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7.62mm FN SLR40
A Fabrique Nationale developed gas-operated semi-automatic rifle which was designed as a common UKN rifle, although only Belgium and the Netherlands accepted the 7.62mm round, SLR40s for the Kongo are chambered for the Swiss 7.5mm G11. Dieudonne Saive, Fabrique Nationale's chief firearm designer, experimented with a number of recoil-operated rifle designs in the early 1930s and he took out patents on his work in 1936 and prototypes appeared in 1937. A version with a 5-round magazine was developed for field trials in 1938, but production models have a 10-round capacity.
Calibre: 7.62x51
Action: gas-operated, tilting bolt
Length: 1.16m, 0.59m barrel
Weight: 4.31 kg
Magazine: 10 round fixed box magazine
MV: 840m/s
ROF: 600 rpm (cyclic)
Effective range: 400-600m depending on sights
Quoted
With the advent of semi-automatic rifles, there was a push by some in the armed services to adopt a round between the two, the Swiss 7.5mm G11. This was compounded by the Belgian army pushing the Dutch to adopt their 7.62mm for commonality should the Germans invade. While both rounds were found very satisfactory, senior staff and the politicians were loath to dispense with the 7.92mm ammunitions stocks so recently bought. The events in Lithuania showed the 7.92mm in an excellent light, and doomed reformists efforts. In the same time period the Kongo was seeking to arm its independent army, recently separated from the Dutch. Heeding the lessons the Dutch had learned, and spurning the Belgian round, the Kongo adopted the Swiss 7.5mm G11. The result was the dawn of 1937 saw the fiscally minded Kongo adopt the proven Swiss Schmidt-Rubin rifles with the 7.5mm G11 round, while the Belgians keep their 7.62mm for the projected FN Self-Loading Rifle. The Dutch found themselves in an awkward situation. The semi-automatic rifle trials had not found an immediately purchasable semi-automatic; instead further development had led to the satisfactory ZH-37. Negotiations in late 1936 to arrange sufficient production led to a license to FN, which needed to tool up. However, having delayed rifle purchases and sold off surplus rifles while conducting the semiautomatic rifle trials, there was a shortfall of rifles to equip the newest territorial units, resulting in the reissue of the elderly 6.5mm Mannlicher rifles for the new Territorial units. As ZH-37s displaced the older Mausers with the Dutch Marines, and later the Army, the surplus rifles could be refurbished and used to bring the Territorial units up to standard.
This is what I based the SLR40 on, Kirk's very sketchy history of the Dutch version;
Quoted
With the advent of semi-automatic rifles, there was a push by some in the armed services to adopt a round between the two, the Swiss 7.5mm G11. This was compounded by the Belgian army pushing the Dutch to adopt their 7.62mm for commonality should the Germans invade. While both rounds were found very satisfactory, senior staff and the politicians were loath to dispense with the 7.92mm ammunitions stocks so recently bought. The events in Lithuania showed the 7.92mm in an excellent light, and doomed reformists efforts. In the same time period the Kongo was seeking to arm its independent army, recently separated from the Dutch. Heeding the lessons the Dutch had learned, and spurning the Belgian round, the Kongo adopted the Swiss 7.5mm G11. The result was the dawn of 1937 saw the fiscally minded Kongo adopt the proven Swiss Schmidt-Rubin rifles with the 7.5mm G11 round, while the Belgians keep their 7.62mm for the projected FN Self-Loading Rifle. The Dutch found themselves in an awkward situation. The semi-automatic rifle trials had not found an immediately purchasable semi-automatic; instead further development had led to the satisfactory ZH-37. Negotiations in late 1936 to arrange sufficient production led to a license to FN, which needed to tool up. However, having delayed rifle purchases and sold off surplus rifles while conducting the semiautomatic rifle trials, there was a shortfall of rifles to equip the newest territorial units, resulting in the reissue of the elderly 6.5mm Mannlicher rifles for the new Territorial units. As ZH-37s displaced the older Mausers with the Dutch Marines, and later the Army, the surplus rifles could be refurbished and used to bring the Territorial units up to standard.
Here, Kirk specifically mentions 7.62mm rather than 7.65mm as the Belgian calibre for the new Self-Loading Rifle. Therefore I assumed a 7.62x51 would be the closest thing in Kirk's mind. I'm no small arms expert so I defer to those who know more about this stuff as to why the Belgians wouldn't use a 7.62x51.
I must admit it seems odd to me for the Belgians to switch given the marginal difference. So I have some questions/ proposals I'd like feedback on.
1) Is it feasible for the Dutch to use their 7.92x57 in the SLR40? (I'm assuming not)
2) Given I know everyone is waiting for the FN FAL, given Brock wants it in 0.280 (7x43) and that the Belgians were enamoured with the British 0.280 concept alongside the EM-series etc., is there a case for making the SLR40 for the Belgians and Dutch in 7x43 now rather than making that switch in a few years time when the FAL comes out?
3) If 2 is not feasible is it best just to stick with the 7.65x53 Mauser for now for Belgium?
4) If the answer to 1 is no and the answer to 3 is yes, then what's the best move for the Netherlands to avoid a double calibre switch when the FAL comes out?
Here, Kirk specifically mentions 7.62mm rather than 7.65mm as the Belgian calibre for the new Self-Loading Rifle. Therefore I assumed a 7.62x51 would be the closest thing in Kirk's mind. I'm no small arms expert so I defer to those who know more about this stuff as to why the Belgians wouldn't use a 7.62x51.
Quoted
I must admit it seems odd to me for the Belgians to switch given the marginal difference.
Quoted
1) Is it feasible for the Dutch to use their 7.92x57 in the SLR40? (I'm assuming not)
Quoted
2) Given I know everyone is waiting for the FN FAL, given Brock wants it in 0.280 (7x43) and that the Belgians were enamoured with the British 0.280 concept alongside the EM-series etc., is there a case for making the SLR40 for the Belgians and Dutch in 7x43 now rather than making that switch in a few years time when the FAL comes out?
Quoted
3) If 2 is not feasible is it best just to stick with the 7.65x53 Mauser for now for Belgium?
Well that reference is to the initial prototypes that led to the SLEM-1, which also used an 8mm, so I agree its possible.
Calibre: 7.62x53 Mauser
My preference would be for the Dutch to adopt a 7.62x51.
Or it might be easier to use the Belgian 7.5x53 (based on OTL Argentine Mauser which in WW Argentina doesn't use!!, perhaps in WW we'd better call it Belgian Mauser?).
Another choice is to buy into the 7x43 club, which I know you're hot and cold about.
I guess is depends what experiences from Ubangi-Shari have shown to be preferable, I guess most of the action there would have been fairly close-range with emphasis on rapid fire than accuracy in some situations but then its unlikely that the SLR40 will be fully replaced for probably another decade so there will be a mix of lighter and heavier calibres for some time.
That's most helpful Brock and has given me something to mull over.
I don't suppose anyone has ever done an audit of exactly which nations are using which cartridges? I think it would be wise to follow the biggest users to make the FAL as exportable as possible.
Britain seems to be alone in the .280 choice at the moment, no idea if Canada or Australia will ever adopt it or not, and Britain is using it in the new TADEN LMG, which as you say is probably too light for such work but then there will be plenty of older .303in Vickers K LMGs and the heavier .303in Vickers HMGs about a for long period to come yet.
With the EM-2 I don't see any British need for the FAL at this stage but British Commonwealth nations might see the benefits of the .280 with the cheaper FAL.
Will the Kongo keep the Swiss 7.5mm G11? Economics would probably dictate so.
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