FAMAS Commando Prototypes
Вставка
- Опубліковано 2 сер 2024
- / forgottenweapons
www.floatplane.com/channel/Fo...
Cool Forgotten Weapons merch! shop.bbtv.com/collections/forg...
Unlike most countries that adopted bullpup rifles, the French military never had a short-barreled version of their standard FAMAS. However, GIAT created several prototypes as part of their (ultimately unsuccessful) effort to market the FAMAS internationally. Today, we have two to look at, both with approximately 11.25 inch barrels. They are both based on the G2 pattern rifle, using AR-type magazines (specifically, FN FNC magazines, as GIAT and FN were under the same ownership at the time). The bolt carriers have been lightened to account for the reduced barrel length, and one has a vertical front grip while the other has a horizontal hand stop type grip. They also each have different types of sights, as this was clearly an area of experimentation...
Many thanks to the French Ministry of the Interior for providing access to film these prototypes!
Contact:
Forgotten Weapons
6281 N. Oracle #36270
Tucson, AZ 85740
French Minister: *Wakes up at 5 in the Morning to Ian standing outside his house with a boom box * if I give you a Famas will you BUGGER OFF!?
How do you think he got his sniper rifle :P
"I would... for the moment."
actually laughed at this
What would be playing on the boom box? Lol.... Fuckin..... "True" by Spandau Ballet! 😂
The Boom Box can change the world...
When you're such a Francophile that the French ministry of the interior lets you into the secret stash.
"And zis is where wi keep the too cute for the world variants"
As a French, Im fucking flabbergasted
@@Palora01 word variante*
Don't forget that the Ministry let the FAMAS away for the French Army ... and buy instead ... Deutsch products ! - -"
I am so happy Ian got the chance to look at these so that I had a nice 7 minutes of entertainment while eating my soup.
If Ian keeps this up, he's going to wind up with French citizenship and an honorary rank of Colonel or something.
Well, he can always try and join the Legion....
@@ohauss
The man has a point, the Foreign Legion is open for all that are eager to join
Will he have to make French fried chicken with that rank?
@@creepmen1867 I think Iain might be a little over the age requirements. Also, why is he going to join? To get an HK416? He can buy that in America.
Are you sure that's not the plan?
You have to know the French searched Gun Jesus extra carefully when he left that day.
And the only reason he looks unhappy at the end was because he couldn't convince them to sell.
Do you have a short-barrelled FAMAS prototype in your pocket, or are you just pleased to be here?
"Hello, Gendarmerie? Yes, the pervert is back again. Please hurry."
He's at the ministry of the interior. It'd be the Police Nationale, not the Gendarmerie. But giving the stuff he's got his hands on it should probably be RAID.
@@JohnHughesChampigny The Gendarmerie answers to the ministry of the interior too (since 2009)
JohnHughesChampigny during peacetime the national gendarmerie answers to the minister of the interior. Except when preforming is military police duties
@@mkvenner2 You are assuming that whatever horrible grey office building Iain is filming in is in a rural commune. I doubt it. A big ministry of the interior office like that is probably in police territory.
They'd send GIGN because the dudes in GIGN would want to meet Gun Jesus and have him give autographs.
“With a little sub-gun style like this you don’t need a bipod on it.”
“...But for this GIGN revolver you most certainly DO!”
FRENCHS
Doesn't GIGN sometimes use their revolver as a low silhouette sniper or something? It makes sense in that case.
@@Poopooslinger yep you are right :)
@@Poopooslinger hows that make any sense? Anyone with any sort of rifle knows rifle beats pistols in any precise shooting
@@internetexpert8153 The GIGN is a counter terrorism unit and only that. The pistol bipod sniping thing is used in very specific situations, like when you don't want a huge rifle barrel sticking out of a window. If they are far away they just use a normal rifle...
So basically they decided what if FAMAS.. but *cute*
😳
FAMAS= i protect les borders from zhe communists with accurate fire
FAMAS commando= ohhhh bonjour monsieur Gerard! I am tres good! Why thank you merci! Je suis tres happy to be your rifle
Gerard= QUE????
