The F1 was an Australian submachine gun produced by the Lithgow Small Arms Factory. It was formerly the standard submachine gun of the Australian Army.
History[]
The F1 originated as the prototype X3 submachine gun in 1959, and was trialed by the Australian Army against two other prototypes, the X1 and X2. It emerged favorably from the trials and was officially adopted in late 1962. The F1 saw combat use by Australian troops in the Vietnam War and earned a positive reputation for its reliability in harsh conditions and simplicity of use. It continued to remain in service until 1988, when it was made obsolete by the adoption of the F88 Austeyr assault rifle.
A very small order of F1 submachine guns was placed by Malaysia, totaling at only 28 units.
Design[]
The F1 was a basic blowback-operated submachine gun. Like the earlier Owen gun, the F1's magazine feed was located on the top of the receiver. The F1's build was very simple; the body was constructed from a single tubular piece with perforations around the barrel housing, and the trigger group and pistol grip were taken from the L1A1 SLR. The stock was in line with the bore and the sights were offset to the left. The cocking handle could be fixed to the bolt, locking it in place.
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