FAMAS, presentation of the French Bullpup

By Arnaud Lamothe, 4 March 2022, In Cold War , Gunsmithing & Technique , Nowadays

In addition to Pierre Breuvart’s article on the FAMAS (which will be translated in the coming weeks), which looks back on more than 40 years of service of the French assault rifleAn assault rifle is a weapon defined by the use of an "inter... More, we will carry out here the technical and organizational presentation of the weapon. We will focus here on the two most commonly encountered variants: the F1 in service in the Army, Air Force and Gendarmerie and the G2, more particularly intended for export and used by the French Navy (Pics. 01 to 05). Our study copy of the G2, intended for export, is however different from the model in service in the Navy in several aspects which we will return to during this study. We will use in this exercise the acronym “FAMAS” for “Assault RifleAn assault rifle is a weapon defined by the use of an "inter... More of the Manufacture d’Armes de Saint-Étienne”, because it is the acronym used in the TTA-150, that is to say the series of French regulatory manuals. However, in other official documents, the use of the FA-MAS typing is found.

An original construction for a 1979 weapon

The weapon is built around an aluminum frame, which is extended by a steel tubular casing called in French “tube-enveloppe” … which means “tubular casing”! (Pics. 06 and 07). This tubular casing is part of the frame of the weapon. The latter obviously wraps the barrel on its rear portion, without touching it, and thus allows the installation of different devices of the weapon without interacting with the latter (Pic. 08). It thus hosts:

The charging handle and the recoil spring of the bolt carrier group (the latter captive in a greased tube)
The front anchor point of the upper “handguard transport handle” called in French “Poignée Garde-Main” or “PGM” by soldiers, which has nothing to do with a French brand of rifle…
The front anchorage point of the lower handguard called in French “Fût” (the rear anchor point being made in the aluminum frame)
The turret of the rear sight aperture, which also serves as the rear anchor of the PGM

This specificity of the «tube-enveloppe» is to our knowledge “unique” on an assault weapon. It could be reminiscent of a barrel protection sleeve (often perforated) that can be found on many SMGs (from MP-18/I to Sterling!) or even rifles (from Gewehr 1888 to Stg-57…) but clearly does not have the same role here. The «tube-enveloppe» of the FAMAS has a real structural role while a barrel protection sleeve is often limited to avoiding the interaction of the barrel with its environment (shooter included!). It can be compared in spirit to the weapon lever tube of the G3 and its progeny (HK-33, MP-5 …), which also allows the installation of the handguard without interference with the barrel. This makes both weapons part of the few assault weapons whose barrel is really free floating. However, it is necessary to specify here that not all G3 productions reproduce this specificity: presumably the early HK productions and in any case, some Pakistani military productions “POF” that we had the opportunity to examine.

The barrel of the FAMAS, cold hammered, is screwed into the aluminum frame. A washer, of variable thickness, allows with the help of a nut screwed inside the «tube-enveloppe» the adjustment of the headspaceDistance between the rear support surface of the ammunition ... More. The barrel of the FAMAS F1 is originally intended to fire the F1 ammunition, which is a M193 type (3.5 g). It therefore has a twist rate of 1:305mm (1:12 inches). The first barrel productions were originally equipped with six grooves and later versions would have only three. The G2 barrel allows the firing of the SS-109 ammunition (4 g), with a twist rate of 1:229 mm (1:9 inches). Like the late versions of the F1, the barrel of our study G2 has three grooves. The barrel that accommodates the front sight turret ends with a flash-hider. The versions in service within the French Army are equipped with an adjustment ring for rifle grenades … but we will come back to that specific provision later. Its chamber is fluted to avoid, by adduction of carbon on the case body, the sticking of cases (Pic. 09). Unlike many other military productions, its barrel is not chrome-plated. Once again, cold hammering and the absence of chrome-plating are technical aspects shared with the G3 family…

The frame also houses the magazines well and catch, as well as the box containing the firing mechanism called in French “boîtier de mécanisme”. The latter is also the “safety part” of the weapon, that is to say the part to be removed to render the weapon inoperative.

