BASIC FAL OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS - PLEASE READ IF YOU HAVE JUST PURCHASED A FAL RIFLE OR HAVE FORGOTTEN HOW TO MAINTAIN YOUR FIREARM, THESE ARE THINGS THAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

The purpose of the gas regulator adjustment is to ensure correct functioning of the weapon, with maximum gas exhaust, or rather minimum gas intake necessary to operate the rifle efficiently, without causing undue wear on the moving parts.

1. Method of adjustment
(IMPORTANT: GAS PLUG SHOULD BE UP IN THE LETTER "A" OR LINE "|" POSITION FOR AUTO OPERATION)
Methods of gas regulator adjustment may vary according to individuals, but we suggest the following procedure:
a. Fit an empty magazine on the rifle.
b. All firing is then effected by inserting the cartridges the chamber, one by one, through the ejection opening.
c. The correct setting is determined by the holding open device engaging, or failing to engage, the mechanism.

Turning the gas regulator to the left (anti-clockwise) causes the opposite effect: gas escape is increased and the balance available to work the piston is decreased. By a system of "clicks" and engagement of the gas regulator spring, the regulator has 13 different positions (12 "clicks" to open fully). To make setting in any given position easier, figures are engraved on the gas regulator, the figure 1 corresponding to the completely closed position and one figure for every 2 "clicks" opening.
Example: when the figure 5 is opposite the gas hole, the gas regulation corresponds to 8 "clicks".

2. Operations

Operation 1.
Starting with the gas regulator sleeve fully screwed against the gas block (fig. 23). unscrew the sleeve one turn so that the figure "7" on the sleeve is in line with the axis of the rifle (fig. 24); this is the fully open position of the gas regulator sleeve and, when a round is fired, causes a short recoil (holding open device fails to engage the mechanism).

Operation 2.
Screw the gas regulator sleeve forward click by click and fire a round after each adjustment, until the holding open device engages the mechanism.

Operation 3.
Verify this adjustment by firing several rounds single shot by the method mentioned above.

Operation 4.
If any shot results in a short recoil, repeat operation 3, after closing the gas regulator sleeve by one click.

Operation 5.
If necessary, repeat operation 4, until 5 consecutive rounds give correct functioning.

Operation 6.
Correct setting is now determined, but it is always advisable to allow a safety margin and screw the gas regulator sleeve forward by two further clicks.

N.B. If the special spanner (fig 25) is not available, adjustment can be made with the nose of a cartridge (fig 26), or even by hand.

FIELD STRIPPING

The rifle has been designed to make stripping and assembly easy for the user. No force need be exerted if stripping is done in the correct order.

To facilitate assembly, care should be taken when stripping to lay lay out the parts on a clean level surface, in the order in which they are removed. This will prevent loss of parts and make assembly easier, as this is done in reverse order to stripping.

The rifle operator should know each step in field stripping so well that he can do it in the dark. No tools are needed, but it may be necessary to use the nose of a bullet.

1. Remove the magazine.

2. Cock the mechanism
to make sure there is no cartridge left in the chamber; let the mechanism go forward and put the rifle at safe, the hammer remaining in the cocked position.

3. Stripping the mechanism
Press the trigger frame body lock lever, on the left side of the trigger frame upwards; hold the barrel group firmly and press the butt trigger group downwards, swinging the rifle open like a shotgun. (see fig 36.)

Remove the slide-breech block assembly by grasping the slide rod, hinged to the slide (fig 37).

4. To remove the cover
from the body, slide it to the rear (fig 38).

5. To separate the slide from the breech block,
disengage the fore part of the breech block from the slide and continue this movement, levering the rear part of the breech block and at the same time exerting pressure with the thumb on the rear end of the firing pin (fig 39.)

6. To remove the firing pin,
press on the rear end of the firing pin, push out the retaining pin; if the pin does not fall out easily, use the nose of a cartridge see (fig 40).

When the retaining pin has been removed, the firing pin will be pushed from its housing by its spring (fig 41).

7. To remove the gas plug,
press in the plunger (fig 42) of the gas plug, using the nose of a cartridge, turn gas plug a quarter turn clockwise (figure 43)

In this position the plug will be pushed from it housing by the piston spring (fig 44).

8. Remove the piston
and spring from the gas cylinder (fig 45)

Separate the piston spring from the piston rod (fig 46).

Note: There is no need for the operator to strip the extractor. It is necessary to use a cartridge for this, or a special tool, and it is normally done by the armourer when making o periodic inspection.