Chibi, perhaps.
the FMS
Twe twees are spewaking viwetnawese uwu
"Ah, bonjour Ian, I believe you are here to do your video on the FAMAS Commando, oui? Oh, that's a strangely large camera bag you've brought this time, wouldn't you say? Doesn't seem like you've brought nearly enough equipment to warrant such a bag..."
''Oh that? Ya I just have a picnic to get to right after the filming. Thought I would bring some extra long baguette is all, heh heh!''
France ministry: "ok guys, Ian resurrected Calico guns, let's show him ours FAMAS prototypes".
I'm loving all of the comments calling these things cute.
Because they are. Adorable.
Kyle Morgan Aw shit, boss we shrunk a batch of those G2 FAMAS’ in the wash.
FATM: Fusil Automatique Trop Mignon
Basically a loli famas
As a French citizen , you should know that access to these prototypes is extremely rare (I only knew one ..). Very impressive !!! Thank you again Ian for your passionate and fascinating work . From France : bravo et merci ...
FAMAS: “don’t laugh!!!! It’s cold outside!!!”
"I was in the pool!"
"It'd be super cool to have one" says Ian, dropping a hint to the French Ministry of The Interior.... lol
"Can you tell me about that rifle?"
"Okay, so basically, it's very smol"
"But can you make it.... SMOLERERER."
Cringe
They look like those tiny little airsoft copies and they're adorable.
There's a tiny famas airsoft variant? Where?
@@Hawkeye83627 A long time ago, Tokyo Marui made several 75% sized rifles, one of which was a FAMAS. I think they were called boys series replicas. Completely proprietary accessories, but looked really cute, being small. Other manufacturers have made small guns, but these have always been more toylike than the TM ones.
I used to have the baby mp5 in airport, it was soooo cool
@_ noob
@@DavidLee-df888 Were they popular and common enough so that those could be the ones the original comment referred to? I've never heard of those although a friend of mine had the original Marui Famas which is very plasticcy, wobbly and toy-like.
Good to see Ian moving up in the world - literally rolling up to the French Ministry of the Interior to make a Forgotten Weapons vid
Why won't he go to Russia? So many weapon models that can only be reviewed there.
@@phillgizmo8934 he explained that it's not just access to the weapons. He also needs a space to be able to film without interruptions. An expert on the guns he can easily communicate with. And a few other things he all mentioned in one of his Q&As.
Guy 1 - "Hey, where are those new compact Famas' at?"
Guy 2 - "I think Ian got to them. Hes probably doing a review of them right now."
Guy 1 - "Damn it, I thought we finally got rid of that guy!?"
Guy 2 - "I dont know, sir. He seems to always find a way in, no matter what we do."
Guy 1 - "(sighs) We need to put bells on all of our doors. Or rig them with explosives or...something!"
Guy 2 - "At least he puts them back when hes done...thats not so bad, right?"
Guy 1 - "Dont encourage him! Next he will try to get Karl in here too with a wheelbarrow of mud..."
Guy 3 - “Maybe we can lure him away with some .32 Longue ammo.”
@@Jamesgates355 Guy 1 - "That only works for so long. We are lucky he is an American and therefore doesn't believe in having too much ammo. Even so he will come back."
@@Hybris51129 Guy 3: Merde! hmm....maybe we could make him an offer. We will give him an FR F1 in the original français 7.5x54 calibre and ship it to the United States on the condition that he is not to return for another year! In six months we will give him more ammo. That should give us some time to finish our work in peace, yes?
😭😭😭
100/100
If you got acces to these hidden treasures of the French interior ministry, you know that you've made some good friends over there. Something to do with a great book about French rifles & their history? :-)
1:49 "Don't talk to me or my son ever again"
LMAO
When you think a bullpup can’t get any shorter...
I feel that SBR bullpups defeat the purpose of a bullpup.
