Manufacturer
FN Herstal

Country Of Origin
Belgium

Date Of Introduction
1979

Caliber
5.56 x 45 mm NATO

Feed System
Magazine

Rate Of Fire
700 rounds per minute

Weights
3.8 kg

Length
997 mm, stock extended


More Information *


The FN FNC(Fabrique Nationale Carabine) is an assault rifle designed by Fabrique Nationale de Herstal in the mid-1970s, based upon a failed previous attempt known as the Carabine Automatique Legere. The FNC design is based upon features borrowed from other well-known assault rifles, such as the FAL, AK-47, M16, and Galil.

Like the M-16 and most other modern assault rifles, the FNC fires the 5.56 mm standard NATO cartridge. It uses a detachable 30-round box magazine and can also accept STANAG-style magazines used by the M-16 series. Internally, the FNC borrows heavily from the AK-47 gas system with some improvements over the original Soviet design.

The FNC comes in a paratrooper model with the folding stock (in picture) and standard polycarbonite fixed stock. Both models have an integrated, notched, flip-up grenade-launching front site that automatically shunts gas, when popped up, to fire rifle grenades. The design also incorporates a gas select lever for normal firing and adverse conditions firing. The US M249 squad automatic weapon (SAW), also made by FN, is loosely based on the FNC.

The FNC is currently used by the Belgian armed forces and the Royal Luxembourg Army and is licensed to Sweden as the Bofors AK5 and to Indonesia as the Pindad SS-1. The FNC is generally regarded as having a sound, reliable design, although accuracy and shooter comfort are sometimes hindered by the stiff trigger pull of around 10 lbf (45 N).