The L1A1 and variants have seen use in several conflicts, including as part of the Cold War. The L1A1 subsequently served as the UK's first-line battle rifle up to the 1980s before being replaced by the 5.56mm L85A1.

The 5-round horseshoe charger had similar problems and was replaced with an conventional straight 5-round charger. The 8-round horseshoe charger was replaced in trials with a 5-round model due to problems with them becoming damaged when packed in pouches or bandoliers.

The rounds would then be slid down into the detachable box magazine through the bolt. The operator would open the bolt and place the charger into guide rails over the chamber. The British experimental version of the FAL (designated the X-1) initially used an 8-round 'horseshoe charger' (a 'U'-shaped clip that held the bullets) that was based on an experimental 10-round Belgian design. France's participation was to adopt a natively-designed service rifle that used their national 7.5mm MAS cartridge. Even the C1A1 and L1A1 used inch measurements and were not interchangeable with the FAL's metric parts. Most adopted a native design chambered for 7.62mm NATO, with Germany eventually adopting the G3 and the US adopting the M14. NATO standardized on the 7.62mm NATO cartridge in 1954, but did not adopt a standard rifle. Based on Canada's experiments with the FAL that led to the C1A1, the UK and Australia adopted the L1A1 (or Self-Loading Rifle) as their new service rifle in 1954. However to meet this plan and strengthen ties with the United States, the UK soon dropped the No.9 rifle in favor of the Belgian FAL chambered for the proposed American 7.62×51mm cartridge. 9 Mk 1 chambered for a 7 mm intermediate cartridge. The L1A1 and other inch-pattern derivatives trace their lineage back to the Allied Rifle Commission of the 1950s, whose intention was to introduce a single rifle and cartridge that would serve as standard issue for all NATO countries. Canadian C1s issued to naval and army personnel were also capable of fully automatic fire. However, Australia, the UK and New Zealand used Bren light machine guns converted to fire the 7.62×51mm NATO cartridge for use in the support role. Only Canada and Australia used this variant. Differences from the L1A1/C1 include a heavy barrel, squared front sight (versus the 'V' on the semi-automatic models), a handguard that doubles as a foldable bipod, and a larger 30-round magazine although it could also use the normal 20-round magazines. A variant named L2A1/C2A1 (C2), meant to serve as a light machine gun in a support role, is also capable of fully automatic fire. Most Commonwealth pattern FALs are semi-automatic only. All others have standard Imperial or 'unified' inch-standard threads throughout. The only exceptions are early prototype FALs, and the breech threads only on Israeli and Indian FALs. Most FALs also use SAE threads for barrels and assemblies. Notable incompatibilities include the magazines and the butt-stock, which attach in different ways. Many sub-assemblies are interchangeable between the two types, while components of those sub-assemblies may not be compatible. The original FAL was designed in Belgium, while the components of the 'inch-pattern' FALs are manufactured to a slightly modified design using British imperial units. The L1A1 was produced under licence and has seen use in the Australian Army, Canadian Army, Indian Army, Jamaica Defence Force, Malaysian Army, New Zealand Army, Rhodesian Army, Singapore Army and the British Armed Forces. The L1A1 Self-Loading Rifle, also known as the SLR (Self-Loading Rifle), by the Canadian Army designation C1A1 (C1) or in the US as the 'inch pattern' FAL, is a British version of the FN FAL battle rifle produced by the Belgian armaments manufacturer FN Herstal. Royal Small Arms Factory and Birmingham Small Arms Company factories (UK),

Century arms l1a1 inch or metric