The weapon’s furniture is composed of the stock “la crosse” (at the rear), the “fût” (below) and the PGM (above). On the FAMAS-F1, these three elements were made at least of two different types of synthetic materials over time. The older one, heavily loaded with fiberglass, is gray. These parts were therefore painted in black (Pic. 07). This material has given way to a polymer (always loaded with fiberglass) that is more “classic” nowadays and whose dyeing is carried out in the mass. It is this material that we find on the FAMAS-G2. If the stock and the PGM can (and must) be disassembled for maintenance, the fût remains captive on the weapon and is deposited only in a suitably equipped workshop. This last point may seem a little detrimental to the maintenance of the weapon. It is however made totally necessary by the “bullpup” organization of the weapon, because its removal would involve the removal of the link rod of the trigger, a rather delicate and inconceivable operation on the field. Finally, accessibility for cleaning remains “acceptable” on this part, especially given the fact that it does not get clogged by shooting, but only by environmental contamination. This type of dirt is generally much easier to remove than the carbon deposit from the shots. Also, this set has only a few moving parts which are not very sensitive to fouling: the trigger, the link rod and firing mode selector. The F1 and G2 fût have two notable ergonomic differences:

The trigger-guard: made of sheet metal on the F1, it encompasses only the finger on the trigger. Molded with the rest of the fût on the G2, it protects the hand in its entirety.
The lower handguard: that of the G2 has a rim in its front position that is intended to avoid gripping the barrel with the hand.

This set composed of the frame, barrel and fût, unremovable for the soldier is legally designated “body of the rifle” or “corps du fusil” in French.

The PGM, in addition to its handling function, is a formidable protection for the sights. It also houses the sights for rifle grenade shooting (these devices will be detailed later) as well as the bipod. When this PGM is assembled on the weapon, it is recessed on an anchor point of the «tube-enveloppe» at the front and locked by an assembly pin at the rear on the turret of the rear sight aperture. Thus solidarized on the «tube-enveloppe», it does not interfere at any time with the barrel, which as mentioned, is always free floating: shooting with or without a rest or from the bipod. The PGM does not have sufficient rigidity for the installation of an optical or optronic sights, so it was designed later in response to this need a “PGMP, that is to say a “Poignée Garde-Man Polyvalente” with different mounting interfaces, including laser-sights (Pics. 10, 11 and 12). The latter incorporates a metal structure allowing the mounting of an optics on a rigid and tight interface. This did not prevent some “smart boys” (but who, in the case of a weapon of war, can be qualified as criminals given the consequences for the man in the field) from proposing sights mounting solutions for the original PGM. These systems obviously do not give the slightest satisfaction in terms of accuracy… as tests carried out by independent professionals have shown. Yes, we are talking about optical assembly made for professional purposes, entirely mounted on a flexible synthetic material structure assembled on the weapon with a significant slack. For those who would have a doubt, the assembly of an optics is normally tight, without flexibility and without slack… This is what the PGMP proposes. The FAMAS equipped with a PGMP is called “FAMAS Infantry” within the French Army.

The stock has in its upper rear bulge a consequent bolt carrier group buffer, linked to the very particular engine principle of the FAMAS: the mechanical advantage blowback (Pics. 13 and 14) … aspect discussed in the next point. We find, once again a similarity with the G3, which also has a significant bolt carrier group buffer … and whose model varies according to the desired lifespan of the weapon! The ejection port is cut out on each side of the stock: it can be closed to the desired side by a cheek pad that is easily clipped (Pics. 15 to 17). The rubber butt plate has a design with non-slip points (the famous 16 points of the FAMAS, to use a dad joke, and let’s say it, of a dubious taste that some have experienced during their passage in the army …). The G2 butt plate is also made of rubber but has wide non-slip strips (Pic. 18). It can also be noted that when the weapon is assembled, the frame rests directly on the butt plate, thus transmitting no stress to the rest of the stock.

LAI: Levier Amplificateur d’Inertie

The bolt carrier group runs on two rails machined in the aluminum frame (Pic. 19). Its guidance is completed by the tube of the recoil spring, linked to the bolt carrier group by a captive pin installed on the “additional mass”. This bolt carrier group is composed of a bolt, an additional mass and the ” Inertia Amplifier Lever” … or “Levier Amplifcateur d’Inertie” in French: L.A.I. who gave its name to our website (Pic. 20)! The operating principle of the weapon is therefore that of the mechanical advantage blowback. This type of system is regularly called “delayed blowback”, which does not really make sense: all weapons use a system of delay when opening… You are advised to check Chapter 6 of my book for more details. In this type of system, the reloading pulse is directly transmitted to the bolt carrier group by the recoil of the case in the chamber when firing.

The mechanical advantage used here is the lever. When firing, the bolt, pushed by the case, rests on the short arm of an “L” lever which is wedged in the frame on a steel “lever’s recess” insert. The long arm of the lever rests on the additional mass. Thus, the length ratio generates a mechanical advantage for the additional mass which has its “inertia” “amplified” (by a factor of 3.6 times as indicated in the service manual TTA-150), that is to say the effort necessary to set it in motion, is multiplied. This artifice allows, with the help of a blowback bolt carrier group whose additional mass weighs only 242 g, to simulate the presence of a bolt of nearly one kilo (all masses included). This system was to our knowledge used in the first place by weapons of the Hungarian inventor Pál Király, who – between the WWI and WWII – designed on this principle the SMGs Danuvia 39M and 43M in Hungary and even, after WWII, the “San Cristobal” rifle in .30 Carbine caliber in Dominican Republic. We do not know if this system, already used in the French Army on the AA-52 LMG (then called less precisely “Lever of Delay when Opening” in French “Levier de Retard à l’Ouverture” or “LRO”), was copied on the weapons of the Hungarian inventor or rather “re-invented”. It remains above all, a mathematical and physical solution to a recurring problem. It should also be noted that some sources state that this system was previously patented by the American John Pedersen: however, we do not know of any document or weapon that support these claims. Let us specify here that our knowledge is not absolute…