Guess you've never seen the Micro Tavor's
Vous êtes omniprésent mon cher empereur !
What if you wanted to get a FAMAS
But French ministry of defense says: short barrel commando configuration FAMAS
"My little Commando-Rifle can't possibly be this cute"
i can only imagine this to have been used in all of the movies had it been more than a prototype. Really like the look of the thing.
Perfect Sci-Fi weapon.
FAMAS Commando: Exists
Me: Who is it that let a gun be this cute
ian: i will marry it and u wont stop me
ç:
french republic ... lol Peace from france
It's not the size that matters, it's the cuteness.
“Aw shit, boss we shrunk a batch of those G2 FAMAS’ in the wash.” The designers of these FAMAS’
Other UA-camrs "thanks to the generosity of bud gunshop"
FW:"thanks to the generosity of the French Ministery of Interior"
That show some diferences...
The French Ministry of the Interior! I can only imagine the cool places you’ve been allowed access to. Thanks for taking the time to bring us along.
What about the fire rate? The videos done at the Ministère de l'Intérieur are absolutely incredible, no one can get this kind of access usually!
Agreed, I wonder if as a result of the lightweight bolt the fire rate is increased. The Famas already has a blistering rate of fire at 1000-1100 RPM, I think the Commando variant with that tiny hand stop would be scary to hold onto doing a full auto mag dump, I'd probably wager the rate of fire would be closer to that of a MAC-10, about 1150-1250 RPM, even the 9mm version of the MAC-10 (not talking about the .45 ACP variant) has substantial muzzle climb and recoil, let alone a 5.56 rifle.
Keith M the lighter bolt is to make it cycle with the short barrel and lower pressures. The cyclical rate would probably by lower than the standard famas I’d wager
1200rpm
I wonder if we would get a video on a FAMAS Valorisé in due course...
Therefore no tech spec because A+ secret but na let's show it to people... Wtf
The vertical grip on this FAMAS (3:05) is very similar to the one used on the FAMAS Félin, but in the Félin you have the scope and intercoms settings....wonder if Ian is going to look at the Félin system on the FAMAS and on the other weapons like the Minimi or the Fr-F2
I'm still amazed about the "collaboration" between Ian and the French Government....😳
PS: till waiting on a AA-52 or AN-F1 video... I know you filmed one, I know it, just let me see it 🙃
Buzat Théo is the Minimi the FN 5.56 machine gun? No need, we have them in the US called the M249.
@@509Gman yes, the Minimi is what you call the M249 SAW. We also have some MAG 58 you call M240.
At some point two years ago, I spent time in Gabon, western africa, and some local gabonese military troops (gendarmerie maybe even?), often visible in the streets, were equipped with FAMAS; some others had AKs though.
That trench style sight really reminds me of the ASP “guttersnipe” type sights. I think by coloring the nub at the end and the 'trench' itself, it might significantly improve the ability to pick up your sights and distinguish between the two. I wonder why they haven't done it.
I had the same thought myself.
Reminded me of the Tikka "Battue" rifles.
Kind of a 'guttersnipe' sight picture, like on that pistol you showed once. interesting... doesn't show up often it seems.
Asp
I'm also surprised that sight style doesn't show up more often.
Yeah the asp for under cover agents
@@ohg4338 But wasn't the ASP marketed or use by undercover agents, or those needing deep concealment?
@ZMan1471 when ASP was first written about in the early 70s or 80s, it was really one of the first 'melted' or 'dehorned' autos out there. And the S&W 39 wasn't as bad as a lot of other semi-autos around at the time, at least in 9mm. So the ASP got a bit of attention. The smooth, translucent grip panels and the gunsmithing for reduced size was thought to be nice. but as I recall the two things that got the most attention were the 'melting' to reduce the 'snaggyness' of the gun and the Guttersnipe sighting system. the so-called and self-proclaimed were usually of two minds about it; the target shooters worried about the lack of precision and the hip-shooters, literally, this was when the FBI and major police departments had just recently stopped teaching hip shooting as the preferred method of shooting, the hip shooters basically said 'What sights?"
