John M
Member Extraordinaire
Thanks to @nikvanorton I have just become the new owner of what is quite possibly the most realistic 'working replica' I have ever encountered. Thanks for thinking of me.
In the past, I have tended to consider most airsoft guns as toys with poor accuracy and low power. That view changed somewhat when I bought a Northeast Uzi in 2025, which was the most realistic replica I had ever come across. Build quality was excellent and handling exceptional. Accuracy was not the best but the full auto feature produced such a grin on my face that I ceased to care about accuracy. Fun and realism was what this new addition was all about and using Green Gas, I often charge up an Uzi magazine and let rip against a target in full auto as a way of relaxation. It inevitably results in a huge grin across my face.
I subsequently had the opportunity to acquire a VFC FAL in 2026 as a retirement present from my wife and my view has swung even further towards airsoft guns as a realistic addition to the airgun replicas I collect. The sheer realism of the VFC FAL is actually even greater than the Uzi, especially in terms of accuracy but more of that later.
SOME HISTORY
British military historians, collectors and ex servicemen will be more familiar with the L1A1 Self Loading Rifle (SLR). This venerable rifle was itself based on the Belgian FAL, short for Fusil Automatique Léger (Light Automatic Rifle). In fact, VFC market the rifle as the LAR, a translation of the Belgian name.
The FAL was adopted by around 90 countries during the Cold War and in various forms. There were two main models; the Inch Pattern and the Metric Pattern. The former was made using British imperial measurements and the latter, you guessed it metric. This is important as some parts do not easily interchange between the two. There was also a third Indian variant, which was a cross between the two as it was an unlicensed copy of the original.
VFC have copied a C.1960s Belgian FAL, which had a factory designation of 50.00. It was made on the metric pattern, being Belgian and had a first type receiver (later FALs had altered receivers known as Type 2 and then Type 3). This model saw service with the Belgians in the Congo during the 1960s and was a popular arm with many of the mercenaries that were attracted to the African brush wars during the 1960s and 70s.
Similar models were license made in Argentina and saw use in the hands of Argentine conscripts, as well as regulars during the 1982 Falklands conflict. Ironically, Britain faced the Argentines with the L1A1 SLR, so both sides used essentially the same service rifle. The Argentine and Belgian variants had a full auto capability and this too is offered on the VFC FAL.
ONTO THE VFC
The basic model comes with replicated furniture, which in honesty looks too clean and ‘new’. The handguards also creak when squeezed, something original handguards won’t do. Luckily the previous owner had replaced the furniture on the VFC with an original Belgian FAL stock, pistol grip and handguards. This is something I would recommend wholeheartedly as original furniture turns this into an incredibly realistic replica. In many ways, it can be considered a working ‘de-ac’ as parts are replicated in excellent detail, down to the smallest feature.
That smallest feature is probably the replicated Belgian proof marks on the barrel shroud. You won’t even see this unless you remove the handguards but it’s there and demonstrates incredible attention to detail.
Larger features include a removable gas plug, a gas piston rod and its spring. The VFC field strips just like an original, so the top cover can be taken off and the breech block with its ‘rat’s tail’ can be removed. There is a synthetic buffer behind the breech block, which is intended to protect the working parts. Some YouTube videos recommend removing it for added realism, as it is said to reduce the automatic rate of fire and increase felt recoil further than the recoil that is felt with each shot in the VFC’s standard configuration.
However, there are documented cases of the rear of the receiver and rearsight block sustaining damage if the VFC is used without the buffer, so it’s there for a reason. I ordered a narrower buffer for my FAL as a compromise between added realism and preventing undue wear/damage. Some owners have cut down the factory buffer and made it narrower, which is an alternative fix.
SIGHTING
The rearsight slides along an inclined ramp, similar to British and Commonwealth SLRs but unlike the folding blade on the L1A1, the VFC’s blade is fixed with a small aperture, which again is correct for a 1960s FAL 50.00. Lateral adjustment is made by means of 2 screws, located either side of the rearsight block. Undo one and tighten the other to enable the sight to move laterally within its dovetail. Clicks can be felt during adjustment.
I've ordered one of these rearsights for my Huntsman Arms Para FAL as it looks like an excellent unit and should fit.