During firing, while this multiplication artifice is implemented, the bullet leaves the barrel. From then on, the mechanism thus driven reloads on its inertia, with a speed all the more considerable that if that of the bolt has been slowed down by the artifice, that of the additional mass, now driven, has been amplified. This explains a high cyclic-rate (of the order of 1000 rounds per minutes) and the need for the presence of the buffer in the stock, which is also equipped with a lever that allows over a short distance, a gradual buffering of the violent impact. The need for this buffer is all the greater as the weapon is compact: on a G3, the stroke of the bolt carrier group is much longer, especially for the purpose of buffering … Here, the bullpup design of the weapon, compact by nature, prohibits this recourse. When returning to the battery, the buffer also acts as a “catapult” on the bolt carrier group, accelerating its forward movement in addition to the recoil spring.

It can be added here that the LAI is the central safety organ of the weapon:

It controls the automatic sear, which, even in single mode, only allows the hammer to fall if the bolt carrier group is in the closed position. This arrangement is achieved by placing the control of the automatic sear at the bottom of the LAI housing into the frame (Pics. 21 and 22).
The interaction of the LAI with the firing pin allows two things: it prohibits the protrusion of the firing pin as long as the bolt carrier group is not in the closed position, and it generates the mechanical extraction of the firing pin at the opening (Pic. 23).

In addition, if the bolt carries the firing pin (and not as some on other weapons, the bolt carrier which is here the additional mass), the telescoping of the bolt in the additional mass prohibits the access of the firing pin to the hammer as long as the bolt carrier group is not in the closed position (Pic. 21). Classic, but effective.

These provisions protect the weapon from shotting with an open bolt under normal conditions of use.

The bolt has the originality of having the laterality of the ejection changed without the slightest replacement of part, something unprecedented at that time to our knowledge (which once again is not absolute – Pics. 24 to 27). To do this, it is possible to remove the bolt faceThe bolt face is the part of the bolt which in set place the... More (in French “Tête amovible”: removable head) by simply removing a pin (“doigt de maintien”: “holding finger “) located on the top of the bolt. The extraction of the bolt faceThe bolt face is the part of the bolt which in set place the... More (assisted by the ejector spring) releases:

The extractor and its spring
The ejector and its spring
The shutter: a part that fills the void on the side of the bolt that is not occupied by the extractor

The change of laterality is carried out by going up the whole, but by reversing the place of the extractor and the shutter. One will not forget to also change the laterality of the cheek pad, which obstructs the ejection port on the “face” side of the shooter. It is thus possible, in the field and in a few minutes, to convert the laterality of the weapon, something generally necessary for a bullpup weapon, at the risk of having the user injured by the ejection of the casing. That said, we must not confuse things: the weapon is not “ambidextrous”, but “convertible into laterality”. An ambidextrous weapon can be used indifferently by a right-handed or left-handed shooter without modification. Pierre’s article goes into more detail about the operational considerations of the weapon.

The thing seems interesting to us on a second point: it brings at the level of the soldier, a maintenance capacity on these parts, which are often the most solicited within a weapon. Here, the parallel is not with the G3, but with the Kalashnikov system (all bolt parts are fully removable at the user level) and to a lesser extent, with the AR-15 system where only the extractor can (and in fact, must) be disassembled for the maintenance of the weapon. Note in this regard, the importance of cleaning and lubricating these parts: we have been able to observe in many other weapons using non-removable sub-assemblies (extractor, spring ejector), fouling and the development of oxidation particularly harmful to the proper functioning of the weapon. In these unremovable sub-assemblies, the meticulous user has no choice but to “saturate” with lubricant and then mop up the excess in order to minimize the harmful effects of fouling and the risk of oxidation. It is a necessary palliative, but a palliative all the same… Whereas for the FAMAS, no problem: everything is accessible!

A fun anecdote, the particular morphology of the front face of the bolt of the FAMAS earned it to be commonly called by the French military the “head of Mickey” (“Tête de Mickey” in French)!

It can be noted here that the firing bowl of the FAMAS, offers a total support surface for the head of the ammunition, a positive point in terms of solidity. Thus, in case of overpressure, the case can not flow back in any place significantly and in particular in any way under the extractor.

