FAMAS F1 · The original

Specifications

Country	France
Type	Assault rifle, bullpup
Firing modes	Three-round burst / semi-automatic / automatic
Ammunition	5.56 × 45 mm (F1) / 5.56 × 45 mm NATO (G2)
Manufacturer	Manufacture nationale d’armes de Saint-Étienne, then GIAT Industries, now Nexter Systems
Service life	Development from 1967, first order 1978, deliveries from 1979 (F1) and 1995 (G2)

Weight and dimensions

Weight (unloaded)	3,780 kg (F1) / 3,747 kg (G2)
Weight (loaded)	4,370 kg (F1) / 4,170 kg (G2)
Length	757 mm
Barrel length	488 mm
Rifling twist	right-hand

Technical data

System	Lever-delayed blowback
Sights	Open sights, night sight in the carry handle
Maximum range	3.200 m
Combat range	300 m
Rate of fire	1,050 rounds/min (F1) / 1,150 rounds/min (G2)
Muzzle velocity	960 m/s (F1) / 925 m/s (G2)
Magazine	25 rounds (F1) / 30 rounds STANAG (G2)

History

Ordered and commissioned by the French Army in the 1970s, the FAMAS met the need for a powerful, compact weapon that is easy to operate and maintain. It replaced the FSA MAS 1949-56 rifle in 7.5 mm and the MAT 49 submachine gun in 9 × 19 mm Parabellum.

The first version, the F1, was built more than 400,000 times, for France and a few other countries such as Djibouti, Gabon, Senegal and the United Arab Emirates, and was also supplied to allied states. GIAT Industries then produced the G1 variant as a transition to the G2, which complies with NATO standard STANAG 4179. In France the G2 serves with the Navy.

Designed as one of the most modern rifles of its time but demanding to maintain, the weapon was never bought in large numbers by any other country because of its high price, almost twice that of an American M16. The French general staff had also initially turned down export requests in order to meet the army’s own needs quickly. Western armies at the time mostly relied on weapons of American, Belgian (FN) or Austrian (Steyr AUG) origin.