FAMAE SAF

Since 1993, FAMAE (Fábricas y Maestranzas del Ejército) has been producing and manufacturing the FAMAE SAF submachine gun. Since 1999, Taurus have produced the SAF under license in .40 S&W for Brazilian law enforcement. Semi-automatic-only variants manufactured by FAMAE are mostly marketed for sale in Canada.

FAMAE SAF

FAMAE SAF is a blowback-operated select-fire submachine gun, firing from a closed bolt.Chile produced the Swiss SIG SG 540 assault rifle under license in the 1980s. The design shortens the SIG 540 rifle, but replaces the rifle’s rotating bolt with a simple blowback bolt.

Submachine Gun

The SAF also has a bolt hold-open catch that engages after the final shot. Otherwise, the receiver, stock, fore-end, trigger/hammer assembly and floating firing pin design are from the SIG 540. (It also retains the folding trigger guard for winter glove use.

Parts Kit

The upper and lower receiver as well as the trigger guard are steel, and the pistol-grip and handguards are all made from polymer. The latest versions feature the ambidextrous safety/fire selector switch and interchangeability with SIG 552/553 handguards. Older versions used their own handguards.

FAMAE SAF

The 9mm magazines utilize transparent polymer plastic, which visually shows the number of available rounds. The magazine features protruding lugs on one side and corresponding slots on the other, which enables the clipping together of two or three magazines for a quicker magazine change. They use steel to make the .40 S&W magazines, which hold 30 rounds.

Parts Kit

The selector has four settings: safe, single shot, 3-round burst and fully automatic. Manufacturers made some models in a semi-auto only configuration for law enforcement and civilian customers.