FN FNC
- Category
- Assault Rifle
- Barrel
- 449 mm
- Weight, empty
- 3.80 kg
- Introduced
- 1979
About
What it is, and why it matters
The FN FNC is a select-fire assault rifle chambered in 5.56x45mm NATO, produced by FN Herstal since 1979. This Belgian-manufactured firearm reflects the engineering traditions and quality standards of its country of origin, designed to meet the demands of both civilian and professional users in a competitive global marketplace. Featuring a 30-round magazine capacity, this assault rifle offers generous firepower for duty use and home defense. The 17.7-inch barrel maximizes accuracy potential and ballistic performance, making this an excellent choice for target shooting, competition, or field use. At 3800g (134.0 oz), this is a substantial firearm whose weight contributes to reduced felt recoil and enhanced stability during precision shooting. The steel frame provides a solid, premium feel with the durability to withstand decades of regular use and thousands of rounds. This firearm represents its manufacturer's commitment to delivering a well-engineered, reliable product that serves the needs of discerning shooters seeking quality, accuracy, and dependable performance from a proven platform.
The FNC is perhaps best known to pop culture fans as the weapon used by the T-800 Terminator (Arnold Schwarzenegger) in the 1991 film Terminator 2: Judgment Day during the Cyberdyne Systems shootout scene. In the real world, it quietly served as the backbone of several nations' militaries while its more famous FN siblings (FAL, SCAR) stole the spotlight.
The FNC was designed with lessons learned from the FN CAL's commercial failure, emphasizing manufacturing simplicity, reliability, and cost-effectiveness. Its long-stroke gas piston system provides excellent reliability in adverse conditions. The rifle uses stamped steel and polymer components to reduce cost while maintaining durability. The FNC's folding stock allows compact storage and transport. STANAG 4179 magazine compatibility ensures interoperability with M16-pattern magazines. The Belgian military adopted the FNC relatively late (1989), having previously used the 7.62mm FN FAL. The FNC saw combat service in various conflicts worldwide through its operator nations. The design was the basis for the Swedish Ak 5 series and Indonesian Pindad SS1/SS2, both of which incorporated national modifications.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- FN Herstal
- Category
- Assault Rifle
- Country
- Belgium
- Status
- In production
- Produced
- 1979
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 449 mm
- Overall length
- 997 mm
- Weight, empty
- 3.80 kg
- Weight, loaded
- 4.20 kg
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Gas operated rotating bolt
- Firing mechanism
- Hammer fired
- Trigger
- Single stage
- Capacity
- 30
- Magazine
- Detachable box
MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.
- Frame
- Steel
- Barrel
- Steel
- Stock
- Polymer
- Finish
- Matte black
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Muzzle velocity
- 963 m/s
- Muzzle energy
- 1854 J
- Effective range
- 400 m
- Maximum range
- 600 m
- Rate of fire
- 650 rpm
Trajectory
What the round does downrange
Solved from the muzzle figures and the bullet. The dashed rule is the effective range on the record, and the crosses are the steps the solver returned.
Features
What it has
What the record lists as fitted, drawn from the catalogue.
Select fire
Three round burst
Gas operated
Long stroke piston
Rotating bolt
Folding stock
Stanag magazine compatible
Bayonet mount
Flash hider
Chrome lined barrel
Standing
How it compares
Each figure against the firearms of the same type and cartridge that record it, or of the same type where that cartridge has too few. Positions are read to the nearest tenth.
| Measurement | This firearm | Median | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Empty weightAmong 158 5.56x45mm NATO assault rifles | 3.80 kg | 3.60 kg | Heavier than about 70% |
| Overall lengthAmong 156 5.56x45mm NATO assault rifles | 997 mm | 920 mm | Longer than about 90% |
| Barrel lengthAmong 157 5.56x45mm NATO assault rifles | 449 mm | 449 mm | Near the median |
| Magazine capacityAmong 158 5.56x45mm NATO assault rifles | 30 | 30 | Near the median |
Answers
Questions about the FN FNC
How much does the FN FNC weigh?
The FN FNC weighs 3.80 kg (8.38 lb) empty and 4.20 kg (9.26 lb) loaded.
What caliber is the FN FNC?
The FN FNC is chambered in 5.56x45mm NATO.
How many rounds does the FN FNC hold?
The FN FNC holds 30 rounds, fed from a detachable box magazine.
How long is the FN FNC?
The FN FNC is 997 mm (39.3 in) long overall, with a 449 mm (17.7 in) barrel.
Who makes the FN FNC?
The FN FNC is made by FN Herstal (Belgium).
When was the FN FNC introduced?
The FN FNC was introduced in 1979.
How does the FN FNC operate?
The FN FNC uses a gas operated rotating bolt action, and its firing mechanism is hammer fired.
Compatibility
Which parts fit this firearm
Studio
Every part that mounts on this, resolved
Not a list the maker typed out: the answer comes from the mounts this firearm exposes and the interface each part needs, so it stays right when either one changes.
- Every part that mounts on any firearm in the catalogue
- Interface standards, platforms and fit overrides
- The same answers through the API and the MCP server
Requires a signed-in GunSpec account on the Studio plan. The answer is computed per part, so it is not part of the public record.
Provenance
What the record holds
Every figure above was taken from one of these pages. The confidence reflects how much of the record came from a page a claim can be checked against.
In service
- Belgian Armed Forces
- 1989
- Swedish Armed Forces
- 1986
- Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI)
- 1991
- Mongolian Armed Forces
- Mongolia
- Nigerian Armed Forces
- Nigeria
- Sri Lankan Armed Forces
- Sri Lanka
- Venezuelan Armed Forces
- Venezuela
- Tongan Armed Forces
- Tonga
- Democratic Republic of the Congo Armed Forces
- Congo - Kinshasa
Provenance
Confidence in this record
90%
Stockists
Where to buy
Offers link straight to the shop. GunSpec never takes the order.
No shop has listed this firearm yet
Stock and prices come from the shops themselves. If you sell this firearm, you can list it and it appears here.
List a firearmMCP
Ask an assistant about it
The same record, reached the way a person asks for it rather than the way a program does.
Ask GunSpec
Works with
Point an MCP client at GunSpec and it answers from the catalogue rather than from memory. A free key covers the read tools.
API
The call that returns this record
The same fields, in the same units, from the same endpoint the page reads.
curl --request GET \ --url 'https://api.gunspec.io/v1/firearms/fn-fnc' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "fn-fnc", "name": "FN FNC", "manufacturer": { "id": "fn-herstal", "name": "FN Herstal", "countryCode": "BE", "foundedYear": 1889, "website": "https://www.fnherstal.com", "logoUrl": null, "description": null, "status": null, "defunctYear": null, "stateOwned": null, "makesFirearms": null, "parentId": null, "predecessorId": null, "createdAt": "2026-02-11 23:44:38", "updatedAt": "2026-02-18 03:43:43", "version": "868b12ac455d24b965edddf486bafb1892f606961311b1ab9907556e3a23b075" }, "category": { "id": "assault-rifle", "name": "Assault Rifle", "description": "Selective-fire rifles chambered in intermediate cartridges" }, "country_of_origin": "BE", "year_introduced": 1979, "barrel_length_mm": 449, "weight_empty_g": 3800, "action_type": "gas_operated_rotating_bolt"}