Latest vintage NV for FNC1A1

I went to an auction towards the end of 1999 where the night vision scopes were up for auction. The first ones they had on the block were the TVS502, which included the 50 cal and 30 cal mounts. I ended up with 6 of them for $100 each, complete with the stands. Next came the PVS501, used on the |C3 and the Carlg G. There was a FN top cover available for these as well. I got all 6 for $250 each. Then came the PVS502s. I ended up with 6 of those for $350 each.

Had the old Honda loaded to the roof with night vision that day. I think that amongst the lot of them, there was maybe one good set of batteries. The PVS 502 took a commercial battery, as Koldt mantioned, but the rest required an adapter be made up to accept AAs.

Of the three, I liked the Carl G TVS501 the best. Seemed to give the best image. Only problem was the side type mount on them, although they could be changed to the normal bottom stanag mount.

You don't come accorss deals like these anymore. Soon after I bought all these, the military started destroying them as sensitive goods, so there were no further sales..
 
NavyShooter said:
Koldt,

Great ideas for your C1. I've been thinking about doing a "shorty" mod with mine. I figure it'd look pretty sharp, and if it doesn't, well, bah, it's not like I can shoot it anyhow. I'll got get the hacksaw and see what I can put together (or take apart)

NS
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I'm breaking out the dremel now. Should have the barrel down to 11.5" soon. I bought a new carbide bit, so I should be able to crown the barrel myself.

Stencollector,,, shaddupppp.....:(

The first 502 I picked up was a complete unit. The next one was a part scope that I put together. I've assembled probably close to 20 of these things now. Nothing serious, just put the parts together and made them function. I am a big fan of the 502.
 
I had a PAS-4 many years ago. It came with an OD green 6 volt wet-cell alkaline battery pack which was used to power the infrared searchlight.
(Edited: Or was it nickle-cadmium? It looked like a miniature car battery with removeable caps to fill each cell)

As for powering the image-conversion tube, standard C-cell batteries fit into the recepticle and appeared to work OK, but I don't know if this was the type of battery it was originally designed to use.
 
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Quiet said:
I had a PAS-4 many years ago. It came with an OD green 6 volt wet-cell alkaline battery pack which was used to power the infrared searchlight.
(Edited: Or was it nickle-cadmium? It looked like a miniature car battery with removeable caps to fill each cell)

As for powering the image-conversion tube, standard C-cell batteries fit into the recepticle and appeared to work OK, but I don't know if this was the type of battery it was originally designed to use.
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I was going to pick up one of the older type "lantern" style square batteries this weekend and give it a try. Guess I should grab some C batteries too. Thanks.
 
Calum said:
The FNC1A1...the last time Canada issued a decent military rifle IMHO. :)
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Not to start a flamefest here, but it really was yesterday's rifle. Heavy, kicked like a mule and not as reliable as the C7/M16 family of rifles in my opinion. It was not particularily adaptable to accessories either, but then again things like lasers were only in the James Bond movies and not on the end of your rifle.

Considering it came out in the mid 50s, and generally replaced bolt action rifles in the commonwealth, it might be considered a real leap in armament. But by the late 80s, they really were showing their age.

Rifles should not be older than the guys shooting them. Same goes for planes, wheeled vehicles, and rations.
 
All the rage now is the AR10/SR25/M14 stuff. There is some really cool stuff being done down south as far as adding rails, folders, etc. Despite my tounge in cheek about cutting the barrel, having a more compact, rail/accessory available package for the FN variant, I think, is kinda cool. I mean it's got all the new stuff, like a piston upper:p DSL puts out some nice stuff.

As with all gun stuff, nothing's new, just recycled and re-parkarized.

I had an Australian L1 before this 8L. Put on all the CF parts to do up an inexpensive C1. It shot wonderful. At least as tight as any of my ARs. They have fit me well since '78 and Cornholiss. I don't notice the felt recoil, just lucky I guess. G3, it hits me in the cheek.
 
See here it is in "sniper" mode:D. Says so on the side.

fnoptic3.jpg

fnoptic4.jpg
 
Koldt:


Perhaps you should refer to your 8L FN as an FN C1 A2, as it was manufactured as such. I always do when referring to mine.

R. Blake Stevens, publisher of "North American FALs" 1979, has a similar picture of the Sniper Scope C1 on p. 118, fig 147.
 
stencollector said:
Not to start a flamefest here, but it really was yesterday's rifle. Heavy, kicked like a mule and not as reliable as the C7/M16 family of rifles in my opinion.
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Accessories? Back in it's day one only needed this rifle two bandoleers of ammo and a good parachute to do the job. :p :D
 
Rule 303 said:
Koldt:


Perhaps you should refer to your 8L FN as an FN C1 A2, as it was manufactured as such. I always do when referring to mine.

R. Blake Stevens, publisher of "North American FALs" 1979, has a similar picture of the Sniper Scope C1 on p. 118, fig 147.
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It was considered naming it the C1 A2 but it wasn't done in the end. It remained the C1A1 and that is exactly what is stamped on my 8L. I have the Stevens book too.

As for Koldt's photo, if I post a pic of my 8l with the sniper scope, do I have include a shot of my drivers licence so you don't seem suspicious?
 
stencollector said:
Not to start a flamefest here, but it really was yesterday's rifle. Heavy, kicked like a mule and not as reliable as the C7/M16 family of rifles in my opinion. It was not particularily adaptable to accessories either, but then again things like lasers were only in the James Bond movies and not on the end of your rifle.

Considering it came out in the mid 50s, and generally replaced bolt action rifles in the commonwealth, it might be considered a real leap in armament. But by the late 80s, they really were showing their age.

Rifles should not be older than the guys shooting them. Same goes for planes, wheeled vehicles, and rations.
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Have you checked out the stuff at DSA for FAL/FN's? You can make it look like an AR if you want. Keep in mind that the Ar's of the day were just as plain. All of the US Army M16's I played with were clapped out junk and far worse than our FN's. At the time I wanted the army to have the FNC1, Uzi and anything other than the C2 or M60 for the squad auto.
 
Colin said:
.....and anything other than the C2 or M60 for the squad auto.
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I last fired a C2A1 just about 3 years back. It was even worse than I remembered. Too light to stay on target, and a barrel too thin for sustained fire, well as sustained as you can be with 30 round magazines.

Still, it was a nice bit of nostalgia, I got the sore cheek and I even got to burn my thumb on the hot barrel while folding up the bipod. I wouldn't have traded that sore cheeck for anything else in the world that day.

I recall back on the field portion of my TQ3, (what seems like a hundred years ago but was actually only 30 years back) reaching forward to reposition the C2A1, and instantly burning the webbing between the thumb and fingers. The instant blister told you that you had just made a mistake.

You only do that once.

How fitting, the guys are shooting MG (10 round bursts) over on the range right now.
 
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