The FAMAS is a bullpup-configuration assault rifle developed by the French state arsenal Manufacture d'Armes de Saint-Étienne, with the design work carried out between 1967 and 1971 and the rifle officially adopted by the French armed forces in late 1978, remaining France's standard infantry rifle for nearly four decades afterward. Chambered for the NATO-standard 5.56x45mm cartridge and operating on a lever-delayed blowback mechanism, the F1 version of the rifle weighs about 3.61 kilograms and has a 488 millimeter barrel giving an effective range of roughly 300 to 450 meters depending on ammunition and configuration; French troops nicknamed it Le Clairon, or the Bugle, for its distinctive silhouette. The FAMAS saw combat service with French forces in conflicts from Chad to Afghanistan, and although the French military began replacing it with the HK416F starting in 2017, the FAMAS is expected to remain in limited use with French reserve units until 2028.
Facts
Weapon Class Introduced Year Introduced Year Classification
Service Status Weapon Class
Weapon Class (category) FAQs
Why can the FAMAS have trouble with standard NATO ammunition?
Its delayed blowback action works best with French steel-cased ammunition, and brass NATO rounds can rupture.
The FAMAS uses a delayed blowback operating system that works best with French-specified steel-cased 5.56x45mm ammunition. Standard brass-cased 5.56x45mm NATO ammunition used by other armies can create over-pressure and case ruptures during extraction, which can lead to severe malfunctions. This was one of the reasons the French military looked for a replacement, since it had also stopped making the special steel-case ammunition. The later G2 model is more flexible and uses common 30-round STANAG magazines.
Connections
Operated By
Source MilitaryFactory.com: MAS FAMAS
Source MilitaryFactory.com: MAS FAMAS
Used In
In the Other Atlases
Manufactured By
Also in Business Atlas: the manufacturer of this subject.
Source Wikidata: FAMAS
Sources
1. Wikipedia: FAMAS
WikipediaHistory section
In late 1978, the French military accepted the FAMAS as their standard-issue rifle, the FAMAS F1.
Lead section
The FAMAS (French: Fusil d'Assaut de la Manufacture d'Armes de Saint-Étienne, lit. 'Assault rifle from the Saint-Étienne Weapon Factory') is a bullpup assault rifle designed and manufactured in France by MAS in 1978.
Infobox: cartridge
5.56×45mm NATO
Infobox: service
1978-present
Caliber attribute (famas)
Chambered for the NATO-standard 5.56x45mm cartridge and operating on a lever-delayed blowback mechanism, the F1 version of the rifle weighs about 3.61 kilograms and has a 488 millimeter barrel giving an effective range of roughly 300 to 450 meters depending on ammunition and configuration; French troops nicknamed it Le Clairon, or the Bugle, for its distinctive silhouette.
View the Source 2. Wikidata: FAMAS
Wikidata Q219757, class allow-list match (w-wdresolver-0926)View the Source MilitaryFactory.com: MAS FAMAS
MilitaryFactory.comOperated By: Argentine Armed Forces, Operators
[ Argentina; Djibouti; France; Gabon; Indonesia; Iraq; Lebanon; Papua New Guinea; Senegal; Serbia; Tunisia; United Arab Emirates; Vanuatu ]
Operated By: French Armed Forces, Operators
[ Argentina; Djibouti; France; Gabon; Indonesia; Iraq; Lebanon; Papua New Guinea; Senegal; Serbia; Tunisia; United Arab Emirates; Vanuatu ]
Used In: Gulf War, Description
Since its adoption, the FAMAS has become a combat veteran, serving in the 1983-1984 Chad French intervention and the 1991 Gulf War.
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