Famas info
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Fredericianer
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I don't have much experience with it, but I had a bit of range time with the French troops, and we got the opportunity to use each other's weapons, when I was in Kosovo. I found it quite accurate and easy to use. The built in bipod is a nice touch too. I think it was a lot more complicated to strip than the M4 though, but that might just be because I only tried it once.
boricua9mm
Member
IIRC, there was only 100-150 of these that were ever imported into the U.S.
Feedback will be hard to come by, and finding a FAMAS to purchase will be exceedingly difficult and as expensive as a nice used car.
Feedback will be hard to come by, and finding a FAMAS to purchase will be exceedingly difficult and as expensive as a nice used car.
barnbwt
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As I recall...
-The FAMAS delaying system was apparently tuned to a different 223 loading, so they cannot safely/reliably use normal NATO stuff
-Takedown of the bolt was fairly weird; something to do with a little part called the "Mickey Mouse Head" getting misplaced
-The furniture (I forget if it was the operating parts, too) was pretty delicate, and parts would start falling off, so there is a lot of duct tape
-At present, the vast majority of the guns are very clapped out*, and I believe not even France has a source for replacement components at this time (hence the carbine trials over there, even though there is little money or appetite for military spending, at least until quite recently)
-Other than I think an aesthetic/rail update (mostly done to replace aforementioned crappy furniture) I don't believe there has been much evolution of the delayed-blowback FAMAS design, which makes it less compelling than highly-developed AR15, AK47, or AR18 offerings.
TCB
*This is the saddest part, since even if France's hoplophobes weren't going to shred the guns, which they are, they'd be pretty much useless for us homebuilders. As bad as the G3's get, you can jimmy-jack your way back into a usable gun with oversize rollers and locking piece shaping --the lever-delay of the FAMAS is simply much more complex to tweak and manufacture
-The FAMAS delaying system was apparently tuned to a different 223 loading, so they cannot safely/reliably use normal NATO stuff
-Takedown of the bolt was fairly weird; something to do with a little part called the "Mickey Mouse Head" getting misplaced
-The furniture (I forget if it was the operating parts, too) was pretty delicate, and parts would start falling off, so there is a lot of duct tape
-At present, the vast majority of the guns are very clapped out*, and I believe not even France has a source for replacement components at this time (hence the carbine trials over there, even though there is little money or appetite for military spending, at least until quite recently)
-Other than I think an aesthetic/rail update (mostly done to replace aforementioned crappy furniture) I don't believe there has been much evolution of the delayed-blowback FAMAS design, which makes it less compelling than highly-developed AR15, AK47, or AR18 offerings.
TCB
*This is the saddest part, since even if France's hoplophobes weren't going to shred the guns, which they are, they'd be pretty much useless for us homebuilders. As bad as the G3's get, you can jimmy-jack your way back into a usable gun with oversize rollers and locking piece shaping --the lever-delay of the FAMAS is simply much more complex to tweak and manufacture
briansmithwins
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Like the roller delayed blowback HKs, in theory you get a rifle that's simpler, cheaper, and lighter than a gas operated,* rifle.
In practice, because of the materials and engineering required, they are as complex, expensive, and no lighter than other designs.
BSW
*I know delayed blowback is a variant of gas operation using the case as a one shot, disposable had piston.
In practice, because of the materials and engineering required, they are as complex, expensive, and no lighter than other designs.
BSW
*I know delayed blowback is a variant of gas operation using the case as a one shot, disposable had piston.
sappyg
Member
^
Off topic but maybe this is why I think I keep seeing ARs carried by security forces in recent pictures. The Famas doesn't seem as prevelant as one would expect.
Off topic but maybe this is why I think I keep seeing ARs carried by security forces in recent pictures. The Famas doesn't seem as prevelant as one would expect.
France is looking to replace the FAMAS. Their more specialized units are already carrying SCARS and HK416s
barnbwt
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"The Famas doesn't seem as prevelant as one would expect."
Didn't the maker (St. Etiene...) go belly up like a decade ago? I've read they are basically down to cannibalizing parts to keep the things running at this point. Hopefully I've read wrong
. ARX100 is supposedly very high in the running if not out front as the replacement.
TCB
Didn't the maker (St. Etiene...) go belly up like a decade ago? I've read they are basically down to cannibalizing parts to keep the things running at this point. Hopefully I've read wrong
. ARX100 is supposedly very high in the running if not out front as the replacement.TCB
True that. I was thinking about buying one but when the auction went north of $10K I reevaluated how neat I though it would be to have a rare FAMAS. That one ultimately sold for $14k.
You can find some reviews from people that actually know what they are talking about but as was said earlier the number of people in the US that have an informed opinion on the question you ask is pretty small.
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