The FN FNC is a gun used by several nations around the world, like the
FN FAL. The concept was designed originally by
FN in 1963, around the time that small-caliber, high powered automatic guns firing
5.56x45mm ammo were becoming popular, like the
AR-15 or
Steyr AUG or British
LA-80. The gun that was produced originally was CAL, Carabine Automatique Legere, or Light Automatic Carbine, as a carbine version of the FAL. Although it was a very nice-looking weapon, the CAL failed in
French army tests in the early
1970's.
A couple of years later, FN brings out the FNC, a simpler weapon based on the concepts of Mikhail Kalashnikov, Eugene Stoner and Uziel Gal(inventer of the Uzi), which was very battle ready and easier to maintain than many other military rifles of the time. After Swedish tests, the FNC was licensed to the Bofors military company in Sweden as the AK-5 in the Swedish military.
Inside the receiver, the firing system is very similar to that of the AK-47, except made with more modern manufacturing techniques. The gun has a folding stock, is very comfortable to fire (although the magazine veil is not bevelled, so it's a little difficult to reload without looking) just like the FN FAL, having the same pistol grip and positioning for fire control selector. Around the world, the FNC has been adopted by Sweden, Indonesia and Belgium, and is available in semi-automatic sporting versions for about $750 in the United States.