The first prototype of what was then the FN Universal Carbine, but that would become the FN FAL (Light Automatic Rifle), was not chambered for the familiar 7.62×51 NATO, nor its competitor round the .280 British, but in the German 7.92x33mm Kurzpatrone round developed in 1942 for the MKb. 42(H) (the predecessor of the famous Sturmgewehr):
Chuck of GunLab muses about starting a project to produce a replica No. 1 Universal Carbine, and noted two previous projects to produce FALs chambered in their original cartridge, the Kurzpatrone:
This is Pete’s , a friend of Gun Lab, version of a 7.92×33 rifle. His solution was to put in a new ejector block of his design with a spring loaded ejector. Then remove 0.900″ from the magazine to fit the 7.92×33 round.
With the last post we made on the 7.92×33 FN-FAL we showed a FAL that had a new ejector block and magazine made to allow the rifle to shoot 7.92×33. This post will show a different approach to reach the same conclusion, shooting 7.92×33. This series of photographs comes from another friend of Gun Lab and how he converted his rifle to use MP-44 magazines. This version the owner cut down the receiver by 0.900 and welded support plates to enlarge the magazine housing.
Chuck certainly has enough projects on his plate! The VG. 1-5 project recently received ATF approval, and Chuck also has made copies of the Gerät 05, Gerät 06 and Gerät 06H, and also started a project to produce replica AR-16s. Adding the FN No. 1 Universal Carbine would certainly round out the list!