Semiauto FAMAS F1 Rifle

The French FAMAS was one of the first bullpup rifles to be adopted and built in large numbers by a military power. It was adopted by France in 1978 at right about the same time as the Steyr AUG was being adopted by the Austrian military. Bullpup rifles offered a short overall length without sacrificing barrel length, an advantage that seemed quite valuable for troops who were to spend significant amounts of time in vehicles, where space is at a premium. In French service, the FAMAS was also made the formal replacement for both the MAS49, 56 rifle and the MAT49 submachine gun, thanks to its compact nature. The FAMAS is interesting mechanically, as it is one of very few production delayedblowback rifle designs (the other common one being the CETME, HK series). The FAMAS uses a leverdelaying system, which allows a very simple bolt and action mechanism. The F1 model (adopted by the French Army and still in use today, making up the bulk of FAMAS production) h