FYI...Just for all you shooters,

The French military has announced that they plan to replace both versions of the FAMAS (F1 and G1) and have opened a open competition to submit proposals for a new French service rifle for all its branches.

Sadly, MAS no longer makes firearms (a company that has produced arms for the French military since 1777) so the replacement of the FAMAS will almost certainly be an import.

So far here are the competitors so far

HK416 (Germany)
FN SCAR-L (Belgium)
FN2000 (Belgium)
SiG 550 (Austria)
Berreta ARX (Italy)
CZ 801 BREN-A2 (Czech Republic)
HS VHS (Croatia)
STYR-AUG-A3 (Australian Varient)
ACR ((Remington USA)
Colt Canada (Colts Canada Divison)
Tevor (Israel)

Although not on the list is the G36, which is already in use amongst Special Forces and Gendarmerie, but I think its cost has put it out of competition.

Also I highly doubt the French would buy the Tevor (as French-Israel relations are at a all time low...)

Your favorites of that list. My Money is on the HK416, proven battle rifle used by American Special Forces.

Discuss

Originally Posted by mmarsh

FYI...Just for all you shooters,

The French military has announced that they plan to replace both versions of the FAMAS (F1 and G1) and have opened a open competition to submit proposals for a new French service rifle for all its branches.

Sadly, MAS no longer makes firearms (a company that has produced arms for the French military since 1777) so the replacement of the FAMAS will almost certainly be an import.

So far here are the competitors so far

HK416 (Germany)
FN SCAR-L (Belgium)
FN2000 (Belgium)
SiG 550 (Austria)
Berreta ARX (Italy)
CZ 801 BREN-A2 (Czech Republic)
HS VHS (Croatia)
STYR-AUG-A3 (Australian Varient)
ACR ((Remington USA)
Colt Canada (Colts Canada Divison)
Tevor (Israel)

Although not on the list is the G36, which is already in use amongst Special Forces and Gendarmerie, but I think its cost has put it out of competition.

Also I highly doubt the French would buy the Tevor (as French-Israel relations are at a all time low...)

Your favorites of that list. My Money is on the HK416, proven battle rifle used by American Special Forces.

Discuss

The FN SCAR has a pretty good reputation as well

It will certainly NOT be the M-4 or any flavor of an American weapon, even if made in Canada! They don't want anything of American origin. Lol!
It won't be the G-36 either. The German polymer wonder is getting some bad press lately. I hope it won't be the Steyr Aug, a silly weapon. I'm thinking, if it can't be a home - grown French firearm, and they don't seem to have one, it will be a Belgian product.

Originally Posted by Remington 1858

It will certainly NOT be the M-4 or any flavor of an American weapon, even if made in Canada! They don't want anything of American origin. Lol!
It won't be the G-36 either. The German polymer wonder is getting some bad press lately. I hope it won't be the Steyr Aug, a silly weapon. I'm thinking, if it can't be a home - grown French firearm, and they don't seem to have one, it will be a Belgian product.

Just not true, the ACR is a Remington product and is in the running The M4 was previously used by French Special Forces in small batches but was replaced by the HK416.

The reason the M4 isnt in the running is because its a last-gen rifle, and the French have expressly asked for a future gen one.

Is it likely to be a EU weapon?...Yes just because the EU likes to stick together but its not because they oppose have something American. France buys other US weapons, although they prefer to make their own when possible.

I actually think it will be from Germany/Austria as France uses alot more HKs, Sig-Sauers and Glocks then FN products.

Maybe the French buy a Swiss weapon, they have good relations with them.

Btw. The SIG 550 is a Swiss toy, not an Austrian. Picky, I knew.

Mmarsh: You say that France purchases other U.S. weapons. What would those be?

Originally Posted by Remington 1858

Mmarsh: You say that France purchases other U.S. weapons. What would those be?

Within the past 1-2 decades or so they have purchased the following U.S weapon systems.

M4 Carbines (used by special forces, now since replaced with the HK416)
CAR-15 (used by special forces now since replaced with the HK416)
Ruger Mini-14 used by the French Military Police.
Browning BPS SGF 12" Shotgun used by French Military Police.
M2 Browning
E-2 Hawkeye
C-130 (they are possibly going to buy 4 more, (or the Transvall C-160) in 2016)
E-3 Sentry
Boeing KC-135 Tankers
MQ-9 Reaper UAV (3 delivered, 13 more on order)
GBU-12
GBU-24
AGM-114 Hellfire
FMG-168 Javelin ATM

As I know HS Produkt offered VHS-2 and not VHS.


http://www.hs-produkt.hr/en/products/vhs/

Originally Posted by Remington 1858

It will certainly NOT be the M-4 or any flavor of an American weapon, even if made in Canada! They don't want anything of American origin. Lol!
It won't be the G-36 either. The German polymer wonder is getting some bad press lately. I hope it won't be the Steyr Aug, a silly weapon. I'm thinking, if it can't be a home - grown French firearm, and they don't seem to have one, it will be a Belgian product.

HEY HEY!!! Why is the Styer a silly weapon???? I use the Aus Styer and it works just fine for me with no issues in the field at all....... Silly yank!

The silly Yank will be happy to tell you about the deficiencies of the Steyr AUG, a firearm I am intimately familiar with as an instructor, armorer and someone who has shot truckloads of ammunition through same.
First, before I criticize the firearm; it's good points. It is extremely accurate. The optical sight was ground breaking when it was introduced, although there is better stuff today. Some of the materials used in the construction are exceptional. The barrel is especially durable and will not lose accuracy even after thousands of rounds.
Now the bad stuff. The plastic magazines have very poor cartridge retention. Drop a loaded Steyr magazine on the ground and you will get a "burst of six". Cartridges will come flying out. This is very critical when loading the rifle. If the shooter strikes the bottom of the magazine to seat it, the top round will be dislodged and when the bolt goes forward there will be a double feed. A double feed is very difficult to clear on a Steyr because the ejection port is so small. A Steyr shooter should always have a folding knife or Leatherman to clear the problem. In fact, any stoppage on a Steyr is very difficult to clear.
The rifle is supposed to be ambidextrous and the ejection port cover can be moved from one side to the other, However, the ejection port cover has poor retention and doesn't always stay in place. It is a "handed" weapon, meaning that if you are left-handed, you have to have a left-handed rifle. Otherwise you are going to get a facefull of hot brass. Combat rifles have to capable of being fired from both side of cover. You can't do that with a Steyr.
There are issues with the gas port selector. Many users get burns from the hot gas being vented.
Finally, but by no means least. The Steyr AUG has the world's worst trigger pull. It is so bad that practically requires two fingers for some people to pull it through.
All in all, despite it's good points it is a beastly weapon and I notice that the Australian SAS are seen in all recent photos to be using M-4s, a much more user friendly rifle.