There are not a lot of photos of Brazil's new service on the internet, so I was pleased when a reader emailed me a photo in a photo of the IMBEL IA2. The rifle is based on the FN FAL, but uses a rotating bolt rather than a tilting bolt. It looks like they have modified the stock slightly since I last blogged about the gun.
[ Many thanks to Marcelo for emailing me the link. ]
I VIGOROUSLY approve of the rifle grenades.
1 
0what are those RPG looking rounds? Do they fire from the 40mm?
1 0no,it’s is like the M1 garand grenades
0 0They are rifle grenades that attach to the barrel, and either use a blank cartridge or a live round to launch them.
0 0They’re still using rifle grenades? I thought the M320 and M230 design eliminated those.
0 0Damn Heath, you beat me to that!
0 0Cool concept of having most in squad have a 5.56mm FAL and have one or two with a regular 7.62 FAL for a D.M. all with interchangeable parts and similar performance Brazil may be doing a real cost saving move with its infantry rifles.
0 0Are you all sure about those two large projectiles being muzzle fired? The bases do not look large enough to fit over/onto the flash hider.
Is there any reason they could not be launched from the grenade tube? Measuring from the photo there appear to be bore width standoffs approximately 2/3-3/4 above the base of each round. What would be their function if not to keep the round centered in the launcher?
0 0Actually it appears to be based on the FNC.
0 0IMBEL has had the FAL license for decades. They developed the 5.56 rifle from that as the starting point, but all the further development has been indigenous. Same with Chile (my country)’s SG-542 (7.62 developed from the SIG-licensed SIG-540) and FAMAE SAF (SMG developed from the same SIG-540).
1 0It still appears to have some features of the FNC. It probably has some of the CAL as well.
0 0The FNC has the upper/lower receiver hinge located on front of the magwell. The IMBEL has it between the magwell and the trigger guard -just like the FAL-.
0 0Did you omit a word after “service” in the first sentence?
1 1The photograph shows the carbine version which is not supposed to use neither the bayonet nor the rifle grenades (and the scope too…). Only the rifle version, which has a longer barrel, will use these rifle grenades and the bayonet knife. The rifle grenades in the photo are the training versions of the anti-personel rifle grenade (left) and the anti-armor rifle grenade (right).
0 0
Damn Heath, you beat me to that!
I VIGOROUSLY approve of the rifle grenades.
Cool concept of having most in squad have a 5.56mm FAL and have one or two with a regular 7.62 FAL for a D.M. all with interchangeable parts and similar performance Brazil may be doing a real cost saving move with its infantry rifles.
The photograph shows the carbine version which is not supposed to use neither the bayonet nor the rifle grenades (and the scope too…). Only the rifle version, which has a longer barrel, will use these rifle grenades and the bayonet knife. The rifle grenades in the photo are the training versions of the anti-personel rifle grenade (left) and the anti-armor rifle grenade (right).
Actually it appears to be based on the FNC.
The FNC has the upper/lower receiver hinge located on front of the magwell. The IMBEL has it between the magwell and the trigger guard -just like the FAL-.
It still appears to have some features of the FNC. It probably has some of the CAL as well.
IMBEL has had the FAL license for decades. They developed the 5.56 rifle from that as the starting point, but all the further development has been indigenous. Same with Chile (my country)’s SG-542 (7.62 developed from the SIG-licensed SIG-540) and FAMAE SAF (SMG developed from the same SIG-540).
Are you all sure about those two large projectiles being muzzle fired? The bases do not look large enough to fit over/onto the flash hider.
Is there any reason they could not be launched from the grenade tube? Measuring from the photo there appear to be bore width standoffs approximately 2/3-3/4 above the base of each round. What would be their function if not to keep the round centered in the launcher?
what are those RPG looking rounds? Do they fire from the 40mm?
They are rifle grenades that attach to the barrel, and either use a blank cartridge or a live round to launch them.
They’re still using rifle grenades? I thought the M320 and M230 design eliminated those.
no,it’s is like the M1 garand grenades
Did you omit a word after “service” in the first sentence?