FN FNC

The FNC (Fabrique Nationale Carabine) is a 5.56 mm assault rifle developed by the Belgian arms manufacturer Fabrique Nationale (FN) of Herstal and introduced in 1979. The rifle’s design is based on the FNC 76 prototype, which itself traces back to the unsuccessful CAL rifle.

Design details
The FNC is produced in two primary configurations: a standard rifle and short (carbine) length. The rifle variant called the “Standard” Model 2000 and the “Short” Model 7000 carbine come equipped with barrels with a 178 mm (1:7 in right-hand rifling twist (used to stabilize heavier Belgian SS109 bullets), while the Model 0000 rifle and Model 6000 carbine – a slower, 305 mm (1:12 in) twist rate (used with American M193 loaded cartridges). Currently the FNC has been adopted by the armed forces of Belgium, Nigeria, Indonesia (the Model 2000 rifle and Model 7000 carbine, manufactured locally under license by the Indonesian firm PT Pindad as the SS1-V1 and SS1-V2) and Sweden. The Swedish service rifle built by Bofors Ordnance (currently BAE Systems Bofors) is a modernized Model 2000 carbine that lacks the burst fire control setting. It was accepted into service in 1985 as the Ak 5 after extensive trials and replaced the 7.62 mm Ak 4 (locally produced copy of the Heckler & Koch G3). Bofors has produced several variants of the basic Ak 5: the Ak 5B (equipped with a British SUSAT 4x optical sight but no mechanical iron sights), the Ak 5C (a modular carbine variant designed for compatibility with various accessories), and the Ak 5D (a compact variant for vehicle crews). The FNC is a selective fire weapon that uses a gas-driven piston operating principle (with a long stroking piston) and a rotary bolt 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 and a camming guide contained in the bolt carrier. The spring extractor is located inside the bolt head, the ejector is a fixed surface riveted to the receiver housing. The FNC uses a 2-position gas valve, a hammer-type striker and a trigger mechanism with a fire selector that is simultaneously the manual safety, securing the weapon from accidental discharge. The selector lever is located at the left side of the receiver and has 4 settings: “S” – weapon is safe, “1” – single fire mode, “3” – 3-round burst, “A” – continuous fire.

The rifle feeds from 30-round curved 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 at 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 windage, the rear sight – elevation) and a plastic-coated, lightweight alloy tubular stock that folds to the right. Optionally FN offers a synthetic fixed buttstock. The FNC can also be used to mount optics such as the Hensoldt FN4X, typically through the use of an adaptor.

Standard equipment supplied with the FNC include a spike bayonet or the American M7A1 blade bayonet (with the use of a lug attachment) and a sling. The rifle can also be used with a barrel mounted bipod and blank-firing adaptor.

The FNC’s barrel features a flash hider that can also be used to launch rifle grenades (rifle length barrel only). The gas block contains a gas valve setting that is used to isolate the gas system, providing an increased volume of gas required to propel a rifle grenade. The sheet-metal gas valve switch when pulled upright, acts as a V-notch sight used for aiming rifle grenades. The piston head and extension, as well as the gas port block, barrel bore and chamber, are hard-chrome plated.

Fabrique Nationale offers a semi-automatic only carbine version known as the Law Enforcement (Model 7030 with a 178 mm rifling twist and the Model 6040 – with a 305 mm twist rate). These single-fire carbines are also capable of firing rifle grenades and mounting a bayonet.

Users

 * 🇧🇪 Belgium
 * 🇰🇭 Cambodia
 * 🇸🇻 El Salvador
 * 🇮🇩 Indonesia - Manufactures a licenced version known as the Pindad SS1
 * 🇱🇻 Latvia
 * 🇱🇧 Lebanon
 * 🇲🇦 Morocco
 * 🇳🇬 Nigeria
 * 🇸🇪 Sweden
 * 🇻🇪 Venezuela