Vertical adjustment can be fine tuned on the front sight, which screws in or out with the aid of the supplied tool. The front sight is fixed to the top of the gas block and the block can shake loose after repeated use (I said this rifle recoils!). The fix is to remove the gas plug, piston rod and unscrew the rearsight blade, together with its spring. You will then be faced with a hole, which is the access point for a tiny hex headed screw that retains the gas block in place.
There's the front sight. I've since cleaned the designer rust from the Gas regulator!
I removed the screw, cleaned it and applied blue Loctite before securing it firmly back in place. This screw does look like a potential weak point, so worth keeping an eye on. I also applied Loctite thread sealer to the grip screw after removing and cleaning it, as this too can work loose with use.
The magazine looks just like an original when fitted. It is constructed from one piece of metal and is charged with Green Gas (propane) before use. The charging valve is at the top rear, so it is not visible and protected during use. Shot count is high, especially if you stick to single shot (Repetition). The magazine is said to hold up to 28 6mm rounds but who would load more than the 20 that a 7.62mm FAL or SLR would take? My rifle came with a spare magazine and I ordered another from ehobbyasia in Hong Kong while the opportunity was there.
ACCESSORIES
In addition to spare magazines and maybe some original webbing pouches to store them, what else is out there? I have an original Argentine ‘apple corer’ bayonet in my collection, that was a Falklands battlefield pick up by a Royal Marine and that fits the VFC FAL. I had to add a synthetic O Ring to the flash hider so the bayonet stays in place. Original rifles had a metal O ring and I’m sure I have one somewhere.
An SLR sling is relatively cheap but I have obtained a Greek G3 sling, which is lighter and more like an original FAL sling. I may not fit it, as I quite like the FAL without a sling.
An SLR cleaning kit or maybe a cleaning kit tin or box is a useful little extra. It can be used to house the very useful multi tool the FAL comes with, along with a small bottle of Super Lube Synthetic grease or oil, which are recommended lubricants for airsoft Gas Blowback Replicas. Some 4x2 cleaning roll will stop parts rattling in the tin.
CONTROLS
These are all functional and work like those on an original FAL. There is a working magazine release and mags are inserted front first, then rock and lock the rear like an AK magazine, just as on the firearm. Cock the non folding cocking handle and take off safe to fire. You can then select from Repetition or Automatic, as this is a metric FAL, remember?
There is a bolt hold open catch, which will also release the bolt when pushed down. Pulling a cocked bolt back will do the same. Incidentally, best practice is to cock an unloaded rifle first before field stripping to get the trigger mechanism out of the way.
IN USE
Upon taking my first few shots with the VFC FAL, I was completely blown away. There was a punchy recoil impulse with every shot that added to the experience of using this replica. However, more than that, I found that a nice group of around an inch had formed at 6 yards. It wasn’t central, so I adjusted the sights for the 0.3g Bad Ass branded 6mm balls I had chosen to test the FAL with. I was soon able to fire centralised groups at 6 yards, which were every bit as good as those obtained with my 4.5mm CO2 powered replicas such as the L1A1 or FN Para, the latter being a folding stocked carbine variant of the FAL.
These groups were fired at 6 yards.
I just had to try the fun switch, so after placing the FAL on the Automatic setting, I felt a series of punches to my shoulder. The rate of fire was not ridiculously high and by firing short bursts of around 3-4 BBs, 10 shots grouped at just over an inch at 6 yards. They landed just slightly high and there were a couple of shots that opened the group up slightly when compared to my more precise Repetition shooting.
Firing short bursts at 6 yards did not overly open up the groups.
I tested the FAL with these 'Bad Ass' 6 mils while I await delivery of the black BBs that @nikvanorton recommended.
IN CONCLUSION
It suddenly struck me that this airsoft FAL does all I need it to. Well, more actually. It is incredibly realistic as well as very well made. It can be fitted with original furniture and accessories but on top of all that it performs like a dream on my indoor range. The power is high enough to dismember tin cans, which are my all-time favourite targets and the VFC will group as well as any airgun replica.
My conclusion is I dismissed airsoft for too long. It is an excellent option and you don’t need to belong to an airsoft or skirmish society. Associate Membership of the Sportsmans Association (SAGBNI) is an acceptable defence, with many online and in person shops, such as Crawley Surplus accepting SAGBNI membership as a valid defence for ownership. I just need to be mindful of not going too crazy and buying too many of these excellent alternatives or perhaps additions to the humble 4.5mm airgun replicas we are familiar with.