The bolt of the FAMAS G2 is similar, but the weapon has a failsafe system that prevents the mounting of an F1 type bolt on a FAMAS G2. This system is composed of a triangular thickness made on the lever’s recess which requires a grooving of the lower surface of the bolt (Pics. 28, 29 and 30). If the exact purpose of this failsafe system is not formally known to us, it is a safe bet that it is related to the use of the AR-15 (M16) type magazine. Indeed, the bolt has a different machining, which allows the passage of the lips of the magazine of the AR-15, higher than that of the FAMAS F1. (Pics. 31 and 32)

An atypical organization in 1979

The least we can say is that the organization of the weapon denoted somewhat in the regulatory gunsmith landscape of 1979. Not only was the bullpup construction not the most widespread, but also because the weapon’s controls may present some oddities for some users. The charging handle could immediately be taken as an example. This one is located inside the PGM. It is of a reciprocate-type which means it is attached to the bolt carrier group when shooting and therefore moves with it. If some may see it as a safety disadvantage, it allows in any case to push the closure … although this maneuver is rarely judicious from our point of view. In the front position, it has a retention mechanism that avoids incomplete and accidental operation (shock, stray hooking …) (Pics. 33 and 34). This retention mechanism, which strongly hook the bolt carrier group, probably also acts as “counter-bouncing of the bolt carrier group” device. The charging handle access is finally comfortable for both a right-handed and left-handed shooter and this in all positions (lying down, standing …). This weapon’s cocking handle is actually reminiscent of the one originally implanted on the AR-10!

The organization of the choice of the firing mode can also be surprising, at least on weapons with the 3-shots burst, which are more widely spread through the F1 and G2 in service within the French Army. It should be noted, however, that this is not the case for the G2 sample of this study, nor for the first copies of F1 distributed, but which have since been retrofitted. In the case of weapons with the 3-shots burst, the choice of firing mode is made through two controls:

A lever inside the trigger guard that allows the weapon to be put in safety (central position) or to single mode (right position) or finally in automatic mode (left position). This command is the “fire selector” (Pics. 35 and 36).
A lever located on the lower part of the firing mechanism box that allows to determine the type of burst (free at the front or limited to 3-shots at the rear). This command is the “burst selector” (Pics. 37 and 38).

If the fire selector is intended to be handled frequently, this is certainly not the case of the burst selector, which would be rather of the “select and forget” type… to divert a terminology from our fellow missile-specialists. If this distribution is neither aberrant nor detrimental to use, we feel that its raison d’être is of “architectural” origin. Indeed, the fire controls on a bullpup weapon are deported to the front of the weapon and, therefore, to the front of the firing mechanism. Thus, each command potentially requires a long link rod. Also, for the sake of simplification, the thing here is intelligently thought out. Like the rifles of the HK G3 family, the burst firing is ensured by a staging of the course of the trigger:

A first threshold allows the clearing of the main sear and thus causes the start of the shot by the strike of the hammer on the firing pin. The moment the sear is disengaged from the hammer notch, the sear control part (towed by the trigger link rod) escapes the sear. The latter, under the action of a spring, then return in contact with the hammer. It is said that the main sear is “disconnected”. Thus, when the hammer follows the bolt carrier group in its forward movement, its cocking notch is hooked by the main sear even before being hooked by the automatic sear (which we will come back to later). In order to reset the firing mechanism, it is necessary to release the trigger so that the sear control part is repositioned upstream of the main sear.
By continuing the course of the trigger, a second threshold makes it possible to continuously erase the main sear by the sear control part as long as the finger presses the trigger. This is possible, because by continuing its forward course, the control part finds a new point of support on the main sear. From then on, the hammer’s strike is carried out at each closure of the bolt carrier group through the automatic sear which is activated by the installation of the LAI: the weapon shoots in bursts.

Thus, the action on a partial course of the trigger produces a start in single mode, and a complete action of the race of the trigger produces an automatic shot. Therefore, the action of the selector to determine the semi-automatic or automatic shot can be limited to restraining the course of the trigger … This is rigorously the case on the FAMAS, but also with other bullpup weapons. If the first Steyr AUG are satisfied with this staging of the trigger race to control the firing mode, the models equipped with a selector as well as the FN weapons which take up the firing mechanism form the Steyr AUG (FN P90 and FN 2000) use the same principle. The problem is then to relay the control of the 3-shots burst, which does not work rigorously on this part of the firing mechanism. Therefore, the integration in “two” selectors is much simpler, especially since as already mentioned, it is ultimately not detrimental to the user. We can complete here by the fact that the use of staged trigger for the choice of shooting mode is also found on other more “classic” weapons such as the Polish Wz-63 SMG… and that the use in two selectors is also found on another Polish weapon: the Wz-88 Tantal assault rifle (article linked here).

