FN FNC

Overview:

The FNC (Fabrique Nationale Carabine) is a 5.56mm assault rifle developed by the Belgian arms manufacturer Fabrique Nationale (FN) of Herstal and introduced in the late 1970s. The FNC is a selective fire weapon that uses a gas-driven piston operating system (with a long-stroke piston) and a rotary bolt locking mechanism equipped with two locking lugs that engage corresponding recesses in the barrel extension. The bolt is rotated and unlocked by the interaction of the bolt’s cam pin with a camming guide contained in the bolt carrier. The spring extractor is located inside the bolt head, the ejector is fixed and riveted to the inside of the receiver housing. The FNC uses a 2-position gas valve, a hammer-type firing mechanism and a trigger with a fire selector switch that is simultaneously the manual safety, securing the weapon from accidental firing. The selector lever is located on the left side of the receiver and has 4 settings: "S"—weapon safe, "1"—single fire mode, "3"—3-round burst, "A"—continuous fire. The FNC’s barrel features a flash suppressor that is also used to launch rifle grenades (only the standard rifle model has this capability). The gas block contains a gas valve setting that is used to isolate the gas system, providing an increased volume of propellant required to fire a rifle grenade. The sheet-metal gas valve switch when pulled upright, acts as a V-notch sight used for aiming the rifle grenades. The piston head and extension, as well as the gas port block, barrel bore and chamber, are hard-chrome plated to minimize the effects of propellant fouling. The rifle feeds from 30-round steel magazines that are interchangeable with magazines from the American M16 rifle (STANAG 4179 system). After the last round is fired from the magazine the action remains in its rear (open) position held by a bolt catch that can be released by pressing the bolt release button on the left side of the receiver. The rifle has a flip-type L-shaped rear sight with two apertures with settings for 250 and 400 m (the front sight post can be adjusted for elevation, the rear sight—windage) and a plastic-coated, lightweight alloy skeleton stock that folds to the right side of the receiver. Optionally, FN offers a synthetic (polyamide) fixed buttstock. The FNC can also be used to mount optics such as the Hensoldt FN4X telescopic sight through the use of an adaptor. Standard equipment supplied with the FNC includes a spike bayonet or a variant of the American M7 blade bayonet (with the use of a lug adaptor) and a sling. The rifle can be deployed with a barrel mounted bipod and blank-firing adaptor. The rifle was developed between 1975–1977 for NATO standardization trials. The rifle’s design is based on the FNC 76 prototype, which itself traces back to the unsuccessful CAL rifle. It was soon withdrawn from the NATO competition after performing poorly due to its expedient development. Later trials for the Swedish Armed Forces held between 1981–1982 using updated prototypes proved the utility and efficiency of the design, impressing both the Swedish military and Belgian army staff back at home. The FNC was finally adopted by the armed forces of Belgium in 1989, as a service-wide replacement for the 7.62mm-caliber FN FAL after having issued the FNC in small numbers to airborne infantry for several years. The Indonesian Air Force purchased approximately 10,000 rifles in 1982, and would later aqcuire a license to manufacture the rifle for all branches of their armed forces. These guns are built by the Indonesian firm PT Pindad as the SS1-V1 and SS1-V2. The FNC is also the standard service rifle of Sweden (Ak 5) and is used in relatively small numbers by a number of other armies and police organizations.

Specifications:

Type

• Assault rifle.

Place of Origin

• Belgium.

Weight

• 3.840 kg (8.47 lb) (standard rifle).
• 3.7 kg (8.2 lb) (carbine).

Length

• 997 mm (39.3 in) stock extended / 766 mm (30.2 in) stock folded (rifle).
• 911 mm (35.9 in) stock extended / 667 mm (26.3 in) stock folded (carbine).

Barrel Length

• 449 mm (17.7 in) (rifle).
• 363 mm (14.3 in) (carbine).

Width

• 70 mm (2.8 in) stock extended.
• 75 mm (3.0 in) stock folded.

Height

• 238 mm (9.4 in).

Cartridge

• 5.56x45mm NATO.

Action

• Gas-operated.
• Rotating bolt.

Rate of Fire

• Approx. 625-675 rounds/min.

Muzzle Velocity

• M193: 965 m/s (3,166 ft/s).
• SS109: 925 m/s (3,034.8 ft/s).

Effective Range

• 250 to 400 m sight adjustments.

Maximum Range

• 2,000 m (1.2 mi).

Feed System

• 30-round detachable box magazine (STANAG system).

Sights

• Rear flip aperture.
• Front post.
• 513 mm (20.2 in) sight radius (standard rifle).