I did see a mockup by a gunsmith that used the idea on a S&W model 59, I think, but it seemed ok. I was never a fan of the 59, so that may have colored my opinion, for what its worth.
A FAMAS that's shorter than most SMGs and feeds from AR magazines. It's an identity crisis that shoots bullets!
And if I would be shooting that gun then I would be "an identity crisis shooting an identity crisis that shoots bullets"
@@kaffohrt9858 use the new intermediate caliber bullets, the 6.8mm. Then you'll be shooting an identity crisis too.
Some additionnal informations : During the run of the army and air force contracts (F1 configuration) there was no real attempt made to get export contracts for the rifle as the manufacture was operating at normal speed (enough rifles and spares were produced each year to keep the workers busy). Toward the end of the F1 production, a deal was made with the Navy : they would support the cost of developing and tooling for the G2 version so that an export version would be available. At that point it was recognized that in order to get a chance at sales, it would need to use FNC type magazines and SS109 bullets. This is the reason why funcky looking prototypes are based on the A serie of the G2. The A serie of the G2 was produced at the same time as the M serie. There is one Famas that Ian has not covered and it is the Nato proofing center F1 serie. These are totally regular F1 Famas except that they have a 1:9 twist rate. They are marked 5,56N if i recall correctly. Fun fact about the Famas : the production started without the 3 rounds burst and once the first got issued to consripts it was discovered that due to the insane rate of fire (close to 1k/min) the soldiers would spend the ammo too quickly in full auto. The 3 rounds burst was then retrofitted. This is the reason why the burst selector is on the trigger pack rather than as a position of the main safety. Fun gun but bit too heavy for what it does
If the balance is like the airsoft one I had, very well balanced so you don't really notice the weight in hand, though.
@@ScottKenny1978 real one is rear heavy (in my memory at least)
@@vincentkermorgant okay, thanks!
Though you could add something up front to fix the balance (scope, laser, light, whatever), you're adding weight.
this isnt a bullpup its a pugpup. the barrel looked like they punched it in
PUGPUP
Last time I was this early the French had just discovered smokeless powder.
How about a FAMAS but with no barrel at all :ad
size the 1886 Lebel Rifle ...
@@ommsterlitz1805 rifling from the G2 Famas is different from the rifling from the F1 Famas because ammunitions are different (F1 use steel jacket and a bit less power, G2 use Nato ammo)
These are super neat thanks for showing us. I was watching one of your videos on Mondragon rifles last night from 2014 and you have grown a lot more as a presenter. Thank you for giving us ever increasing quality and good information.
These two FAMAS Commandos look like they could be straight out of the classic "Ghost in the Shell".
Wish we had those in the legion back in the day, that version would be great for us in 1 REC getting in and out of the AMX-10.
FAMAS sights have always intrigued me. Thanks for showing them!
This reminds me of the Tavor series that had a Micro-Tavor 21 that is similar to the FAMAS Commando shown here, with integrated foregrip. Looked like a neat and handy little tank-crew/spec-ops gun. I hope you get a chance to go through the Tavor history in a future series!
FAMAS' lil bro, so cute
*Several months after filming* Ministry of the Interior inspector conducts a routine inventory: "Didn't we used to have a couple of baby FAMAS rifles in the racks?"
you're the best..extremely well documented reviews. Won't miss a single one! \p/.Stay safe guys!
I have long awaited this moment, since reading about the Commando model in your book. Thank you, Ian.
Gotta love the cabinets in the background, the locks are kinda pointless when the keys are left in them.
I think it's just large-order of standard secured cabinets. Do you imagine the guys setting them up "wait, so the 4 non-locking cabinets are going in office 34-A, 47-B, right? Wait, no, they changed the affectation, now they are for offices 12-C and 45-A" It's much easier to deliver secured cabinets everywhere and leave the keys if the contents are just desk furnitures.
