Of all the infantry small arms developed during World War II, one that generated the most interest was the German 'assault rifle', the StG 44 Sturmgewehr. This innovative weapon inspired the Soviet AK-47 in 7.62x39mm calibre. In the West, the NATO countries looked hard at new weapons to upgrade their own infantry arsenals and counter the AK-47, resulting in the design of the Fusil Automatique Léger or FAL. It proved to be a successful battle rifle and was soon adopted by the military and police forces of no fewer than 93 nations. The FAL dominated the militaries of the West to such a degree that its nickname became the Right Arm of the Free World. The FAL fulfilled every role it was asked to perform and remains a viable and well-respected weapon to this day.

Of all the infantry small arms developed during World War II, one that generated the most interest was the German 'assault rifle', the StG 44 Sturmgewehr. This innovative weapon inspired the Soviet AK-47 in 7.62x39mm calibre. In the West, the NATO countries looked hard at new weapons to upgrade their own infantry arsenals and counter the AK-47, resulting in the design of the Fusil Automatique Léger or FAL. It proved to be a successful battle rifle and was soon adopted by the military and police forces of no fewer than 93 nations. The FAL dominated the militaries of the West to such a degree that its nickname became the Right Arm of the Free World. The FAL fulfilled every role it was asked to perform and remains a viable and well-respected weapon to this day.

During the Cold War, the G3 was one of the world's pre-eminent battle rifles. Developed in France and Spain after 1945, the rifle was produced by the German arms manufacturer Heckler & Koch. Adopted by more than 40 countries and produced on licence by many more, it was widely employed during colonial wars in Africa, insurgencies in Latin America and conflicts in the Middle East, but perhaps its widest use was in the Iran–Iraq War. Variants of the G3 have also seen substantial usage among Special Forces including Britain's Special Boat Service and the US Navy SEALs. Semi-automatic versions, especially the HK91 and HK93, remain popular in the United States, and the G3-derived HK11 and HK21 family of light machine guns have also been widely adopted by military and law-enforcement units across the world. Fully illustrated with specially commissioned artwork, this study examines one of the iconic weapons of the Cold War era.

First introduced in 1946 by Belgian armaments manufacturer Fabrique Nationale, the Fusil Automatique Léger (Light Automatic Rifle), or FAL, has been used by military or police forces in more than 90 countries. In various versions, it has served from the Arctic conditions of northern Canada and Norway to the world's highest battlefield, Siachen Glacier in the Himalayas, at nearly 20,000 feet above sea level. It fought in the jungles of Malaya and Vietnam, the bush of Rhodesia and South Africa, the deserts of the Middle East, and the treeless desolation of the Falklands Islands. Nicknamed the "right arm of the Free World" during the Cold War, the FAL is considered the quintessential postwar battle rifle. From this basic infantry rifle, the FAL also found form in a wide variety of select-fire and semiautomatic fixed and folding-stock carbines of various lengths and weights for military and police weaponry. Powerful, reliable, easy to maintain, and reasonably accurate, the FAL has served well in many guises and can be found in a model to fit any taste. All this adds up to a viable and readily available rifle that remains popular among shooters, tactical and otherwise, as well collectors and just plain gun nuts. Author Robert Cashner took his collection of commonly encountered and readily available FAL models the American gun owner and shooter is most likely to encounter out to the range and the field and the mountains in all kinds of weather to see what they are really made of. This book is for the FAL/SLR owner, especially the shooter, as well as the potential FAL buyer, to provide a detailed look at the venerable weapon: how it functions, how to care for it, how to modify it for individual needs, and the vast array of accessories available for it.

While the 20th century brought many technological advancements to the battlefield, a key weapon of warfare remains the soldier and his rifle. This volume chronicles the historical development of the modern service rifle after World War II and examines its resurgence in Afghanistan after generations of absence following the introduction of the assault rifle. Individual chapters survey the most combat-tested models--including the FN FAL, U.S. M14 and HK 417--in technical detail, emphasizing key points in the evolution of rifle technology and ammunition. Also explored is the development of the current M16 series rifle, and how recent difficulties in Afghanistan have led to an increasing reliance on the venerable M14. Providing a strong knowledge base of the various weapons now in service throughout the world, this instructive work demonstrates that the battle rifle has not outlived its usefulness.