The fire selector thus restricts the action of the trigger: immobilizing it in “safety” mode, allowing a partial stroke in single mode and allowing its complete stroke in automatic mode (Pic. 39). The burst selector works in direct contact with the firing mechanism box and enables a device for counting the hammer’s movement, which after three cycles interrupts the shot by engaging a dedicated sear (Pics. 40 and 41). This counting device is a ratchet wheel whose movement is ensured by the guiding rod of the hammer spring. At the end of three hammer cycles (so, three shots), a dedicated sear is engaged in a notch of the hammer. This dedicated sear is disengaged by the “déclicteur” (TN: which can be translate by “de-activator”), a part that is controlled by the release of the trigger and the return of its connecting rod.

The trigger guard can be disengaged very simply forward: one plays on the elasticity of its sheet metal to disengage it from its locking pawn at its back and then rotate it 180 ° forward. It is thus possible to shoot with winter gloves and even if desired, using mittens. The trigger guard of the G2, molded with the fût, is wide and encompasses the whole hand and not only the index finger as already mentioned (Pics. 42 and 43).

The pistol grip, a reported part on the F1 but cast in the mass of the fût on the G2, contains in both cases a burette containing the excellent S-758 oil (Pic. 44)! At least, excellent for weapons… we are not a doctor and, therefore, we cannot say if it is an efficient cure against Covid… but as with most chemicals, we doubt it!

The introduction of the magazine is in a “straight” way, the magazine lock being positioned forward on the “F1” version and on the right side on the “G2” version (Pics. 45 and 46). If the magazine of the F1 version is “proprietary”, that of the G2 version is of AR-15 type (Pic. 47). In both cases the storage of ammunition is carried out on double-stack, and the presentation of ammunition is done on a double-feed way. The G2 magazine examined, and which appears to have been delivered with the weapon by the GIAT, is an FN-made magazine originally supplied with the FNC or Minimi. The position of the magazine hook on the F1 version is obviously related to two aspects of the weapon: its bullpup nature and its convertibility for right-handed and left-handed. Its operation is finally simple, the hook can be supported by the index finger of the hand that grips the magazine, as when pressing a trigger. Not very prominent, one is safe from stray hooking… for the F1 version! The G2 version takes up the advantages and disadvantages that can be attributed to the “push button” type magazine hook … which clearly does not have our favor. In addition, for the G2, the button inherited from the AR-15 is not convertible into laterality. Oddly enough, its use by a left-handed shooter is probably easier than for a right-handed shooter!

An Achilles’ heel?

If some feedbacks are to be believed, the Achilles’ heel of the FAMAS-F1 would be its magazine. The subject is discussed more fully in Pierre’s article, so we will not dwell too much on it. This one is of a straight shape and therefore sees its capacity limited to 25 shots. The guidance of the ammunition is a legacy of the MAS 49/56 self-loading rifle: at the front at the level of the bullet and at the rear at the level of the head and the beginning of the body. Strangely, the entire magazine seems to be a port from that of the FAL! If the similarities are disturbing, they are in reality only not surprising: the magazine of the MAS-62 was already very close to that of the FAL. The magazine of the FAL being itself very close to that of the BAR 1918… in short, nothing new (Pics. 48 and 49). This type of guidance nevertheless marks a strong difference from the guidance carried out on other weapons frequently encountered, where the guidance is carried out mainly on the body of the munition, as on that of an AR-15 or a Kalashnikov (Pic. 50). If this magazine is deemed fragile: should we not link the issue to the maintenance policy applied, ultimately not in line with what was prescribed for the weapon, namely that of an almost “disposable” magazine? The fact is that the magazine problem remains the main source of weapon malfunction… once again, Pierre’s article will tell you more about this (Pic. 51)! Finally, it can be pointed out here that AR-15 type magazines also encounter, depending on the manufacture (but in particular on manufactures for regulatory purposes) significant problems of reliability and viability.

To finish, neither the F1 nor the G2 are equipped with a bolt stops, something not surprising for a weapon with a battlefield vocation powered by interchangeable magazine… I refer once again readers interested in the subject to Chapter 6 of your servant’s “Small Guide for Firearms”, available on this website. Praise the French decision-makers who for a moment, have still been able to keep a cool head in the face of urban legends and other fashion effects… reliability must come first!

The sights

On the original FAMAS F1, the plural form is indeed of importance, because there are three sights in total! One device for bullet shooting, and two for spigot type rifle grenades shooting. The opportunity to remember here that indeed, the shooting of the rifle grenade, culturally very well-established in France since WWI, is part of the primary missions of the weapon. Our sample of FAMAS G2 retains only sights dedicated to bullet shooting. The French Navy’s G2 retain the “vertical” firing alidade described below.

