&q=FN+CAL+|title=Martin McGuinness: From Guns to Government|date=2001|publisher=Mainstream|isbn=9781840184730|language=en}}
• {{Flag|Lebanon}}: Lebanese Forces
• {{Flag|Mali}}: People's Movement for the Liberation of Azawad{{cite book|url=http://www.smallarmssurvey.org/publications/by-type/yearbook/small-arms-survey-2005.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101109192749/http://www.smallarmssurvey.org/publications/by-type/yearbook/small-arms-survey-2005.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 9, 2010|chapter-url= http://www.smallarmssurvey.org/fileadmin/docs/A-Yearbook/2005/en/Small-Arms-Survey-2005-Chapter-06-EN.pdf|chapter=Sourcing the Tools of War: Small Arms Supplies to Conflict Zones|title=Small Arms Survey 2005: Weapons at War|publisher=Oxford University Press|year=2005|author=Small Arms Survey|author-link=Small Arms Survey|page=166|isbn=978-0-19-928085-8}}
• {{Flag|Mexico}}
• {{Flag|Morocco}}: Royal Moroccan Gendarmerie{{Cite web |date=2010-02-12 |title=wiw_af_morocco (worldinventory) |url=http://sites.google.com/site/worldinventory/wiw_af_morocco |access-date=2022-10-22 |website= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100212105042/http://sites.google.com/site/worldinventory/wiw_af_morocco |archive-date=12 February 2010 |url-status=dead}}
• {{Flag|Myanmar}}: Karen National Liberation Army;{{cite web |url=http://www.falfiles.com/forums/showthread.php?t=395072 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171003225140/http://www.falfiles.com/forums/showthread.php?t=395072 |archive-date=2017-10-03 |title=FN CAL around the world - The FAL Files}} captured by the Myanmar junta [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kTHsLarfYM&t=51s အကြမ်းဖက်လုပ်ရပ်‌တွေကိုမကြိုက်လို့ ကိုယ်တိုင်ပါဝင် စစ်မှုထမ်းလာတဲ့ ပြည်သူ့စစ်မှုထမ်းများ အပိုင်း-၇] PyoMay Vlogs June 12, 2024
• {{Flag|Nicaragua}}: National Guard and Sandinistas
• {{Flag|Palestine}}{{cite web |url=http://armamentresearch.com/belgian-fn-herstal-cal-rifle-in-gaza/ |title = Belgian FN Herstal CAL rifle in Gaza |work= Armament Research Services (ARES)|date = 12 December 2015 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20230414160815/https://armamentresearch.com/belgian-fn-herstal-cal-rifle-in-gaza/|archive-date=April 14, 2023}}
• {{Flag|Thailand}}

• {{Flag|Pahlavi Iran}}: Tested the CAL for consideration to the Imperial Iranian Army, but was never adopted.{{cite web |url=https://silahreport.com/2021/09/15/iranian-5-56mm-rifles-from-s5-56-to-masaaf/ |title = Iranian 5.56mm Rifles: From S5.56 to Masaaf – Silah Report|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20230305005228/https://silahreport.com/2021/09/15/iranian-5-56mm-rifles-from-s5-56-to-masaaf/|archive-date=March 5, 2023}}

• {{Flag|France}}: Tested the CAL in the late 1960s and early 1970s for military adoption. It had a MAS-49/56 style rifle grenade launching system. But was never adopted. {{cite book |last= Huon |first= Jean |date= 2010|title= Le FAMAS et son histoire |trans-title= The FAMAS and its story|url= https://crepin-leblond.fr/armes-d-epaule/607-le-famas-et-son-histoire-9782703003366.html |language= French |page= 43|publisher= Crépin-Leblond Éditions|isbn= 978-2-70-300336-6}}

• FN FAL, 7.62mm NATO predecessor
• FN FNC, successor
• List of assault rifles

{{Reflist}}

{{FN Herstal firearms}}

Category:5.56×45mm NATO assault rifles

Category:Assault rifles of Belgium

CAL

Category:Trial and research firearms

Category:Weapons and ammunition introduced in 1966