Following the coverage of the Paris events, I have seen a number of photographs of French LE members, toting a pretty eclectic group of weapons. Mini 14, small full auto pistols, and Sig 2022 pistols. Is it just me, or does it mostly look like a pile of crap?
Likes pretty much everything in every caliber.
Lots of Beretta M12 subguns.
Depends on the units in question. Gendarmerie (State Police) are issued Sig 2022 Pros as sidearms. For long arms the French picked the Mini-14 like four decades ago and because they haven't seen a need, they haven't replaced them. There are also a number of surplus French .Mil weapons floating around too. Given the heightened state, I'm sure whatever is available is being pressed into service (including a bunch of FAMAS).
RAID and GIGN units have a much broader selection of equipment. Pistol wise the Glock 17/19 is now ubiquitous (although some folks are still packing MR73s in .357 Magnum), rifles are a whole cross-section, but a lot of them are transitioning to HK416s. That said, there are still a lot of HKs of various flavors (MP5s, G3s, G36s, etc.). And the occasional shotgun (Remington 870s and Benelli M4s).
Regarding the military, the FAMAS is still extant and unfortunately still common in the original F1 variant that is pretty terrible. Although, now the French may actually do something about replacing the FAMAS, as they prepare for general deployments. They announced some like three-four years ago they wanted to select a new rifle, but it seems like it stalled out for political reasons. My guess is they pick the HK416 and start issuing it across the board. I'd look for the eclectic "pile of crap" that they have accumulated over the past 50 years to be replaced. The "crap" will get shipped off to some French protectorate someplace else (Djibouti, La Reunion, French Guiana, etc.).
-Rob
There's a picture going around this morning of French SRT guys with revolvers. That's pretty interesting.
“If you know the way broadly you will see it in everything." - Miyamoto Musashi
Likes pretty much everything in every caliber.
I have it from very good sources that one of the places you never want to be is in front of a GIGN member with an MR73. While they have gone with Glocks like most, they are well known to do very good work with their .357's. If some of their folks are still carrying them, it is likely a choice, and they are likely machines with them.Originally Posted by GreggW
Just a Hairy Special Snowflake supply clerk with no field experience, shooting an Asymetric carbine as a Try Hard. Snarky and easily butt hurt. Favorite animal is the Cape Buffalo....likely indicative of a personality disorder.
"If I had a grandpa, he would look like Delbert Belton".
The MR73 is my white whale. One day I will have one.
re: Police, when I was living in Paris the Gendarmerie all had SigPros and the Army patrols all had FAMASes. Never saw quite the amount of hardware we are seeing in the news now but what RevolverRob said above seems pretty accurate to me.
Manurhin MR73 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manurhin_MR_73 - One beautiful revolver.
I want one so bad.
I've missed out of three MR73s. I swear, I won't miss out on the next one. FYI - for those revolver obsessed geeks out there (Nyeti looking at you, man) - Chapuis Armes does have retailers in the U.S. - Ostensibly, that means part of the Manurhin range of revolvers is available here: http://www.chapuis-armes.com/modules...staretails.php
I have to admit myself that I am not only lusting hard for an MR73, but also one of these: http://www.chapuis-armes.com/progres...dele-ugex.html in 9.3x74mmR - Because by god, if you're going to hunt white whales...you might as well do it with a double-barrel express rifle.
-Rob
Rob: While I might disagree with your understanding of history, I very much agree with you on the MR73. It is an unbelievably good revolver in what I regard as the best overall revolver caliber. I have been looking for one for years.
“If you know the way broadly you will see it in everything." - Miyamoto Musashi
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