The iron sights dedicated to bullet shooting include an aperture with two folding “flaps” of different diameters, mounted on a wide ring and a thin front sight blade (Pics. 52 to 55). The smallest flap is called “precision”, the largest is called “framing”. The “normal” firing configuration (understand here, by good visibility condition) is done with the two flaps raised, for maximum precision. One can fold the precision flap when light conditions are not ideal, but of course, to the detriment of accuracy. The choice of flaps does not in any way vary the distance of engagement. For low visibility shooting, the base of the grenade firing alidade had a luminescent rear sight notch and the front sight could be topped by a front sight that was also luminescent. However, these devices were removed from duty weapons, as they contained tritium. To use these sights, it was necessary to lower the two flaps: the aiming was thus achieved by the luminescent sight assembly visible through the wide ring. The front sights are installed on a turret attached to the barrel (Pic. 56). It is adjustable in direction without tools, a graduation helping the operation. The aperture is installed on a turret attached to the «tube-enveloppe» (Pic. 57). The aperture allows the elevation adjustment by means of a wheel with a reference numbering (oriented towards the front of the weapon) and without tools, but which is in no way linked to distances. For the implementation of the adjustment of the sights, it is necessary to remove the PGM. The aperture of our G2 uses the same arrangements (at the exception of the front sight adjustment graduation on our sample), but also has a distance adjustment to 3 positions (3, 4 and 5 hectometers or 300, 400 and 500 m) through a wheel located at the base of the turret (Pic. 58). This one does not act as a screw, but as a cam: the fact of making a complete turn does not allow to engage further than 500 m. We feel that the implementation of this device is not easy, especially with gloves or cold-numbed fingers. However, we welcome this capacity: the commitment beyond 300 m in 5.56 is perfectly exploitable from an operational point of view, and we feel that it would be damaging not to have it.

The PGM therefore originally carried a folding alidade of direct fire of the rifle grenade whose base therefore served as a luminescent target notch for bullet shooting (Pics. 59 and 60). Once deployed, the target of the alidade can engage in two positions: 75 and 100 m. It is used with the front sights of the weapon, the aiming being carried out above the aperture dedicated to bullet shooting. The presence of this sight explains the presence of the hole on the left side of the PGM. So, there is nothing esoteric about it! It seems that this device has never been installed on the G2 version where the direct shot with rifle grenade seems to be done by other means (instinctive shooting or with the help of the sights dedicated to bullet shooting?) which we do not know about.

Inside in the PGM, an alidade of curved fire (called “vertical” shooting) with a rifle grenade is arranged in front of the location of the cocking handle (Pic. 61). Composed of a plastic rod, it allows to aim for curved shot with a rifle grenade through a notch and a front sight (Pic. 62). This shot is made by placing the butt on the ground. The device can be tilted on each side of the weapon (arrangement related to the adaptable nature of the weapon in laterality) and has two deployment positions (at 45 ° and 74 °), here too, allowing to vary the distance of engagement. Its action has no impact on the mechanical operation of the weapon as it is frequently encountered on some grenade sights. In reality, it is almost systematic on gas-operated weapons: the deployment of this sight is often linked to the closure of the arrival of gas in the reloading system. It should be noted that this sight is not present on our FAMAS G2 study copy

This sight for the “vertical firing” of the rifle grenade is completed on the FAMAS F1 and G2 of the French Navy by a device intended to regulate the depth value of the grenade on the sleeve consisting by the flash-hider and an adjustable ring (Pics. 63, 64 and 65). Inherited from the MAS 36/51 and 49/56, this makes it possible to vary the distances during curved shots with a rifle grenade. The direct shot is always done with the grenade pushed to the maximum on the sleeve. Our FAMAS G2 sample retains only a grenade retention spring (present on the adjustable ring of the other versions) for a maximum depth value, intended for direct shooting. This makes sense given the lack of sight for “vertical” shooting.

Accessories

The weapon is originally equipped with a bayonet and a sling. The bayonet has the particularity of mounting above the barrel… another point in common with the G3 (Pics. 66 and 67)! It is very directly inherited from the MAS 49/56 and even seems to be interchangeable. Its indexing is carried out through a notch on the front face of the flash-hider, which implies that it must be indexed during assembly (Pics. 68 and 69). The flash-hider is therefore not removable by the soldier. It seems that there is no bayonet provision on our FAMAS G2 sample. G2s of the French Navy use the same bayonet as the F1. Finally, it seems M16 type bayonet has been thought about as an option on some G2s. The blank firing adaptor (in french “Bouchon de Tir à Blanc” or BTB) is mounted on the flash-hider (Pics. 70 and 71). The sling, whose specificities of use are more particularly described in Pierre’s article, can be mounted indifferently on the right or left flank of the weapon, for both the F1 and the G2 (Pic. 72). On the Navy’s F1 and G2, it mounts at the front of the weapon in the extension of the axis of a bipod branch (Pic. 73). On both weapons, the sling passes at the back in a metal buckle overmolded in the butt. The original sling has a sliding metal ring that comes into contact with a metal staple located on the front anchor point. This provision allows, when the sling is not necessary, to stretch it on the weapon to prevent it from dragging. A particularly welcomed disposition in our opinion, for storage, but also for shooting and for any maneuver that requires keeping the weapon in hand more than at the shoulder. On our G2 sample without a bipod, the sling passes at the front more simply in one of the two slots made on each side of the PGM (Pic. 74).

