FAMAE Seeking To Import Rifles And Pistols

FAMAE, Chilean maker of SIG 540 derivatives, has announced their intention to import their products to the USA, through importer AD&R Imports. Many of the products will have to be imported as pistols, but FAMAE has also offered to import the shorter weapons with stocks for buyers with completed Form 1 paperwork. Aftermath Gun Club has covered some of the guns likely to be imported:

AD&R Imports was at SHOT Show 2015 with some LE samples of several models. The Chilean made firearms in rifle calibers are licensed copies of the Swiss SIG SG540 series long stroke piston designs. The pistol caliber firearms are proprietary direct blowback designs based on the SG540 series. The methods of manufacture are from the original Swiss data. The firearms continue to be made from high quality imported European steels of the correct specified alloys, originating from the countries of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland over the course of manufacture.

Future plans include civilian legal sales in the United States but approval letters will be needed from the ATF before those imports can begin. The following video introduces the product line.

Due to United States laws there will be some changes, most notable is that several models will likely need to be imported as pistols only. Per the video above, stocks would be available for anyone showing a Form 1 approval for their weapon as an SBR. This is the same approach DSA and others have taken to selling stocks for imported pistols.

They posted a follow-on article a few days ago:

ADR Imports has been approved to bring in the select-fire SG54x models from FAMAE of Chile.

The importers are still waiting for ATF determination on semi-auto imports. The SG540 and SG543 are expected to be brought in as pistols while the SG543 7.62x51mm may be brought in as a single shot rifle. All are expected with black furniture.

All photos shown are LE/MIL select-fire models at SHOT Show 2015.

I have to admit to a certain fondness for the SIG 542. It’s a .308 semiautomatic, and very light, too, especially for its time. It has a solid mechanical foundation, it looks good, and – perhaps most importantly – isn’t yet another AR-15 or AR-10.