One of the biggest questions we get asked is ‘is XYZ gun any good?’, and rightly so – our customers want to make sure they’re getting the best bang for their buck. With that in mind, over the next few months we’re going to be taking a look at some of the most popular searches for airsoft guns on our website and asking the question – is it any good? This month we look at the Cybergun Evo F1 Famas AEG.
WHAT IS THE FAMAS?
The FAMAS (Fusil d’Assaut de la Manufacture d’Armes de Saint-Etienne) is a bullpup assault rifle designed and manufactured in France by MAS. The weapon was introduced in 1978 and is currently in use in a number of African countries including Cameroon, Chad, Gabon and Senegal. That said, the most famous use of the FAMAS was by the French Armed Forces, having been in use since 1979 and only replaced in 2017 with the Heckler & Koch HK416.
The FAMAS F1 replaced both the elderly MAS 49/56 rifle and MAT-49 submachine gun. Approximately 400,000 FAMAS F1 assault rifles were produced by MAS. While a capable rifle, the F1 had numerous problems to overcome. For instance, many of the plastic pieces on the rifle were fragile, including critical parts like the cheek riser on the butt’s pad (below where the cheek is to go). The FAMAS was also susceptible to malfunction on occasion because of poorly-built, or rather improperly used, magazines. The FAMAS was designed around the concept of single-use, disposable magazines; when the limited budget of the French military forced soldiers to reuse disposable magazines over and over, the FAMAS would jam and require immediate attention. MAS would eventually manufacture more durable magazines for the FAMAS that reduced malfunctions.
WHO ARE CYBERGUN?
Officially, CYBERGUN was first founded in 1999. However, the company’s history dates back to 1993 when Jérôme Marsac and Vincent Bouvet brought a range of officially licensed airsoft guns to the market with names such as COLT, Sig Sauer and Desert Eagle.
Today, CYBERGUN offer one of the largest range of airsoft guns on the market, with a vast range of officially licensed products offering their customer base a plethora of choice. CYBERGUN products are available around the world, with their reputation as a reputable airsoft manufacturer known throughout airsoft circles.
CYBERGUN EVO F1 FAMAS
The Cybergun licensed FAMAS AEG AIRSOFT GUN features various improvements over the original Tokyo Marui FAMAS. This FAMAS uses an upgraded Tokyo Marui spec version 1 metal gearbox with enhanced durability and performance while retaining standard Tokyo Marui parts compatibility. The built-in folding metal bipod is sturdy and offers a stable shooting platform for the user. Just like its real-life counterpart, the longer barrel offers improved performance and accuracy over rifles with shorter barrels.
Starting at the muzzle end of the rifle, the barrel features a grenade support mock APAV-40 adjustment lug for mock APAV-40 grenades. The outer barrel in conjunction with this lug can also support some mock bayonets. Cybergun even went as far as to include the FAMAS adjustable grenade launcher sight in front of the charging handle. The handguard serves a dual purpose: acting as a battery compartment that easily holds 9.6v nunchuck and brick style NiMH batteries, as well as sports a Picatinny rail for attaching aftermarket accessories such as grips. The oversized trigger guard accommodates gloves when shooting as well. A dual-function safety physically blocks the trigger to help prevent accidentally firing the rifle, and also rotates out of the way when playing. Rotating the safety slightly past 90 degrees releases the locking mechanism on the handguard and battery compartment.
IS IT ANY GOOD?
So, the real question you want to know the answer to here is – is it any good? I think that question will come down to your opinion on bullpups. That being said, it is most definitely an objectively solid AEG.
However, I have two gripes in regards to the FAMAS platform – first of all, is its bullpup design, and secondly, it’s magazines. Bullpups are very much marmite in the airsoft world – you can either get on with the magazine placement, or you can’t. Personally, I’m so used to an M4 that the ergonomics of anything else messes with my muscle memory. In regard to the magazines, they’re a strange shape, meaning you can’t make use of magazine pouches you may have for say an M4 or an AK. If the FAMAS is your first and only AEG and you have no desire to move away from the platform in the future then this is a moot point, but it is nonetheless something to take into account should you purchase one.
Speaking impartially, the Cybergun Evo F1 FAMAS is a solid AEG. It doesn’t necessarily bring anything new to the table (albeit it does have differences to the Tokyo Marui variant as highlighted previously), but it does what it does admirably, and sometimes that’s all you need. Old trusty, so to speak. Performance-wise it chugs along – clocking in at 360FPS over an average of 10 shots with a 1.5 to 2-inch grouping.
The Cybergun Evo F1 FAMAS is also a quality AEG in regard to its construction. Manufactured from a mixture of polymer and steel alloy, CYBERGUN’s FAMAS definitely won’t be breaking due to general wear and tear any time soon.
One prospective worry is an inability to mount optics. However, thanks to the FAMAS’ carry handle, you’re able to bypass this problem pretty easily. The carry handle on the top of the rifle already holds multiple sets of sights, including an integrated front sight that is adjustable from side to side to correct/adjust for wind, indirect fire flip-up rear sight, and a long/medium/CQB range adjustable rear sight. Furthermore, it is made to support the CYBERGUN Weaver/Picatinny rail mount, meaning you’ll be able to attach your favourite red dot, reflex or ACOG-like optics to the FAMAS.
In closing, the Cybergun Evo F1 FAMAS is a brilliant performer at a very competitive price – coming in at £199.99. For further information, you can find CYBERGUN’s FAMAS here (www.justbbguns.co.uk/cybergun-evo-f1-famas-aeg-airsoft-gun) and do not be afraid to get in touch should you have any questions!
You can see our full range of airsoft guns, airsoft rifles or airsoft pistols on the Just BB Guns category product pages. We also have a large number of BBs and airsoft accessories all at great low prices.
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