Ian over at Forgotten Weapons shot a team match with his FAMAS bullpup and an older style Beretta, typical of a French soldier loadout prior to the newest service rifles entering service.
The FAMAS is a design that suffers from, to a far greater degree, the adaption and evolution pains allowing it to use modern optics and accessories that all the NATO weapons have with the turn of the century. The M16/M4, the G36, the SA80/L85, and the AUG all went through exterior changes to add ancillary compatibility and the FAMAS largely didn’t, only an optic rail.
The new H&K 416F’s will bring the French back into parity. But that said, in its 80’s peer group, the FAMAS did well after they worked the kinks out. Every system has edges that needed to be smoothed. The SCAR’s, 416’s, M4A1’s, MCX’s, all of them needed wide use to find some of the weak points and bolster them. That is the nature of product development and improvement.
Also, Ian has a book, and the FAMAS is in it. With other French rifles. And since you’re home and need stuff to do… *click*
