FARA 83
Fabrica Militar de Armas Portatiles Domingo Matheu · Assault Rifle · Discontinued · 1983
Also known as: FAA 81, Fusil Automatico Republica Argentina, Fusil Automatico Argentino
Overview
The FARA 83 is a select-fire assault rifle chambered in 5.56x45mm NATO, produced by Fabrica Militar de Armas Portatiles Domingo Matheu since 1983.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 3950 g (139.3 oz) |
| Weight (loaded) | 4430 g (156.3 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1000 mm (39.37") |
| Folded Length | 745 mm (29.33") |
| Barrel Length | 452 mm (17.80") |
| Action Type | Gas Operated |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Capacity | 30 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 980 m/s (3215 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 1921 J (1417 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 400 m (437 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 3600 m (3937 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 750 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Rifling Twist | 229 mm (9.02") |
| Number of Grooves | 6 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Polymer |
| Finish | Parkerized |
Calibers
- 5.56x45mm NATO · primary · 5.56mm NATO — also known as 5.56x45mm, 5.56 NATO
Features
- Firing modes: Semi Automatic, Full Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Selector Lever Safety, Firing Pin Safety
- Features: Folding Stock, Integral Muzzle Brake, Hk Style Charging Handle, Cleaning Kit Compartment In Stock, Optional Bipod, Iron Sights, Bayonet Lug
Variants
- FAA 81 — Prototype
Service history
Operators
- Argentine Army · adopted 1984
Conflicts
- Falklands War (1982)
Production
Estimated total produced: 1,193 · Production years: 1984-1986
Approximately 50 pre-production units (1982-1983) plus roughly 1,143 production rifles before program cancellation due to economic constraints
Origin
Country of origin: Argentina
Designer: Enrique Chichizola
Discontinued: 1990
Notes
Development of the FARA 83 began in 1975 under the classified program 'Proyecto Codigo 10.0187', with the first prototype completed in mid-1979 as the FAA 81 (Fusil Automatico Argentino). The design drew influences from the FN FAL and Israeli Galil, incorporating an HK-style charging handle and a synthetic folding stock with an internal compartment for cleaning tools. The barrel features six right-hand grooves with a 1:9 inch (229mm) twist rate, optimized for both M193 (55-grain) and SS109/M855 (62-grain) ammunition. Initially the rifle used proprietary steel magazines, but STANAG compatibility was planned for later production. An optional folding bipod weighing 400g was available. Approximately 50 pre-production examples were built during 1982-1983, followed by roughly 1,143 additional rifles before budget cuts halted manufacturing in 1986. The Argentine Army ultimately retained its FN FAL variants in 7.62mm NATO. Later stock iterations replaced the synthetic folding design with PARA-FAL metal tubular stocks fitted with plastic cheek rests.
Background
The FARA 83 was born from Argentina's post-Falklands War determination to modernize its military with domestically produced weapons, reducing dependence on foreign suppliers who had imposed arms embargoes during the conflict. Designed by Ing. Enrique Chichizola - an Argentine engineer, not to be confused with the Italian Beretta family - the rifle represented a significant achievement in Latin American small arms design. However, Argentina's crushing economic crisis of the 1980s, including hyperinflation that would eventually reach 3,000% annually, killed the program before it could reach full production. Today, surviving FARA 83 rifles are prized collector's items, with most of the approximately 1,200 produced still in Argentine military storage.