9. ASSEMBLY AFTER FIELD STRIPPING

• Replace the piston spring on the piston rod (fig. 46).
• Replace the piston and its spring in the gas cylinder (fig. 45).
• Insert the gas plug, compressing the piston spring, with the big end of the plunger turned towards the barrel (fig.44).
  When the gas plug is fully home, rotate it one-eighth of a turn, so that the letter "A" moves upwards.
• Use the nose of a cartridge to push the plunger and rotate so that the letter "A" appears uppermost (fig. 23).
• Replace the firing pin spring and the firing pin in the breech block (fig. 40, 41); compress the spring by working the firing pin and replace the pin.
• Replace the breech block in the slide, inserting the rear part obliquely in the slide (fig. 39).
• Exert pressure on the breech block so that the firing pin spring is slightly compressed and the breech block is swung downwards into its correct position in the slide.
• Insert the ribs of the cover in the corresponding grooves in the receiver (fig. 38) and slide the cover fully forward.
• Replace the mechanism in the body, inserting the ribs of the slide in the corresponding grooves in the receiver.
• When this is done, the breech block should be in its forward position (fig. 37) and the muzzle of the rifle pointing downwards; the mechanism will then fall into position correctly.
• Close the rifle, still holding the muzzle down-wards, to prevent any possibility of the slide rod protruding.

It must be emphasized that all automatic weapons require constant cleaning and maintenance and that most of the stoppages mentioned else-where are the result of the operator’s negligence or lack of knowledge of his weapon. All weapons, whether automatic or repeating rifles, should be cleaned at the end of a day’s firing and special care must be taken after firing with blank cartridges.

MAINTENANCE OF THE RIFLE

Maintenance by the operator.
The FN Rifle cal. 7.62 mm only needs to be partially stripped for this maintenance (field stripping); maintenance routine is as follows:

• Use the barrel cleaning brush, oiled with the special rifle bore oil provided, and pass through the barrel several times
• Follow this by pulling through two or three dry rags
• Clean the chamber with the cleaning brush provided for this purpose
• Clean the slide, rear of the barrel and inside the body
• Clean the breech block, firing pin and its housing
• Clean underneath the extractor claw, without stripping it
• Remove the gas plug, the piston and its spring and carefully clean these parts, as they are exposed to gas fouling
• Clean the gas cylinder and wipe with a slightly oiled rag; this rag should also be passed through the barrel
• Very slightly oil the moving parts of the mechanism.

Inspection and maintenance by the armourer.
It is essential that the rifle should be examined periodically by the armourer, who will check that the user is properly caring it for. All components of the rifle will then be checked for correct functioning. When this examination is made, the following special cleaning and inspection operations will also be carried out:

• Cleaning the exhaust port in the gas cylinder
• Stripping and cleaning the extractor
• Checking the gas setting
• Checking the sight and correcting, if necessary.

COMPLETE CLEANING OF BARREL AND GAS CYLINDER

The barrel and gas cylinder must be cleaned regularly so that they never get into such a state that the use of abrasives is necessary; all abrasive material such as emery paper, sand, etc., is always harmful.
The full cleaning of barrel and gas cylinder should be done unhurriedly, when circumstances permit, as follows:

• Wash the barrel, using barrel brush, or sponge, steeped in special oil.
• Wash the inside of the front part of the gas cylinder and gas block, using the brush for cleaning the chamber and the special oil.
• After the barrel and gas cylinder have been thoroughly cleaned in this way, dry carefully, using clean rags. After drying, the rag-usually white service flannelette-should come out of the barrel and gas cylinder unstained.
• After drying, slightly oil the barrel (bore and chamber) and the gas cylinder.
• Dry the outside of the barrel and polish with a greasy rag.

The pieces of flannelette for this cleaning will usually be cut to the following measurements: length approx. 120 mm, width approx. 60 mm (about 5" x2+").
For possing through the barrel, use an unfolded piece, for cleaning the gas cylinder, double it over to give a 60x60 mm square before inserting in the loop of the cleaning rod or pullthrough.
Rags or cotton waste can be used for cleaning the remaining parts of the rifle.

Note: The inside of the barrel and inside of front half of the gas cylinder come into direct contact with the combustion gases and are also submitted to friction; they consequently require more care and attention. Other components are protected against oxidizing by phosphating (parts of the mechanism and receiver) and the piston and gas plug are hard chromed.

Precaution after firing

To be on the safe side, particularly in hot climates, and to make subsequent cleaning of barrel and gas cylinder easier, the user is strongly advised to take the following preventive measure:

Immediately after firing, before leaving the firing range or scene of maneuvers, clean barrel and gas cylinder by wiping with a rag steeped in special oil (Rifle bore oil).

This precaution has the effect of:

• Neutralizing the harmful effect of any fouling caused by residue of powder gases
• Preventing the formation of carbon deposits in the gas cylinder and gas block
• Allowing the usual cleaning operations to be postponed for at least 24 hours, without causing any damage.

Within 48 hours of carrying out this precaution, the rifle should be completely cleaned as indicated in paragraphs 2 and 3.

PREPARATION OF RIFLE BEFORE FIRING

The FAL functions with very little or practically no lubrication. Before firing, wipe off any oil remaining on barrel and gas cylinder surfaces; if the piston and chromed part of the gas plug have been slightly oiled, dry clean these too.

The tabulation given below gives on one side the list of parts which can be slightly oiled, on the other the list of parts which require no oiling and which, in some cases, can be adversely affected, if oiled.