FAMAE SAF
Encyclopedia
The FAMAE SAF is a submachine gun
produced since 1993 by FAMAE
(Fábricas y Maestranzas del Ejército), the Chile
an government small arms factory. It is in service with the Chilean armed forces
and police and is exported.
The Paramilitary Police, gendarmerie
type, Portuguese Republican National Guard
(GNR - Guarda Nacional Republicana) and the Prison Guard (Guarda Prisional) both use the FAMAE SAF. The GNR is thought to have both some 4500 weapons, replacing older submachine guns and, partially, the G-3
battle rifle
in public order maintenance activities.
. It is based on the Swiss SIG SG 540
assault rifle
which was produced under license in Chile in the 1980s. In general the design is a shortened version of the SIG 540 rifle, but the rifle's rotating bolt
has been replaced with a simple blowback
bolt. The SAF also has a bolt hold-open catch that engages after the final shot. Otherwise, the receiver, stock, fore-end, trigger/hammer assembly and floating firing pin design are from the SIG 540. The upper and lower receiver, as well as the trigger guard are steel, pistol grip and Handguards are all made from polymer. The ambidextrous safety/fire selector switch, as well as the interchangeability with SIG 552/553 handguards, is a feature found on the latest versions. Older versions used own handguards.
The 9mm magazines are transparent plastic, allowing the number of available rounds to be determined visually. The magazine is fitted with protruding lugs on one side and corresponding slots on the other, allowing two or three magazines to be clipped together for faster magazine changes. The .40S&W magazines are steel and hold 30 rounds.
The selector has four settings: safe, single shot, 3-round burst and fully automatic. Some models were made in a semi-auto only configuration.
and folding buttstock, and the Mini-SAF. The Mini-SAF is very compact, at only 12 inches (304.8 mm) long. It has a shorter barrel, no shoulder stock (although the left-side-folding tubular metal buttstock of the standard SAF can be attached), and a vertical foregrip. The Mini-SAF can use the standard 30-round magazines, but comes with special 20-round magazines for a smaller profile. All versions have post front sights with adjustable elevation, and aperture rear sights, adjustable for windage.
Submachine gun
A submachine gun is an automatic carbine, designed to fire pistol cartridges. It combines the automatic fire of a machine gun with the cartridge of a pistol. The submachine gun was invented during World War I , but the apex of its use was during World War II when millions of the weapon type were...
produced since 1993 by FAMAE
FAMAE
FAMAE is a Chilean government-owned weapons producer. Its products are used by the Chilean armed forces and the police. The company produces among others the FAMAE CT-30 carbine, FAMAE SAF submachine gun, FAMAE FD-200 sniper rifle, Cohete Rayo rocket launcher and FAMAE revolver...
(Fábricas y Maestranzas del Ejército), the Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
an government small arms factory. It is in service with the Chilean armed forces
Military of Chile
Chile's armed forces are subject to civilian control exercised by the president through the Minister of Defense. Military service of 12 to 24 months is mandatory for all male citizens upon turning 18. This conscription service can be postponed for educational or religious reasons...
and police and is exported.
The Paramilitary Police, gendarmerie
Gendarmerie
A gendarmerie or gendarmery is a military force charged with police duties among civilian populations. Members of such a force are typically called "gendarmes". The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary describes a gendarme as "a soldier who is employed on police duties" and a "gendarmery, -erie" as...
type, Portuguese Republican National Guard
Portuguese Republican National Guard
The term Republican National Guard may refer to:*Italian National Republican Guard*Portuguese National Republican Guard...
(GNR - Guarda Nacional Republicana) and the Prison Guard (Guarda Prisional) both use the FAMAE SAF. The GNR is thought to have both some 4500 weapons, replacing older submachine guns and, partially, the G-3
Heckler & Koch G3
The G3 is a 7.62mm battle rifle developed in the 1950s by the German armament manufacturer Heckler & Koch GmbH in collaboration with the Spanish state-owned design and development agency CETME ....
battle rifle
Battle rifle
A battle rifle is a military service rifle that fires a full power rifle cartridge, such as 7.62x51mm NATO. While the designation of battle rifle is usually given to post-World War II select fire infantry rifles such as the H&K G3, the FN FAL or the M14, this term can also apply to older military...
in public order maintenance activities.
Design
The SAF is a blowback-operated select-fire gun, firing from a closed boltClosed bolt
A semi or full-automatic firearm which is said to fire from a closed bolt is one where, when ready to fire, a round is in the chamber and the bolt and working parts are forward...
. It is based on the Swiss SIG SG 540
SIG SG 540
The SG 540 is a 5.56mm assault rifle developed in the early 1970s by Schweizerische Industrie Gesellschaft based out of Neuhausen, Switzerland as a private venture primarily destined for export markets and as a potential replacement for the 7.5mm SG 510 automatic rifle known as the Stgw 57 in...
assault rifle
Assault rifle
An assault rifle is a selective fire rifle that uses an intermediate cartridge and a detachable magazine. Assault rifles are the standard infantry weapons in most modern armies...
which was produced under license in Chile in the 1980s. In general the design is a shortened version of the SIG 540 rifle, but the rifle's rotating bolt
Rotating bolt
Rotating bolt is a method of locking originally developed by Ferdinand Ritter von Mannlicher and found in his Steyr-Mannlicher M1895 straight-pull bolt-action rifle designed for and issued to the Austro-Hungarian Army...
has been replaced with a simple blowback
Blowback (arms)
Blowback is a system of operation for self-loading firearms that obtains energy from the motion of the cartridge case as it is pushed to the rear by expanding gases created by the ignition of the propellant charge....
bolt. The SAF also has a bolt hold-open catch that engages after the final shot. Otherwise, the receiver, stock, fore-end, trigger/hammer assembly and floating firing pin design are from the SIG 540. The upper and lower receiver, as well as the trigger guard are steel, pistol grip and Handguards are all made from polymer. The ambidextrous safety/fire selector switch, as well as the interchangeability with SIG 552/553 handguards, is a feature found on the latest versions. Older versions used own handguards.
The 9mm magazines are transparent plastic, allowing the number of available rounds to be determined visually. The magazine is fitted with protruding lugs on one side and corresponding slots on the other, allowing two or three magazines to be clipped together for faster magazine changes. The .40S&W magazines are steel and hold 30 rounds.
The selector has four settings: safe, single shot, 3-round burst and fully automatic. Some models were made in a semi-auto only configuration.
Variants
The SAF is manufactured in four versions: the standard model with a fixed polymer buttstock, standard with a left-side-folding tubular metal buttstock, a model with an integral suppressorSuppressor
A suppressor, sound suppressor, sound moderator, or silencer, is a device attached to or part of the barrel of a firearm which reduces the amount of noise and flash generated by firing the weapon....
and folding buttstock, and the Mini-SAF. The Mini-SAF is very compact, at only 12 inches (304.8 mm) long. It has a shorter barrel, no shoulder stock (although the left-side-folding tubular metal buttstock of the standard SAF can be attached), and a vertical foregrip. The Mini-SAF can use the standard 30-round magazines, but comes with special 20-round magazines for a smaller profile. All versions have post front sights with adjustable elevation, and aperture rear sights, adjustable for windage.