In the past, I have tended to consider most airsoft guns as toys with poor accuracy and low power. That view changed somewhat when I bought a Northeast Uzi in 2025, which was the most realistic replica I had ever come across. Build quality was excellent and handling exceptional. Accuracy was not the best but the full auto feature produced such a grin on my face that I ceased to care about accuracy. Fun and realism was what this new addition was all about and using Green Gas, I often charge up an Uzi magazine and let rip against a target in full auto as a way of relaxation. It inevitably results in a huge grin across my face.
I subsequently had the opportunity to acquire a VFC FAL in 2026 as a retirement present from my wife and my view has swung even further towards airsoft guns as a realistic addition to the airgun replicas I collect. The sheer realism of the VFC FAL is actually even greater than the Uzi, especially in terms of accuracy but more of that later.
SOME HISTORY
British military historians, collectors and ex servicemen will be more familiar with the L1A1 Self Loading Rifle (SLR). This venerable rifle was itself based on the Belgian FAL, short for Fusil Automatique Léger (Light Automatic Rifle). In fact, VFC market the rifle as the LAR, a translation of the Belgian name.
The FAL was adopted by around 90 countries during the Cold War and in various forms. There were two main models; the Inch Pattern and the Metric Pattern. The former was made using British imperial measurements and the latter, you guessed it metric. This is important as some parts do not easily interchange between the two. There was also a third Indian variant, which was a cross between the two as it was an unlicensed copy of the original.
VFC have copied a C.1960s Belgian FAL, which had a factory designation of 50.00. It was made on the metric pattern, being Belgian and had a first type receiver (later FALs had altered receivers known as Type 2 and then Type 3). This model saw service with the Belgians in the Congo during the 1960s and was a popular arm with many of the mercenaries that were attracted to the African brush wars during the 1960s and 70s.
Similar models were license made in Argentina and saw use in the hands of Argentine conscripts, as well as regulars during the 1982 Falklands conflict. Ironically, Britain faced the Argentines with the L1A1 SLR, so both sides used essentially the same service rifle. The Argentine and Belgian variants had a full auto capability and this too is offered on the VFC FAL.
ONTO THE VFC
The basic model comes with replicated furniture, which in honesty looks too clean and ‘new’. The handguards also creak when squeezed, something original handguards won’t do. Luckily the previous owner had replaced the furniture on the VFC with an original Belgian FAL stock, pistol grip and handguards. This is something I would recommend wholeheartedly as original furniture turns this into an incredibly realistic replica. In many ways, it can be considered a working ‘de-ac’ as parts are replicated in excellent detail, down to the smallest feature.
That smallest feature is probably the replicated Belgian proof marks on the barrel shroud. You won’t even see this unless you remove the handguards but it’s there and demonstrates incredible attention to detail.
Larger features include a removable gas plug, a gas piston rod and its spring. The VFC field strips just like an original, so the top cover can be taken off and the breech block with its ‘rat’s tail’ can be removed. There is a synthetic buffer behind the breech block, which is intended to protect the working parts. Some YouTube videos recommend removing it for added realism, as it is said to reduce the automatic rate of fire and increase felt recoil further than the recoil that is felt with each shot in the VFC’s standard configuration.
However, there are documented cases of the rear of the receiver and rearsight block sustaining damage if the VFC is used without the buffer, so it’s there for a reason. I ordered a narrower buffer for my FAL as a compromise between added realism and preventing undue wear/damage. Some owners have cut down the factory buffer and made it narrower, which is an alternative fix.
SIGHTING
The rearsight slides along an inclined ramp, similar to British and Commonwealth SLRs but unlike the folding blade on the L1A1, the VFC’s blade is fixed with a small aperture, which again is correct for a 1960s FAL 50.00. Lateral adjustment is made by means of 2 screws, located either side of the rearsight block. Undo one and tighten the other to enable the sight to move laterally within its dovetail. Clicks can be felt during adjustment.
I've ordered one of these rearsights for my Huntsman Arms Para FAL as it looks like an excellent unit and should fit.
