an automatic term refering to a handgun

[Spartan198]

I've always pronounced BAR in acronym form (as I do the AUG), but occasionally I'll find myself pronouncing FAL in word form without realizing it, though I prefer to use the acronym form.

Blame TV for the latter. The first place I ever saw an FAL was in a movie, where it was never referred to by name. I first learned the name when I saw it on paper, so naturally I put the letters "FAL" together as the word "fal". I know better now, but I sometimes still call it in word form without realizing it (like I said above).