French Famas MAS 223

[ibwaltb]

Hello all,

Hoping this only takes 5min of your time or less.

Trying to get some 'market insight', I'm going to start efforts to produce the French Famas MAS 223 rifle. This is going to be a long multi-year project but never less I think it there's learning, fun, and money to be had.
However to humor me I'm wanting to get a poll from you gentlemen regarding pricing (USD).

 

[55fairlane]

Good luck with your venture , I personally do not want one .

 

[Dog1]

I think they're kind of neat. And from a purely collector point of view I'd pay no more than 1500 for one. Personally I wouldn't mind having an SA-80/L-85

 

[IUKalash429]

Voted for $1,500-$2,000.

I'd be a buyer in the AUG/VHS-2/Tavor range. Don't see why this would need to be a $2,000+ gun.

Good luck.

 

[knutty]

Seems like a hopeless venture unless you can source parts or parts kits from the French, kinda like Steyr USA does with their domestic made AUG. Even then, the bullpup market is already very niche. Would be a very small number of people who will actually purchase one.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

So, what like $5K or so. Tiny market, form utility is tiny (so many ARs), have to modify to STANAG, inter alia.

Is there a TDP on the MAS? What's your pipeline? 8 years or so? Going to be more than 5K.

Reproductions are hard, very hard. PSA had to kick the release of the Hill & Mac STG44 back yet again.

Going to be a labor of love and patience.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Seems like a hopeless venture unless you can source parts or parts kits from the French, kinda like Steyr USA does with their domestic made AUG. Even then, the bullpup market is already very niche. Would be a very small number of people who will actually purchase one.

Yes, but one dude in God's Waiting Room will buy them all.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

INGO: How did we make it through that without Kirk singing in French?

Kirk: Allons! Enfants!

 

[IUKalash429]

So, what like $5K or so. Tiny market, form utility is tiny (so many ARs), have to modify to STANAG, inter alia.

Is there a TDP on the MAS? What's your pipeline? 8 years or so? Going to be more than 5K.

Reproductions are hard, very hard. PSA had to kick the release of the Hill & Mac STG44 back yet again.

Going to be a labor of love and patience.

1. Buy the one on Gunbroker for $146,000 (+3% credit card fee).
2. Reverse engineer the parts like North Korea.
3. Undercut the nonexistent competition.
4. Pay MAC to review.
5. Rent booth at SHOT.
6. Follow HMG's pre-sale vaporware strategy.
7. Enter bankruptcy court.

Kirk, anything is possible.

 

[BigMoose]

There are already a scant few that were imported.

If you want something weird and french, go buy the MAS 1950 pistols someone managed to get imported.

Don't forget to sell the optional white flag deployment system and the baguette launcher!

 

[Kirk Freeman]

1. Buy the one on Gunbroker for $146,000 (+3% credit card fee).
2. Reverse engineer the parts like North Korea.
3. Undercut the nonexistent competition.
4. Pay MAC to review.
5. Rent booth at SHOT.
6. Follow HMG's pre-sale vaporware strategy.
7. Enter bankruptcy court.

Kirk, anything is possible.

Advising people to #6 "take the money and run" is a predicate act for RICO/CBI.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

There are already a scant few that were imported.

If you want something weird and french, go buy the MAS 1950 pistols someone managed to get imported.

Don't forget to sell the optional white flag deployment system and the baguette launcher!

I see someone here wants more singing in French.

 

[ibwaltb]

So, what like $5K or so. Tiny market, form utility is tiny (so many ARs), have to modify to STANAG, inter alia.

Is there a TDP on the MAS? What's your pipeline? 8 years or so? Going to be more than 5K.

Reproductions are hard, very hard. PSA had to kick the release of the Hill & Mac STG44 back yet again.

Going to be a labor of love and patience.

My initial estimate was that the pricing would be $5k. This survey was to see how far off I was. My gut feel is that if you’re in Barrett territory the market is minuscule. This will be a labor of love and know the pain to expect going in. However, the last GB auction was north of $40k and while some of us peasants can’t throw that weight around, sounds like there’s a handful of eccentric “I have to have that because you can’t afford it” who would bite at $5k

I’m getting a BOM together now and looking to get a prototype put together by end of 2025; budgeting $10k for single prototype.
Determining material specs/heat treated zones, and tolerance stack-up’s will take a very long time. Have started on the carrier drawing and am reteaching myself Solidworks so the going is slower than anticipated. Have an acquaintance that’s going to quote drawings for all parts in the coming weeks.

Have my FFL07/SOT02 now to help with legalities…

Perhaps I should have started with something simpler…but life is short and I’m too unexperienced to know better at this point.

 

[BigMoose]

I see someone here wants more singing in French.

I only like French Singing if its from French girls.

 

[JettaKnight]

Let's hear from an expert:

 

[oldschoolmuscle]

I think they are certainly neat. Although I've never handled one in person.

 

[MrSmitty]

Maybe you can reproduce them in the standard French condition..,”Dropped once, never fired”