FAMAS

FAMAS
Schematics of a FAMAS rifles
Type	Bullpup assault rifle
Place of origin	France
Service history
In service	1978-present
Used by	See Users
Wars	See Conflicts
Production history
Designer	Paul Tellie
Designed	1967–1971
Manufacturer	Nexter
Unit cost	F1: 1500 € G2: 3000 €
Produced	F1: 1975–2000 G2: 1994–2000
Number built	F1: 400,000
Variants	F1 G1 G2 FAMAS Export FAMAS Civil FAMAS Commando
Specifications
Weight	3.61 kg (7.96 lb) ("FAMAS F1") 3.8 kg (8.4 lb) ("FAMAS G2")
Length	757 mm (29.8 in) 965 mm (38.0 in) with bayonet
Barrel length	488 mm (19.2 in) ("F1/G2") 405 mm (15.9 in) ("G2 Commando") 320 mm (12.6 in) ("G2 SMG") 620 mm (24.4 in) ("G2 Sniper")
Cartridge	5.56×45mm NATO
Action	Lever-delayed blowback
Rate of fire	900–1000 rounds/min ("F1") 1000–1100 rounds/min ("G2")
Muzzle velocity	930 m/s (3,100 ft/s) ("F1") 925 m/s (3,030 ft/s) ("G2")
Effective firing range	300 m ("F1") 450 m ("G2")
Maximum firing range	3200 meters
Feed system	25-round detachable box magazine ("F1") 30-round detachable box magazine (STANAG) ("G2")
Sights	Rear aperture fitted with tritium night inserts, front post

The FAMAS (French: Fusil d'Assaut de la Manufacture d'Armes de Saint-Étienne or "Assault Rifle from the Saint-Étienne Weapon Factory") is a bullpup-styled assault rifle designed and manufactured in France by MAS located in Saint-Étienne, which is now a member of the French government-owned Nexter group. It is the service rifle of the French military.

The first French bullpup rifles were developed between 1946 and 1950 at the AME (Atelier Mécanique de Mulhouse) and MAS, testing rounds such as .30 US Carbine, 7.92×33mm Kurz, 7.65×38mm (Made by Cartoucherie de Valence) and some other intermediate calibers. Since France was engaged in the First Indochina War at the time, and was also the second-largest contributor to NATO, the research budgets for new types of weapons were limited and priority was given to the modernization and production of existing service weapons. Nevertheless, approximately forty different 7.62×51mm NATO caliber prototype rifles were developed between 1952 and 1962, most notably the FA-MAS Type 62. However, the United States adoption of the M16 rifle and 5.56×45mm cartridge caused the French to rethink their approach, and consequently the Type 62 was not adopted.

In the 1960s, MAS began to manufacture under license the Heckler & Koch G3 battle rifle and later on the Heckler & Koch HK33 assault rifle as temporary substitutes. At the same time, the French embraced the idea of developing a new 5.56 mm automatic rifle. However, simply adopting the German-designed HK33 rifle was considered unsatisfactory for many members of the French high command. General Marcel Bigeard was also against the idea of relying on foreign weapons; while visiting the Manufacture d'Armes de Saint-Étienne, he asked the engineers to develop a homemade French 5.56 mm automatic rifle, which subsequently led to the creation and adoption of the FAMAS.