My interview with Christian Prouteau focused on the MR-73 revolver and how his men in GIGN trained with it. However, I did also ask him about the FR-F1 rifles, and figured I would separate that brief conversation out since it was on a different subject. Specifically, I asked why the FR-F1 used such an outdated scope, the APX L806.
Artillery
Hotchkiss Revolving Cannon tests
Today we have a copy of an official US testing report on the Hotchkiss Revolving Cannon (a 37mm / 1.5″ model). The testing was carried out between September 1876 and February 1877 at Sandy Hook […]
Submachine Guns
Hotchkiss Universal SMG at the Range
I have previously filmed a semiauto Hotchkiss Universal, but until today I’d not had a chance to try shooting an intact, original automatic one. Thanks to Battlefield Vegas, I have the chance today! Turns out, […]
Light MGs
A Soviet Look at Cold War Small Arms Development
I have covered various elements of small arms development during the Cold War more than a few times – usually involving the contentious process that led to the 7.62mm NATO cartridge being adopted, and the […]
I see your French is coming along wonderfully. I’d love an FRF1, but can’t find one.
There are a number still available if you’re in USA, but at $7,500+, I can’t go there.
https://www.ows-ammo.com/fine-rare-collectibles
i can’t stand the sound of the french language. it even sounds pompus and snobby lol
A 5 Francs coin !
Long time no see !
(that was the biggest diameter at that time)
There’s actually a lot of equivalents of lightweight precise thin barreled rifles like the FR1, we know them as hunting rifles (esp.stalking / deer guns), and to be honest I wonder if it was really necessary to design an FR1 instead of purchasing a bunch of nice hunting rifles and call it a day…
The Remington 700 and Winchester 70 based rifles used for a long time by the US army and USMC have basically been hunting rifles. Other armies did so too or used some “sniperized” former service bolt-action like the Norwegian or Finnish armies did with WW2 surplus Mauser or Mosin actions. So did the British with Lee-Enfield actions. Others just put a scope on their standard issue battle rifle and called it good. Well a H&K G3 often shoots tighter groups than a K98k, so that had some merit and dedicated snipers were not part of German doctrine then.
The french opted to build a dedicated design.
The weapons are interesting, but not nearly so much as the man. In a world poised on the edge of nuclear disaster, tearing itself to pieces, a young Frenchman steps forward. He needs a team of Olympic athletes, a magnum revolver, track suits, sunglasses, and sideburns. And it worked!
About two inches by 200 meters?
And this is “the best sniper rifle in the world”?
Apparently, I misunderstood something…
https://youtu.be/RnJUy9F4Suc?list=RDCMUC3P4NjwrpOykLBk2-UTVB8g&t=152
You can make an amendment to the fact that it was originally a service rifle…
But I’m not impressed.
PS I understand that this is quite enough for police tasks.
*laugh* Yeah, I was thinking the very same to myself. The FR-F1 felt more like a cheap & convenient solution for the moment. And also very French in a way. Because, no matter the deficits – adding “esprit” (on more time) to the mix will “fix” all its issues! As long as it’s a rifle “Made in France”…
3 years after the FR1’s introduction, Steyr came out with the SSG 69. In Germany, guns like the Krieghoff 640S were available in the 60ies. I don’t really see the FR1 as a unique, or particularly successful design.
Yet, I really like how the MAS 39 was converted to a precise rifle by essentially a small group of enthusiasts. And it certainly is a cool and interesting rifle, both optically and mechanically.
1.15″ at 200m makes something like 0.52 MOA.
Or did we watch a different video?
The 5 franc coin is 29 mm in diameter, which is exactly 1 moa per 100 meters.
The group is slightly smaller than a circle with a diameter of 2 times the diameter of the coin.
At best, this is approximately 1 moa.
For a service rifle, at “police” distances it is not bad.
For it to be “0.5 moa by 200 meters”, the group must be the same diameter as this coin.
I don’t speak French but the translation on the screen is:
“The best shooters with that rifle at 200m could put 10 shots inside a 5 franc coin.”
To me that means that the ten shots could be covered by the coin. The picture displayed is about 2 coins across but it doesn’t say that they is the group that he is talking about
Does it help to watch and like it on Youtube or does it not make any difference?
It does not make any difference, but thanks for asking!
Courage !That’s how i srarted speaking with French the 1st t;ime in France in 1996. Now, married to a French woman, wether i speak Greek or French it’s the same for me. Anyway, my wife has no matching serial numbers with the one back in ‘ 96 !
That scope mount he put the Zeiss scope on the FR-F1 looks like a regular German claw mount (“Suhler Einhakmontage”). Makes sense as it is easy to use, returns to zero, is durable and is found in any gun shop (around Europe at least).
No, this is a “Schwenkmontage” (sideways pivoting mount). They are still popular in Europe, although I must admit that they offer zero advantages to a proper Picatinny system.
(By the way, Europeanscooe mounting systems would be enough for a whole forgotten weapons issue)
Though as Ian has shown recently by clearing all stages with his FR-F1 with the APX scope and barely any training with the rifle, the APX scope is obviously not as bad as it might seem by the paper specifications. Something adjustable from 3-10 or similar range scope would have been of course been preferable.
No, this is a “Schwenkmontage” (sideways pivoting mount). i also think so