Notes: The FR-F1 was a sniper rifle of modern design (for its time) and capable of great accuracy. When introduced in the 1960s, it was ahead of its time, with features such as an adjustable cheekpiece, a trigger that can be adjusted by a micrometer screw, a scope with an illuminated reticule, and an iron foresight that can be replaced with nearly a dozen others. It is basically a modernized and accurized MAS-36 infantry rifle, but the construction quality and standards were so greatly improved that the FR-F1 is a totally new weapon.

The FR-F1 was first produced in 7.5mm French Service caliber, but in the late 1980s, they began to convert them to 7.62mm NATO ammunition, producing the FR-F2. In addition to the caliber change, there were also a number of small improvements and functional changes, such as the metal fore-end being covered with black polymer (on the FR-F1, the metal fore-end could become too hot to grip on a hot day or after lots of shooting), and the bipod was moved from the FR-F1 position at the front of the fore-end to a point just ahead of the receiver (and also strengthened). The bipod was also made adjustable, and this new position makes it easier for the shooter to adjust it. The new bipod is also attached to a yoke around the rear of the barrel instead of to the fore-end, which makes the FR-F2 more stable when firing. Visually, the biggest change is the barrel; on the FR-F2 it is inside a thick plastic thermal sleeve in order to reduce glare, protect the sighting through the scope from heat rising off the barrel, and even reduces the IR signature of the barrel somewhat.

The FR-G1 and FR-G2 are virtually identical to the FR-F2, but they use a wooden fore-end instead of the synthetic fore-end of the FR-F2 (the stock is still synthetic), and they have no thermal shield. This reduces the weight somewhat. The FR-G2 retains the adjustable bipod of the FR-F2, but the FR-G1’s bipod is not adjustable (though it can still be folded).

Twilight 2000 Notes: The program to convert these rifles to the FR-F2 standard was accelerated, but by 1996, only 50% of them had been converted. After that, more were actually converted to 7.62mm NATO chambering, but most of these were simply re-chambered FR-F1s.  The FR-G1 was the most common sniper rifle for the French Gendarmerie. 

Merc 2000 Notes: Most of these weapons that had been sold overseas have had their caliber converted.  The FR-F2, oddly enough, was not sold on the international market, while the FR-G2 was sold only in small numbers.