The FAMAS F1 and Navy’s G2 therefore receives a solid bipod. It should also be noted that the latter is removable at the user level. As mentioned, our example of G2 is devoid of it.

Finally, the FAMAS uses a magazine dedicated to the grenade cartridge for firing rifle grenades. It is named magazine For one Propulsive Cartridge or (“Pour une Cartouche de Lancement” or PCL – Pic. 75). With a capacity of a single cartridge on a single column, this magazine has the particularity of not being able to contain an ordinary bullet because only shorter ammunition (such as grenade cartridges), can be introduced (Pic. 76). This last feature earned it to be normally used during parades!

Ammunition

The ammunition originally intended for FAMAS is a M193 type ammo designated “F1”. It has a 3.5 g bullet consisting of a lead core jacketed with a copper alloy. The F1 ammunition is mounted on a brass case. In fact, its production and regulatory use predates the adoption of FAMAS F1 (Pic. 77). Let us not forget that the first service assault rifleAn assault rifle is a weapon defined by the use of an "inter... More in use within the French army, is – to our knowledge – the Sig (Manurhin) 540 of caliber 5.56×45 and that the FN CAL in the same caliber was also tried for a long time by the French troops. The ammunition that will be for a long time more particularly dedicated to the FAMAS F1 will be the “F1 A”, with A for “Acier”, steel in French, which indicates the material of the case. The use of steel to make the case is not only judicious from an economic point of view (avoiding the use of copper, a metal more expensive to produce than the iron contained in steel), but also particularly adapted to the mechanical advantage blowback operating mode. Indeed, ammunition with a steel case has a greater adhesion to the walls of the chamber than that of brass, which tends to spare the operation of the weapon, which draws its rearmament impulse from the recoil of the case in the chamber. This ammunition is obviously available in a tracer version (red varnish at the tip of the bullet). These munitions were distributed in various packages (Pic. 78). Often, they are packaged on stripper-clip of 10 cartridges, which in addition to a loader, allows the rapid filling of the magazines (Pic. 79).

Finally, the FAMAS-F1 was dedicated to other types of ammunition:

Blank ammunition. They allow, in addition to the BTB, blank firing by allowing the automatic reloading of the weapon when firing an ammunition without bullet.
Grenade ammunition, dedicated to the firing of rifle grenades when they do not use the so-called “bullet trap” technology and which allows to fire grenades with ordinary bullets.
Short range ammunition called “Balplast”. These munitions, whose bullet is made of orange synthetic material, were intended for the training of soldiers in shooting ranges that do not allow real bullets of caliber such as the 5.56×45. Often, the type of shooting range targeted was handgun shooting ranges. Of course, this type of munitions allows accurate shooting only at short distances (50 m maximum) and they do not rearm the mechanisms of the weapon. Be careful, these ammunitions remain very dangerous and must in no way be fired at anything else than paper targets…

All these ammunitions were manufactured in France, at a time when France still retained its own means of production. Since then, all these ammunitions have been replaced by foreign productions (MEN, IMI …). Balplast ammunition has disappeared altogether. Thus, the F1 ammunition is seen to be replaced by the “F3” ammunition: in the French regulatory nomenclature (unless we are mistaken), these are ammunition of type M193, but manufactured elsewhere than in the French arsenals.

The ammunition more particularly dedicated to the G2 will be the F4 (French manufacture) and the F5 (foreign manufacture), which is of the SS-109 type, with a 4 g bullet with a bi-material lead and steel core. The thing is of great logic regarding the destination of the G2: to be part of the NATO “standardization”. The SS-109 is indeed the ammunition retained by NATO in October 1980. Clarification here that we do not know of mass production of this type of ammunition by the French arsenals (called F4), all the productions encountered on the national soil and being used in a service way being foreign (called F5). Note here that it is quite possible to fire a M193 type ammunition in a barrel with a twist rate of 229 mm (9 inches) … and therefore in a G2!

