South African contract FN Paratrooper parts

[Peter Wells]

The SA contract guns were specced and built to have the same ladder sight as the standard FAL. This meant some metal had to be removed to accomodate the rear of the rail and the re-location of the rear sling swivel to the bottom of the alluminium hinge/block.
One could easily mill a standard one for the top recess, weld up the swivel hole and drill a new one lower down. Black anodize and Bob's your aunty!

[Piet vWdVries]

Hi Larry and very welcome to this place from me also :)

The stocks of the LM family of firearms (based from the Galil) and the folding stocks on the Para FNs (They were never called that here, but I will get to that in a moment) are very different. I have had the pleasure of working with and visiting the place where they still make them (the stocks for the LM's). It is an interesting process. They are made of a type of nylon afaik, over a metal skeleton. It is a one piece affair, with the skeleton and its overcoat pinned into the knuckle.

The FN folding stocks were a bit different in their construction and design. It has two tubes with plastic tubing, and a plastic spacer to provide tension.

Anyway, to the good stuff: In South Africa the basic FN FAL was called the R-1. R being the military designation for "Rifle". This was the solid stock version with the recoil springs in the stock. The "Para" version was also used here, and that had the folding stock and standard length barrel. While most normal "troops" never used these, they were issued to the para guys (the conversion was originally done so a troop got get out a plane without sticking in the door, hence "Para") and they were also for a long time the most issued variant of the FAL in Unit 19 in the SAP. Most people still refered to them as "R1", however, their official designation was "R2".

Then there was a third main version, and this was the para folding stock version, but with the barrel shortened so the flash-hider started immediately after the gasblock. This version was, predictably, called the "R3" (although again most who did not have one, still refered to it as an "R1". This weapon was at a stage heavily issued to dog units. It was also not capable of fully automatic iirc. I also think the R3 and the R1 Para Carbine(which is an R3 with an IR sight on it I think) is still issued in the SAP Task Force on request today. It (the R3) was a particularly cool looking gun, and on the occasions where I had worked with dog handlers who were issued these, I distinctively remember being insanely jelly. So there was, technically, never a "FN Para" in military use here. But there were two versions of the same thing, called something else (R2 and R3). There was the other thing called an R1 Para Carbine, but that was a R3 with a IR sight, and not something I ever saw.

As an aside, this method of numbering for military infantry rifles continued with the adoption of the Galil, which was called the R4. And the shortened barreled version was the R5 (issued mainly to police units) and then the extremely shortened version of the R5 was the R6. The same numbering system was used for the civilian versions (non fully auto) of these: The LM4, LM5, and LM6. (LM stands for Lyttelton engineering Works, who were the manufacturers)

I wish you all the best with this project. I know that the knowledge and examples you may need are within the members of this forum. Best of luck with it.

EDIT: Sorry if the above comes across in any way as condescending or preachy. Sorry, it is of course not meant that way. I wrote this info so others can also understand and get excited about this cool project, and of course help to establish for whoever can help, what variant, in South African vernacular, you may be referring to

[Larry Vickers]

Thanks for the overview - I would be looking for the R2 variant specifically

[Larry Vickers]

Hi Larry
Welcome to the forum.
There are a very limited number of SA contract Para rifles/parts around but I doubt the owners will part with them. BrendanK mentioned Bruce Wentzel - a good idea to start with. I know you have his contact details so give him a try. The 'knuckle' is the only unique part and that is not a controlled part here or over there so legalities are not an issue.
I will scratch around and see if I can source one for you.
Cheers for now and again, an absolute privilege to have met you.

Thanks Peter !!

[Larry Vickers]

any of you Fundis ever seen a balashnikov in the flesh?

talk about a frankenrifle

i have seen one in the flesh

[PeaceOfficer]

Is this a clue as to what the next edition of the Vickers Guide is about?

[KK20]

is this it?

[Wanderin' Zero]

Not what Larry's after KK. SA variant as used by SADF had full length barrel same as fixed stock, foregrip w/out fluting for bipod and ladder rear sight.

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

[KK20]

Thank you WZ.

[Chris8]

Man, I was just watching Vickers Tactical on YouTube when I came across this thread. Great show, awesome slow motion shots.

I hope you manage to find what you are looking for.