FR F1
FR F2
Overview
FR F2
Right side view of a French FR F2 sniper rifle resting on its adjustable bipod.
Source: davric -
© CC BY-SA 3.0
1986 for FR-F2
1984 - ? (FR F2 conversion)
1993 - ? (FR G1 and G2 production)
France - Giat (FR G1 & G2)
About 200 FR G1
About 200 FR G2
French for "repeating rifle F1"
Description
Introduction
The FR-F1 is an early Cold War era sniper rifle of French origin. It was adopted in French service to replace the scoped MAS 36 and MAS 49/56 rifles and provides superior accuracy.
Design
The FR-F1 is a bolt-action sniper rifle which utilizes the proven bolt system of the MAS 36 rifle. The design is modified with a more rigid receiver and a bolt designed to provide consistent locking and headspacing. With the French switch from the 7.5x54mm to the 7.62x51mm NATO standard round most FR-F1 were converted after decades of service. During the conversion of caliber these were fitted with a long polymer barrel shroud and designated FR-F2. Most rifles were fitted with the APX L806 scope, but the SCROME J8, Nightforce NXS or Schmidt & Bender 6x42 mil-dot scope are also used.
Firepower
The FR-F1 fires the 7.5x54mm or 7.62x51mm round from a 10 round detachable magazine. Being a bolt-action rifle the rate of fire is limited but the accuracy is rather good. The effective range is claimed to be 800 meters. It is not possible to mount a silencer.
Users
The FR-F1 is the standard issue sniper rifle of the French forces and gendarmerie. It remains in use today, although special units have replaced in with more modern designs. It has been exported in modest quantities to several nations in Africa and the Middle East with close ties to France. In French service the FR F2 was replaced by a semi-automatic marksman rifle, the SCAR-H SSR. Since the 2000's it was already supplemented in the role as a true sniper rifle by larger caliber rifles such as the Mini Hecate chambered in .338 Lapua Magnum.
Variants
FR F1
Initial production model. Chambered in 7.5x54mm French. These were issued with the Modèle 53 bis or APX 806 L scope. These were converted to the F2 model between 1986 and 1989.
FR F2
Conversion of existing FR F1 rifles to 7.62x51mm NATO cartridge. At the same time a barrel shroud and top mounted bipod were introduced. French army issued APX 806 and SCROME J8 scopes and the navy issued the Schmidt & Bender 6x42. Night vision optics include the SOPELEM OB-50 and SAGEM electro-optical sight.
FR G1 and G2
New batch of rifles produced in the 1990's for the French air force. These rifles are not based on the FR F1 receiver, but on the original MAS 36 design. They therefore lack some of the special features related to more consistent locking and headspacing. Reports indicate that accuracy is slightly less than FR F2 but still very serviceable. The G1 model has the FR F1 style bipod and the G2 mimics the F2 top mounted bipod setup. The French air force issued Nightforce NXS scopes. These rifles lack the barrel shroud of the FR F2, therefore any vanilla looking rifle in French service after 1989 ought to be a G1 or G2 model.
Details
Media
FR F2
French soldier with FR F2 sniper rifle providing overwatch in Afghanistan in 2005.
Source: davric
Copyright: CC BY-SA 3.0
FR F1
Right side view of FR F1 sniper rifle with APX L806 scope resting on its bipod.
Source: Quickload
Copyright: CC BY-SA 3.0
Related articles
MAS 36
The FR F1 was developed from the MAS 36 rifle. The receiver is similar in design, but not interchangeable since built to more rigid standard.
The FR G1 and FR G2 built in the 1990's are based on existing MAS 36 receivers.
MAS 49/56
The FR F1 was issued with the same 3.85x APX L806 scope as used on the marksman version of the MAS 49.
FN SCAR-H PR
The SCAR-H SSR was selected in late 2019 to replace the FR F2 in French service.