I have trouble believing that a locking cabinet can't simply be "locked open" and the keys put somewhere safe or even taped to the inside of the door.
@@Brigand231 There are safety locks models that only let your remove the key when it's in the locked position. It may be one of them. Or it's an internal rule.
Had they offered it with suppressors, they probably could've found some buyers for it. Just think about it, compact suppressed full auto 5.56 during the cold war era in Europe. Pretty sure James Bond would've been interested.
Super cool!! Thanks Ian!!
Ahhh, another "big ticket item" off my "want to see that gun" bucket list, and of course, even with an additional variant prototype I'd never seen before at all!
Thanks Ian, this is quality stuff here, absolute quality stuff.
Des passionnés d'armes à feu du monde entier: MERCI au Ministère Français de l'Intérieur d'avoir permis à Ian.
My French is just good enough to understand that this is a joke but not good enough to understand it. Will practice more and check back in
French : I don’t want it
French: I really don’t want it
Americans: WE NEEEEEEED ITTTTTT!!!
That is awesome thanks for always broadening my firearm horizons always learn something
Ian’s just out here being some sorta international diplomat or something. I love it.
Terrorist: "Are you happy to see me or do you have a mini famas in your pocket?"
GIGN sporting a maniak grin: "Both!" *brrrrrrrrrrrt...*
I still have my fingers crossed for an AA-52 video.
I was about to say pretty certain he's done that one, then I realised that it was the AA-12 shotgun..
Underrated GPMG!!!!
There’ll be one along from me when I get around to it 😊
@@loiccardenas3980 Hard to be rated when barely anyone knows it exists.
Which is exactly why I want Ian to do a video on it.
"It'd be super cool to have one. But the next best thing is being able to look at it here today"
On an unrelated note, one of the prototypes went missing after Ian made his video. The ministry of the interior has no suspects in sight, Ian's smile could be seen for miles when he boarded his plane back to the US.
Nice to see you still (presumably) have some stuff from the Before Times in the can.
Reminds me of the X95,mini tavor
Activision watching this finding out they can put an “smg famas” in their lootboxes:
Merci pour cette super vidéo, un plaisir de découvrir d'autres versions de notre "clairon ".
Thank you , Ian .
Hi , nice vid , i used the "normal" version in the french army in the late 80's and there is nothing alike in those it seems apart the look .... Interesting . ; ) from france
Would love to see a airsoft version of this produced since the real one was cancelled
I have a springer FAMAS with a removable barrel, without that it looks exactly like this
My thought too! With some 3d printing it should be quite easy to mimic this smol boi very closely, the one with the frontgrip integrated would be my choice :). As far as I am aware there's no gbb versions of the famas yet though, which would have my preference for these kind of novelty builds
meeh
A long time ago, Tokyo Marui made several 75% sized rifles, one of which was a FAMAS. I think they were called boys series replicas. Completely proprietary accessories, but looked really cute, being small. Other manufacturers have made small guns, but these have always been more toylike than the TM ones.
@@symenbrug1992 check this out : ua-cam.com/video/NKQz7i-q_xs/v-deo.html I discovered him on our French airsoft forum, he started a topic showing how he'll proceed and kept updating and then he made videos, he started with a F1, but it evolved into a Felin
Literally everyone I know in the military who is interested in firearms and history of them watches your channel.
@Glorious Bastard the catch is " who is interested in firearms"
Impressionnant, même à l'armée je ne les avais jamais vus sauf en photos :) bravo à votre chaîne UA-cam qui est la meilleure sur les armes
That thing looks like a toy gun, kinda cute
Most firearms: Kill people with boolets
FAMAS Commando: Kill people with cuteness uwu
they would have probably found a market for it if they made it pink and slapped some hellokitty stickers on it
@@calinsa3880 I think it was too early for that, doing that now would work.
That hand rubbing at the beginning makes you know just how excited Ian is to be looking at these puppies
HISTORICAL!
Thank you Ian on behalf of many MANY french firearms enthusiasts.
