Some interesting views on the FN FAL rifle there. One of the reasons the British forces adopted the design as semi-auto was to do with 'tradition'. As the British army had not had a semi / full auto rifle before 1958, being equipped before then with the Lee Enfield No. 4 .303 inch cal. bolt-action rifle, it was still 'the done thing' to teach aimed, accurate single shots to infantry soldiers. There was also an element of the possible/probable waste of ammo, the thinking being that, give a soldier, paricularly a conscript under National Service, a fully auto weapon, and he will fire it fully auto, thereby wasting ammo, and probably not hitting the target. (spray and pray.) Another reason the British-made version of the FAL, known as the L1A1 SLR (Self Loading Rifle.) in British service, was introduced as semi-auto only, is that the FAL had a (supposed) reputation,on full auto, of bang, bang - jam. In other words, after one or two rounds fired on auto, a stoppage would occur. Although this is a generally held and accepted belief, personally I have never experienced that, and I have used both weapons in action. The L1A1 COULD be fired full auto, by a simple alteration to the sear, but this was highly unofficial, and a chargeable offence if caught doing so! The L1A1 did not have the heavier barrel or heavier bolt assembly of the FAL, required for full-auto operation. Nevertheless, it was an extremely powerful weapon with the standard NATO 7.62mm round. That bullet could go through a double course brick wall at 300 yards! Hit a target with a FAL /SLR, and it stayed hit!!!