Finally, please note here that when we mention the fact that the F1 and F3 ammunition are of the M193 type and that the F4 and F5 ammunition are of the SS-109 type, we are not implying that these munitions would be perfectly defined by a universal standard… which does not exist at all! This is not the case: these munitions have specificities established by specifications written by the user (here, logically, the Directorate General of Armaments). Don’t fall into the trap of believing that all M193 or SS-109 ammunition are the same: they are not. Actually, the evocation of these references is often limited to the definition of the bullet, but not of the full load and all its subtleties. We refer the reader interested in these questions to Chapter 4 of our “Small Guide for Firearms”, available on this site.

Field stripping

The disassembly necessary for the maintenance of the weapon is very simple (Pic. 80). After positioning the weapon on the bipod and releasing the sling ring of its staple:

The pin for fixing the stock is removed (by hand).
The stock is removed.
Using the previously deposited fixing pin, the captive pin of the firing mechanism box is pushed to remove it. This operation can also be carried out with the tip of a 5.56 munition. The captive pin is, moreover, “pointed” for this purpose.
After positioning the cocking handle in support of the rear of its retention notch, one uses once again one of the fixing pins to push the captive pin of the bolt carrier group. Here too, the operation can be carried out with the tip of a 5.56 munition.
The bolt carrier group is then removed backwards.
If necessary, on can remove the PGM after removal (by hand) of its pin. If the thing can be useful to clean the weapon of its environmental contamination, it has the disadvantage of no longer allowing to rest one’s weapon on the bipod. The weapon positioned on the bipod is very convenient to clean, because it is not “prone” on the ground (Pic. 81).

It should be noted that the PGM and the stock are potentially linked by the sling, but this does not really hinder cleaning operations: at worst, the disassembly of the sling on the PGM is very simple: just tilt the branch of the bipod towards 45 ° at the front and rotate the fastener of the sling to the desired position. In the same spirit, the branches of the bipod are easily removed: after pulling the branch, it is enough to position it towards the front of the weapon.

As mentioned above, the bolt carrier group can be almost entirely (at the exception of the captive pin of the additional mass) disassembled by the soldier, and this without tools:

The bolt is pushed into the additional mass, then shifted downwards (direction of the weapon) to separate it. This removes the bolt, the LAI and the firing pin.
The LAI easily exits the bolt by rotation… it is only a matter (for a person unfamiliar with the weapon) to remember the correct way of the LAI for reassembly. However, do not worry: if an incorrect reassembly of the LAI in the bolt is “possible”, the bolt carrier group thus obtained cannot be inserted into the weapon.
The firing pin naturally comes out when the LAI is removed. Note that this one is made of stainless steel: a plus for reliability and maintenance!

This disassembly is already more than enough for the maintenance of the weapon (cleaning, inspection, lubrication). The more cautious user (or wishing to modify the laterality of his weapon) can disassemble the rest of the constituent parts of the bolt as mentioned earlier during our explanation on the change of laterality of the ejection. Here, the difficulty is not to lose any piece in the field…

It should be noted that the disassembly of the magazine, of great simplicity (it is enough to press the locking plate into the floor plate, and to slide the latter towards the rear), was not provided for by regulation by the soldier. However, it is largely achievable by the user and its realization is from our point of view, an important aspect of the operational maintenance (cleaning, inspection, lubrication) of a weapon. However, once again, we encourage every user of service material to scrupulously follow the institutional instructions… as stupid as they seem! They often have an unsuspected reason… and anyway, in case of a problem, you will be wrong!

The weapon thus disassembled offers good accessibility for cleaning, especially sensitive areas (breech head and its surroundings in the case). I even think that it is one of the simplest weapons to clean because of the absence of a hard-to-reach area prone to strong fouling related to shooting. The most complex area to clean remains the LAI housing in the frame: nothing insurmountable. The French soldiers who have experienced the FAMAS (a very large majority at the time of writing) will be able to appreciate the difference with the HK 416 F, which has corners difficult to reach, but which fortunately, do not get dirty by shooting as on an AR-15 with a direct gas system.

In conclusion

My early career in 2005 as a technician for the Ministry of the Interior kept me away from this weapon for a while… instead, we had (in CRS, but also in other units) the AMD 5.56, a militarized version of the Ruger Mini-14 derived from the “ACC 556″… but without the flash-hider or bayonet lug. I also had the opportunity to get acquainted with the SIG 543, 551 and 552 and above all, the excellent G36. However, the pooling of police / gendarmerie but also the strong proximity with many units and personnel of the army ended up bringing me a certain familiarity with the weapon. I was thus able to become aware of the popularity of the weapon within the forces, but also of its viability after about 40 years of service! Breakdowns don’t seem to have been too frequent. In any case, it is not without a certain nostalgia that I will watch it disappear from the ranks, the weapon that probably made me dream the most in my childhood, even if by reason, many others came to replace it afterwards.

Arnaud Lamothe

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