Hollywood in the late 80- early 90's: I'll take your entire stock! Wait, how much? I'll take your plastic body and put Mini14 into it.
Yeah, I've seen that conversion.
What happens when you CommanDO instead of CommanDON'T
,nDo kill grammar nazies.
,nDon't doesn't.
So you made a video of the long-barreled sniper variant too? I cannot wait
I love the different types of hand guards and grips on them
French military bureaucrats: “Wait, so your telling us cutting of this some barrel on our famas’es, well make us baddass commandos?”
French engineer:”uuuuh . . . Sure?”
French military bureaucrat: “ya know on second thought”
The "sight picture" was the human form foward of the operator. Using the actual sights were, optional.
Thanks good overview! 👍
Hi Ian, really enjoying the shows, despite not having any guns of my own ( live in England, laws are tight ) as you like bullpups so much how about a look at the desert tech srs a2. Thanks for making waiting at the hospital more interesting:)
* Wakaliwood accent *: COMMANDOU!
"It would be super cool to have one..." (hint hint, France)
I'm sure I've said this on other famas videos, but I didn't know I desperately wanted one until he showed me how simple their design and operation is.
Interesting. Never heard of these. They make some sense, maybe for vehicle crews, protective service officers, etc. The ramp and pin sight to me look like a twist on express sights. Done right, they are effective. I put some XS big dot express sights on my G30 years ago, and i love them. Great video as always. Thank you
Ministry of défense : “ hello mr mc Callum ! Welcome back ! Your suite is ready for you to enjoy ! “
Ian : “ thank you Francois ! I ll have two short barrelled Famas in my office please “
Ministry of défense : “ oui monsieur “
Sooo, mud test when?
Why bother bullpups always fail them by virtue of their operating system leaving a hella lot exposed.
Those are interesting. I'd love to see the sniper version you mentioned, too.
The ball pin and notch sights on the "bigger" shorty reminds me of sights on a couple of old Belgian production Beaumont Adams revolvers I have from the 1860s. I like that style, at least on a revolver
when you think the FAMAS isn't "cyberpunk" enough..
I want to adopt these snuggily things and watch them grow up to become proud and strong Famas G2 UwU
Small Handy and deadly
Thanks for the Video an the look behind the Standart
Yours Frank
That's a Bullpup I could get behind! Gorgeous!
Funny, the tavor also had a “commando” prototype that never came to be
Actually it did. Its called x95.
(The civilian version is the same length as the Tavor because of legal reasons in the US. The old model of x95 the IDF using is much shorter.)
Sraya Cohen
That’s not exactly what I meant.
I am well aware of the x95. But, when the tavor (tar-21) was in the initial planning stages, the x95 wasn’t even an idea. The tar-21 had few different model mock ups like a longer barrel for a m203 grenade launcher, a regular tar-21, a sbr tavor (which later did become x95) and a commando tavor which never evolved beyond initial planning. They may have called it star-21 (like short - tavor)
Looking forward to your review of the FAMAS FELIN, with all the dumb optics and body worn computer junk. That rifle and whole set up is absolutely ridiculous.
The weight and battery life are the icing on the cake.
From the sublime to the ridiculous, as it were, huh?
Dang! I've never seen that version of the Famas. That is so sick looking.
I learn lot of things on the firearm of my own country : D
You are the best !
Sure
Can we order them here in America or is there some sort of infringement on our 2nd amendment that blocks that?
Sure let's cancel laws
The invisible hand said no. MAS shut down in 2001, so no more FAMAS rifles are being made.
@@isakwennstig6471
I agree, we should remove any all infringements on the inalienable rights the founding fathers outlined as to never be infringed upon by any government
😊
You see, when two bulpups love each other very much...
Very cool
I didn't realise how much shorter it was until you showed the standard one. It's teeny!
i'm waiting for this from a while
We should all congratulate Ian on the glowing review of his book in the August 2020 issue of Guns and Ammo.
I love that 99% of every gun here is not forgotten
Very cool!