The police forces of France use some weird guns. Don’t get me wrong, they use some fairly standard rifles, handguns, submachine guns, and shotguns. We see G36s, Glocks, Remington 870s, and similar guns. Yet, for some reason, various French police forces have adopted some odd and unexpected firearms for police work. They aren’t bad, but they are certainly not what we expect to see in the hands of modern, Western police forces.
What are the French Carrying?
Molot VEPR Shotgun
The elite police force known as RAID has been seen carrying the Molot VEPR 12. This is a short-barreled model with what appears to be an eight-round magazine. Semi-automatic, magazine-fed shotguns are not a common police weapon, but what takes it over the top is the fact that it’s an AK platform shotgun.
It’s rare you see non-Warsaw Pact countries use AK-pattern anything, but it’s even rarer to see police forces use AK platforms. If I had to use an AK-pattern shotgun, I would also pick the VEPR. It has some advantages: it’s easy to shoot, quick to reload, and offers the power of a 12-gauge, which is still tough to beat even in 2025.
KelTec KSG
Since we are already discussing RAID and weird shotguns, we might as well pivot to their use of the KSG. The KelTec KSG is a pump-action bullpup shotgun with two magazine tubes. It can hold up to 15 rounds of 12-gauge. It’s an oddball from a company famous for making oddballs. KelTec has never been a company that modern military or police forces typically purchase guns from. Their innovative designs can occasionally come at the cost of less-than-perfect quality control.
The KSG has shown significant improvement throughout its lifespan. It’s still an oddity to see in police service, especially with a unit as elite as RAID. The KSG does offer some benefits with its expanded capacity and overall short length. For door breaching or less-lethal use, it fills a niche well. Breachers could load one tube with breaching rounds and another with buckshot and have a potent entry weapon.
BREN 2 (In 7.62x39mm)
French police adopting the BREN 2 isn’t that odd. They utilize a variety of European weapons, including the G36 and 416 series. What is odd is the adoption of the BREN 2 in 7.62x39mm. Much like the Molot VEPR, this cartridge is not often seen outside of former Warsaw Pact countries. The French also heavily use the 5.56 cartridge.
The GIGN adopted the weapon after running into terrorists using plate carriers. Their justification is that the 7.62x39mm offered better armor-piercing capability, but I don’t think that’s true. It is better for intermediate barriers, but unless the French have a special armor-piercing 7.62x39mm cartridge, I don’t think it offers any armor-piercing advantages.
Mousqueton AMD – A French Mini 14
The Mousqueton AMD is, to be honest, painfully normal and downright boring, but its story and origin are fascinating. In the late 1970s, the French interior police forces were looking to replace their aging MAT-49 submachine guns. They didn’t want shotguns and saw the writing on the wall: semi-automatic, intermediate caliber rifles were the future. However, the French didn’t want to “spook the French,” so they wanted something that didn’t look tactical.
They settled on one of the few options, the Ruger Mini-14. They created a contract with Ruger and adopted the Mini-14, calling it the Mousqueton AMD. The rifles were used by border police, prison officers, riot control, and the GIGN. While the French no longer mind tactical rifles, the Mousqueton AMD remains in service with the French police.
Manurhin MR 73
Revolvers are pretty damn cool, but it’s rare to see any modern police force wield revolvers. The French decided that the six-gun still rules, and the GIGN, RAID, and others field the Manurhin MR 73 revolver. Its use became so famous amongst the GIGN that it’s become a symbol of the unit. The Manurhin MR 73 is an exceptionally well-made revolver designed for exceptional accuracy.
The guns use an adjustable trigger that doesn’t affect the hammer and detract from reliable ignition. This is accomplished via a separate flat spring for the trigger, separate from the mainspring. The second spring uses a roller to ensure smoothness and creates a complicated and expensive revolver. Approximately 12 hours of hand fitting are needed to make a Manurhin MR 73.
The French Keep It Weird
I’m a little jealous of the French police forces. In America, it’s all ARs, 870s, and Glocks. It’s boring. The French keep things fresh with weird shotguns, weird calibers, and kick-ass revolvers. Maybe we can learn a thing or two from the French.
