 It was selected in a 1958 competition, beating the Spanish CETME and American Armalite AR-10.Most StG 58s featured a folding bipod, and differ from the FAL by using a plastic stock rather than wood in order to reduce weight in the later production rifles (although some of the early FN-built production rifles did come with wooden stocks).The rifle can be distinguished from its Belgian and Argentine counterparts by its combination flash suppressor and grenade launcher.