By: Friedrich Seiltgen
Copyright © 2024
ABOUT FABRIQUE NATIONALE HERSTAL
Founded in 1889, FN Herstal originated in the small city of Herstal, near Liège, Belgium. Fabrique Nationale was started by a group of Belgian investors to manufacture 150,000 Mauser Model 89 rifles for the Belgian army. The force behind the new company was Henri Pieper of the Belgian arms manufacturer Anciens Etablissements Pieper, the new company’s largest shareholder.
Another key player in the Fabrique Nationale story was John Browning. In 1898, Browning had a fallout with the Winchester company regarding his new autoloading shotgun design, the A5. Winchester wanted to give Browning the regular one-time single fee payment for the rights to the A5, while Browning wanted royalties based on unit sales.
Browning signed a deal with FN to produce the new A5 design, and Browning moved to Belgium to work with FN. Browning would go on to design several firearms for FN and passed away while working at his bench on the FN Hi-Power design.
FN went on to produce the FAL, French for Fusil Automatique Léger (Light Automatic Rifle). Made by Fabrique Nationale in Herstal, Belgium, the FAL has been in service since 1953 in over 90 countries. The FAL was dubbed “the right arm of the free world” and became a symbol of the struggle against Communism. The original design of the FAL started in 1946 and was the brainchild of Belgian weapons designer Dieudonne Joseph Saive, another key player in the history of FN. Saive was immensely talented; he designed the FN Model 49 and modified many of John Browning’s designs after his passing.
In 1984, FN developed the replacement for the M-60 Machine Gun, the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon, which was an adaptation of the Belgian Minimi light machine gun.
Later, FN would design the legendary FN SCAR series that takes root in its battle-proven lineage, adapted from USSOCOM’s newest battle rifle since the M4 entered service in the 1990s. The benchmark of reliability and versatility, it has four variants, the FN SCAR 15P, SCAR 16S, SCAR 17S and SCAR 20S.
THE RECEIVER & FURNITURE
The receiver is a formed steel frame with a claw extractor design, with a fixed, pivoting ejector for side ejection of cases, flip-up feed tray cover and feed mechanism, non-reciprocating charging handle, and a top cover integrated MIL-STD-1913 mounting rail for sighting systems.
The controls consist of a curved trigger for improved finger position and control with a redesigned trigger mechanism for semi-automatic fire and a crossbolt safety.
The feeding system consists of 30-round magazines or belt fed with standard disintegrating links. The rounds are fed from an under-mounted polymer ammunition container when using links.
The furniture comprises a polymer buttstock assembly with a hydraulic recoil buffer system and non-slip buttplate, a folding steel bipod, and a folding carry handle.
THE BOLT & BARREL
18.5″ cold hammer-forged steel barrel features a hard chrome-plated bore and chamber. It has a quick-change barrel capability and a removable heat shield.
SPECIFICATIONS
Type: Semi-Automatic, Gas Operated, Long-Stroke Piston, Closed-Bolt Rifle
Caliber: 5.56x45mm
Magazine Capacity: 200-Round Belt or 30-Round Magazine
Sights: Rear Sight adjustable for windage and elevation, with ghost ring front
Barrel Length: 18.5 Inches
Overall Length: 40.75 Inches
Height: 9.5 Inches
Weight: 17.2 Pounds Unloaded
MSRP: $10,584
URL: www.fnamerica.com
THE VERDICT
The semi-automatic, belt-fed M249 SAW is a hit! It requires no special license or tax stamp, and it’s belt-fed capable. Pull this out at the range, and you’ll have many new friends.
That’s all for now, folks! Please keep sending in your questions, tips, and article ideas. And as always – “Let’s Be Careful Out There.”
Friedrich Seiltgen is a retired Master Police Officer with 20 years of service with the Orlando Police Department. He conducts training in Lone Wolf Terrorism Counterstrategies, Firearms, and Active Shooter Response. His writing has appeared in RECOIL, Soldier of Fortune, The Counter Terrorist Magazine, Off Grid, American Thinker, Homeland Security Today, and The Journal of Counterterrorism & Homeland Security International.
Contact him at [email protected].