Firearms from France

The FAMAS (Fusil d'Assaut de la Manufacture d'Armes de Saint-Étienne) is a French bullpup assault rifle that served as the standard service rifle of the French Armed Forces from 1978 to 2017. Known for its distinctive 'clarion' (bugle) profile and high rate of fire, it is an icon of French military design.

The MAS-36 is a French bolt-action rifle designed by Manufacture d'Armes de Saint-Etienne and adopted in 1936. It was chambered in the new 7.5x54mm French cartridge, a rimless round that replaced the obsolete 8x50mmR Lebel. The MAS-36 was of conventional bolt-action design but featured a distinctive under-folding spike bayonet stored in a tube beneath the barrel.

The LeMat Revolving Carbine was a distinctive longarm variant of the famous LeMat revolver, featuring a nine-shot cylinder above a single-barrel 20-gauge shotgun barrel. It was designed by Jean Alexandre LeMat as a multi-purpose cavalry weapon. The carbine could fire both revolver rounds and a grapeshot charge from the same weapon.

The French Model 1763 Infantry Musket was a .69 caliber smoothbore flintlock musket produced at the Charleville arsenal. It was an improved version of the Model 1754 with a simplified lock mechanism and stronger barrel. The design established the specifications that would influence French muskets through the Napoleonic Wars.

The MAS-49 is a semi-automatic rifle designed and manufactured by the French MAS arsenal. It was adopted by the French Army in 1949 to replace the bolt-action MAS-36. The MAS-49 uses a direct-impingement gas system with a tilting bolt. It fires the 7.5x54mm French cartridge from a 10-round detachable magazine. The MAS-49 is known for its elegant lines and reliable function in adverse conditions.

The Charleville Musket was the standard French infantry firearm of the 18th century, a .69 caliber smoothbore flintlock musket manufactured at the Charleville armory. It was the primary weapon of French forces in the American Revolutionary War and was supplied in large numbers to the Continental Army.

The Hotchkiss M1914 is a heavy machine gun designed by the French Hotchkiss company and used extensively by the French Army during World War I and World War II. It is an air-cooled, gas-operated machine gun fed by metal feed strips rather than fabric belts. The M1914 was known for its ability to sustain long periods of continuous fire due to its heavy barrel design. It was chambered in 8x50mmR Lebel and later adapted for other calibers for export customers. The weapon was mounted on tripods, vehicles, and aircraft.

The AA-52 (Arme Automatique Transformable Modele 1952) is a French general-purpose machine gun developed after World War II by Manufacture d'Armes de Saint-Etienne. It was chambered in 7.5x54mm French and used a unique delayed blowback operating system with a lever-delay action. The AA-52 served as the standard French machine gun for over five decades.

The Chauchat CSRG M1915 was a French light machine gun chambered in 8mm Lebel, used extensively during World War I. It featured a long-recoil operation and a distinctive open-sided magazine. Despite a notorious reputation for reliability issues, the Chauchat was produced in massive quantities and saw wide service.

The LRAC F1 was a French 89mm reusable anti-tank rocket launcher that replaced the US M20 Super Bazooka in French service. It featured a fiberglass launch tube with a pistol grip and shoulder stock. The weapon could fire both anti-tank and anti-personnel rockets.

The PGM Hécate II is a French bolt-action anti-materiel rifle chambered in .50 BMG. Designed for both military and law enforcement applications, it is recognized for its exceptional accuracy and modular construction.

The PGM 338 is a French precision bolt-action sniper rifle chambered in .338 Lapua Magnum, manufactured by PGM Precision. It features a modular chassis system with a folding stock, free-floating barrel, and full-length Picatinny rail. The PGM 338 fills the gap between standard 7.62mm snipers and heavy .50-caliber anti-materiel rifles.

The FR F2 (Fusil a Repetition Modele F2) is a French military bolt-action sniper rifle developed from the earlier FR F1. It features a distinctive fiberglass stock and a synthetic thermal sleeve over the barrel to reduce heat mirage. Chambered in 7.62x51mm NATO with a 10-round detachable magazine, the FR F2 has served as the standard sniper rifle of the French military since 1984.

The PGM .357 is a precision bolt-action sniper rifle manufactured by PGM Precision of France. It is chambered in .338 Lapua Magnum and is part of PGM's line of high-precision tactical rifles. The rifle features a modular aluminum chassis stock with an adjustable folding stock. It uses a three-lug bolt action with a free-floated, hammer-forged barrel. The PGM .357 is designed for long-range military and law enforcement sniper operations.

The LeMat Revolver features a unique 9-shot cylinder and an additional smoothbore barrel for firing buckshot.

The Manurhin MR 73 is a precision revolver manufactured by Manurhin (Manufacture de Machines du Haut-Rhin) in France. Widely regarded as one of the finest production revolvers ever made, it was designed for elite French police and military units and is built to withstand a lifetime of heavy Magnum use.

The Unique Model 17 is a semi-automatic pistol manufactured by Manufacture dArmes des Pyrénées Françaises in France. It is a compact blowback pistol chambered in .32 ACP, designed for military and police use. The Model 17 was adopted by the French military as a secondary sidearm and by the Gendarmerie for plainclothes officers. It features a simple blowback action, a fixed barrel, and an 8-round detachable magazine.

The MAB PA-15 is a semi-automatic pistol designed and manufactured by Manufacture d'Armes de Bayonne in France. It was adopted by the French military in 1975 as the Modele PA-15. The pistol features a unique delayed-blowback action that allowed it to handle high-pressure 9x19mm ammunition without a locked breech. It uses a 15-round single-stack magazine, which was unusually high capacity for its era. The PA-15 was known for its slim profile and comfortable grip.

The MAT-49 is a submachine gun designed and manufactured by Manufacture Nationale d'Armes de Tulle (MAT) in France. It served as the standard submachine gun of the French military and police from 1949 through the French Indochina and Algerian wars.

The MAS-38 is a submachine gun designed and manufactured by the French MAS armory. It was chambered in 7.65mm Longue, a unique French pistol cartridge. The weapon features a distinctive canted barrel and bolt assembly that was visible through the receiver. It served as the standard submachine gun of the French military during World War II. The MAS-38 is known for its unusual appearance and compact design.

The MAB Model D is a French submachine gun produced by Manufacture d'Armes de Bayonne from 1949 to the 1960s. It was developed to equip the French Army with a modern submachine gun after World War II. The MAB D is a blowback-operated submachine gun chambered in 9x19mm. It features a wooden stock, a perforated barrel shroud, and a 32-round magazine. The MAB D is known for its quality construction and distinctive appearance.