Famas Features

A Shock Weapon Text courtesy of Remtek© Website

The FAMAS is a multi functions weapon :

I. Single shot or short burst accurate firing due to:

• a long barrel (488mm) in a short weapon (760mm)
  

• a delayed blow back operating system which reduces recoil
  
• 300 to 500 meter sights integrated with the barrel
  
• provisions for the attachment of any NATO standard telescopic sight

II. Assault firing:

• in the full-automatic mode at a high rate of fire (1,100 rounds/min.)
  

• in the three-round burst mode

III. Support firing:

• as an automatic rifle using the optional bipod
  

• as a grenade launcher firing anti-tank (AT), anti-personel (AP), anti-personel anti-vehicle (APAV), smoke, or tear-gas grenades

These functions can all be performed with standard ball ammunition and without any modification to the weapon. They also make the FAMAS a multi-mission weapon adapted to a variety of modern combat needs. It is also well-suited for law-enforcement and VIP protection due to its accuracy, compactness, and ease of handling.

A Performance Weapon

The FAMAS is solid and reliable; it will withstand, without loss of performance:

• Water, mud, sand, and dust
  

• Extreme temperatures ranging from -40°C to +51°C (-40°F to 124°F)
  
• generally adverse field conditions

The FAMAS is compact, light, streamlined, and perfectly balanced around its pistol grip. It can easily be carried in the ready position with the use of a universal sling, thus leaving both hands free while maintaining the weapon on firing stand-by.

It is designed to satisfy particular shooter requirements:

• Right or left handed shooters can be accomodated by simply reversing the ejector
  

• The large handguard permits shooting with gloves in extreme cold or NBC environments

The FAMAS can be obtained with a rifling pitch of either 7.9 or 12 inches. It is therefore capable of firing all NATO standard 5.56x45 caliber ammunition, including SS 109 and U.S. M193.

A Sure Weapon

The FAMAS was engineered with reliability and shooter safety in mind. It will not fire a round with the chamber open. It will also withstand 300 rounds fired in 2 minutes without heating enough to induce ammunition 'cook-offs.' Finally, the safety is housed within the handguard, allowing the user to engage or disengage it while maintaining a clear sight picture.

Simple Maintenance
The FAMAS is a relatively simple design which can be field stripped into 9 modular components in less than one minute without the use of tools. Its barrel will retain its accuracy after firing up to 15,000 rounds.

Extract from Craig Philip Article found in REMTEK© web on the way the Famas works

 The FAMAS makes use of the blowback concept. As some form of delay is necessary to prevent high-pressure gases blowing into the ejection port, the French rifle employs a mechanical leverage delay system. Two short parallel levers, one on each side of the bolt, join the bolt to its carrier, their pivotal axis being a horizontal pin through the bolt. When the mechanism is closed the levers are vertical, with the lower ends extending past the bolt to lock against pins on the receiver, and the upper ends pressing against the inside rear face of the carrier. When the round is fired, gas pressure starts to force the bolt rearwards. The bottoms of the delay levers are held by the receiver locking pins, so the levers start to rotate backwards around their pivotal axis. The top of each lever presses against the comparatively heavy carrier piece, causing it to accelerate backwards, the force needed to cause this absorbing much of the initial energy of the recoil. Once the delay levers have rotated sufficiently for the lower ends to clear their locking pins, the bolt is free to move back with the carrier. By this time the dangerously high gas pressures have been dissipated, and the bolt and carrier recoil into the butt, ejecting the empty case and starting the loading cycle.

The FAMAS fires from a closed bolt and has a 25-round box magazine protruding behind the grip. The grip and trigger are attached to a plastic handguard which forms the lower part of the body. The long carrying handle holds all the sights, and night vision equipment and telescopic sights can also be fitted to it. A lever above the pistol grip is used to select single shots or automatic fire, and there is also a position for choosing three-round bursts. If the latter fails, the configuration of the trigger and sear assemblies are designed to ensure that there is no effect on the other modes of operation. A folding bipod is integral to the weapon, and a short bayonet is supplied with each rifle.