The mainstay of the French military, the FAMAS rifle is a bullpup known for its unique look and high rate of fire.
As with all bullpups, the action is located behind the pistol grip, which may take some time to get used to for those who learned to shoot using American military rifles like the M4 or M16. Nonetheless, it’s hard to deny that the weapon’s distinct design just works. Hell, some FAMAS variants have a fire rate of 1,100 rounds per minute. In spite of the naysayers, the FAMAS has a solid track record on the battlefield, especially in the hands of the French military. And contrary to all the jokes about French service members — there are a lot — this rifle has actually seen heavy combat all around the world. Take the French Foreign Legion: they’re as tough as any other military unit out there, and they’ve been stomping around the globe taking names and dropping bodies with their bullpup 5.56mm FAMAS for ages.
Back in 2012, the rifle got a considerable upgrade with the FAMAS Feline system, which added an awesome thermal sight to the top of the rifle, but it came with a few notable drawbacks: namely, the weapon became heavier and bulkier. Despite the face-lift, the FAMAS will soon be phased out by the French military. So, in recognition of its service, this video will be our final send-off to the deadly ugly duckling that is the FAMAS.
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Written and edited by Chris Cappy. Video editing and co-produced by Rebecca Rosen.