Department of the Treasury
             Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms

                            ORDER                      ATF 0 7540.1
                         9/11/74

Subject:  CLASSIFICATION OF BELGIAN FN LIGHT SEMI-AUTOMATIC RIFLE
          (FAL) CALIBER 7.62mm

1.   PURPOSE.  This order identifies certain FN FAL 7.62mm rifles
     which are not classified as machine guns and thereby are
     excluded from the provisions of the National Firearms Act.

2.   CANCELLATION.  This directive cancels all previous
     instructions concerning the classification of FAL rifles.

3.   BACKGROUND.  From September 5, 1959 to January 10, 1963, the
     Browning Arms Company, St Louis, Missouri, imported 1,836 FAL
     rifles in caliber 7.62mm from Fabrique Nationale, Herstal,
     Belgium.  Subsequent to January 10, 1963, the Bureau
     classified this rifle as a machine gun.  However it was
     determined that the 1,863 rifles imported by Browning would be
     exempt from the provisions of the National Firearms Act. 
     Additionally twelve FN FAL rifles were imported through an
     administrative error in 1974.  These 12 rifles are also exempt
     from the provisions of the National Firearms Act.

4.   EXEMPTED FAL RIFLES.  Following is the final revised listing
     of FAL rifles, calibre 7.62mm, which are exempt from the
     provisions of the National Firearms Act.

a. G SERIES

     Serial Numbers       Units 
G492 through G494          3 
G537 through G540          4 
G649 through G657          9 
G662 through G673         12 
G677 through G693         17 
G709 through G748         40 
G752 through G816         65 
G848 through G1017       170 
G1021                      1 
G1033                      1
G1035                      1
G1041 through G1042        2 
G1174 through G1293      120 
G1415 through G1524      110 
G1570 through G1784      215 
G1800 through G1979      180 
G1981 through G1995       15 
G3035 through G3134      100 
G2247 through G2996      750
                        ----
                       1,815


b. GL SERIES

     Serial Numbers       Units 
GL749                      1
GL835                      1 
GL1095 through GL1098      4 
GL1163 through GL1165      3 
GL2004 through GL2009      6 
GL3135 through GL3140      6
                          --
                          21

STANDARD FAL -

     Serial Numbers        Units 
889768                       1 
889772 through 889777        6
                            ---
                             7
 
c. PARATROOP MODEL

     Serial Numbers        Units 
889800 through 889801       2 
889803                      1 
889805                      1 
889809                      1
                            --
                            5

TOTAL EXEMPTED FAL RIFLES 1,848


5.   DESCRIPTION OF MARKINGS.  All G Series and GL Series FAL
     rifles will be marked FAL. cal. 7.62 on the left side of the
     receiver and Fabrique Nationale D'Armes De Guerre-Herstal
     Belgique on the right side of the receiver.  The selector
     positions will be marked "S" for safe, "R" for semiautomatic,
     and "A" for automatic.  The selector lever is designed so that
     it cannot be rotated to the automatic position.

     The Standard and Paratroop Models will have the same markings
     as above plus "Browning Arms Co. Arnold Mo. and Montreal P.Q."
     on the right side of the magazine well.  The selector lever
     can be rotated to the automatic position but the rifle will
     fire only semiautomatically.

6.   ACTION. If a rifle bearing one of the above serial numbers has
     been converted to fire full automatic, it is classified as a
     machine gun and is subject to all the provisions of the
     National Firearms Act.

                            [signed]

                          REX D. DAVIS
                            Director