Vertical adjustment can be fine tuned on the front sight, which screws in or out with the aid of the supplied tool. The front sight is fixed to the top of the gas block and the block can shake loose after repeated use (I said this rifle recoils!). The fix is to remove the gas plug, piston rod and unscrew the rearsight blade, together with its spring. You will then be faced with a hole, which is the access point for a tiny hex headed screw that retains the gas block in place.
There's the front sight. I've since cleaned the designer rust from the Gas regulator!
I removed the screw, cleaned it and applied blue Loctite before securing it firmly back in place. This screw does look like a potential weak point, so worth keeping an eye on. I also applied Loctite thread sealer to the grip screw after removing and cleaning it, as this too can work loose with use.
The magazine looks just like an original when fitted. It is constructed from one piece of metal and is charged with Green Gas (propane) before use. The charging valve is at the top rear, so it is not visible and protected during use. Shot count is high, especially if you stick to single shot (Repetition). The magazine is said to hold up to 28 6mm rounds but who would load more than the 20 that a 7.62mm FAL or SLR would take? My rifle came with a spare magazine and I ordered another from ehobbyasia in Hong Kong while the opportunity was there.
ACCESSORIES
In addition to spare magazines and maybe some original webbing pouches to store them, what else is out there? I have an original Argentine ‘apple corer’ bayonet in my collection, that was a Falklands battlefield pick up by a Royal Marine and that fits the VFC FAL. I had to add a synthetic O Ring to the flash hider so the bayonet stays in place. Original rifles had a metal O ring and I’m sure I have one somewhere.
An SLR sling is relatively cheap but I have obtained a Greek G3 sling, which is lighter and more like an original FAL sling. I may not fit it, as I quite like the FAL without a sling.
An SLR cleaning kit or maybe a cleaning kit tin or box is a useful little extra. It can be used to house the very useful multi tool the FAL comes with, along with a small bottle of Super Lube Synthetic grease or oil, which are recommended lubricants for airsoft Gas Blowback Replicas. Some 4x2 cleaning roll will stop parts rattling in the tin.
CONTROLS
These are all functional and work like those on an original FAL. There is a working magazine release and mags are inserted front first, then rock and lock the rear like an AK magazine, just as on the firearm. Cock the non folding cocking handle and take off safe to fire. You can then select from Repetition or Automatic, as this is a metric FAL, remember?
There is a bolt hold open catch, which will also release the bolt when pushed down. Pulling a cocked bolt back will do the same. Incidentally, best practice is to cock an unloaded rifle first before field stripping to get the trigger mechanism out of the way.
IN USE
Upon taking my first few shots with the VFC FAL, I was completely blown away. There was a punchy recoil impulse with every shot that added to the experience of using this replica. However, more than that, I found that a nice group of around an inch had formed at 6 yards. It wasn’t central, so I adjusted the sights for the 0.3g Bad Ass branded 6mm balls I had chosen to test the FAL with. I was soon able to fire centralised groups at 6 yards, which were every bit as good as those obtained with my 4.5mm CO2 powered replicas such as the L1A1 or FN Para, the latter being a folding stocked carbine variant of the FAL.
These groups were fired at 6 yards.
I just had to try the fun switch, so after placing the FAL on the Automatic setting, I felt a series of punches to my shoulder. The rate of fire was not ridiculously high and by firing short bursts of around 3-4 BBs, 10 shots grouped at just over an inch at 6 yards. They landed just slightly high and there were a couple of shots that opened the group up slightly when compared to my more precise Repetition shooting.
Firing short bursts at 6 yards did not overly open up the groups.
I tested the FAL with these 'Bad Ass' 6 mils while I await delivery of the black BBs that @nikvanorton recommended.
IN CONCLUSION
It suddenly struck me that this airsoft FAL does all I need it to. Well, more actually. It is incredibly realistic as well as very well made. It can be fitted with original furniture and accessories but on top of all that it performs like a dream on my indoor range. The power is high enough to dismember tin cans, which are my all-time favourite targets and the VFC will group as well as any airgun replica.
My conclusion is I dismissed airsoft for too long. It is an excellent option and you don’t need to belong to an airsoft or skirmish society. Associate Membership of the Sportsmans Association (SAGBNI) is an acceptable defence, with many online and in person shops, such as Crawley Surplus accepting SAGBNI membership as a valid defence for ownership. I just need to be mindful of not going too crazy and buying too many of these excellent alternatives or perhaps additions to the humble 4.5mm airgun replicas we are familiar with.
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