FAMAS does use 5.56.

 

OK, OK update first generation does uses a specialized version of 5.56 only made in France, a steel cased round.  Second generation should have been standard brass 5.56.

 

Yeah this is the problem, the first generation (which is still the main rifle issues to their Army, as far as the internet is telling me) can not fire NATO brass cased 5.56, they have to use a steel loading, or the chamber pressures go wonky and the rifle becomes a funny shaped stick.

 

In theory the second generation fixes this, but I don't think it was widely adopted.

Yeah this is the problem, the first generation (which is still the main rifle issues to their Army, as far as the internet is telling me) can not fire NATO brass cased 5.56, they have to use a steel loading, or the chamber pressures go wonky and the rifle becomes a funny shaped stick.

 

In theory the second generation fixes this, but I don't think it was widely adopted.

That may be because when the rifle was developed France had dropped out of NATO. They rejoined NATO a few years ago after being out of it for over 40 years.

Nah, the thing is blowback operated which is just really rough on the brass/case/whatever

Nah, the thing is blowback operated which is just really rough on the brass/case/whatever

This is true but when France dropped out of NATO their military still maintained NATO standards with munitions. NATO specs for small arms always called for brass case ammo. When they found over pressure problems with the FAMAS when it first came out inside of redesigning the gun to use brass case they used a steel case.

 

There were a lot of other problems in the first version of the FAMAS.

was watching Belgium law enforcement pix during the recent raids they had. apparently even for them FNH is too expansive

saw Uzi, HK, AUG, Glocks and such ....

 

although the military uses FNH firearms only.

I love the description of FN FNC >>> Overall, the mechanism strongly resembles the Kalashnikov, but adapted to more advanced design and production methods